Risks in new technologies: Controlling toxic and hazardous gas releases during photovoltaic cell manufacture

Conference · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:6889541

Moskowitz, P D; Fthenakis, V M; Hamilton, L D; Kalb, P; Lee, J C

A large variety of materials may be used in the manufacture of photovoltaic devices; some may be released as by-products of normal or abnormal plant operations. These may adversely affect occupational and public health. This paper describes a logical and consistent framework for reviewing potential hazards associated with such releases and for their management. The most important hazards relate to accidental releases of toxic or flammable gases used in large quantity in thin-film photovoltaic cell manufacture. Analysis suggests that the most efficient strategies for reducing risks are to choose material and process options which inherently possess small risks (e.g., choice of processes which do not use hazardous gases) and to prevent accident initiating events (e.g., employee training). If accidents do occur, then strategies to prevent catastrophic releases (e.g., flow restricting valves), to control releases (e.g., flare towers and wet scrubbers), and to prevent public exposures to toxic agents (e.g., water curtains, siting and emergency evacuation) become important. Prevention and mitigation of consequences (e.g., medical treatment), form the final defensive barriers. Evaluations of these options before plant operation can permit plant engineers to design systems which are technologically competitive and present limited risks to health. 5 refs., 1 fig., 3 tabs.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6889541
• Report Number(s): BNL-39574; CONF-8611117-7; ON: DE87009147
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140400* -- Solar Energy-- Environmental Aspects
140600 -- Solar Energy-- Photovoltaic Power Systems
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
299001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Solar-- (1989-)
500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIC HYDRIDES
BORANES
BORON COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELEMENTS
HYDRIDES
HYDROCHLORIC ACID
HYDROGEN
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
INDUSTRY
INORGANIC ACIDS
MANAGEMENT
MANUFACTURING
MATERIALS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SILICON COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHORUS HYDRIDES
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
RISK ASSESSMENT
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SELENIUM HYDRIDES
SILANES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
TOXIC MATERIALS