Photovoltaic Glass Cold Repairs and Restarts Bring Electric Boosting Electrode Restocking Forward

Entering the fourth quarter, cold repair and restart schedules for photovoltaic glass lines are relatively dense. Some furnaces are re-ignited after cold repair, electric boosting systems resume operation, and restocking and spare-part confirmation for molybdenum electrodes are completed before ignition. Unlike new lines, cold repair projects place more emphasis on specification match and arrival timing.

Why Cold Repair Windows Cluster at This Time

Photovoltaic glass furnaces usually run continuously for several years, and a cold repair requires shutting down, draining the glass melt and replacing refractories and some electrodes. Companies tend to schedule the work when order flow is relatively flat and module production pressure is lower, in order to shorten the ramp-up after restart. Once the cold repair plan is fixed, purchasing, construction and ignition dates lock together, and the cost of a late electrode is magnified.

The First Check After Furnace Teardown

After the spent electrodes are removed, check actual dimensions, thread condition and degree of oxidation, and judge which are normal consumption and which relate to operating conditions. If local bending or abnormal end erosion is found, investigate current distribution and melt level control so that the problem is not repeated once the new electrodes are installed.

Confirmation at the Masonry and Installation Stage

Before the electrodes are installed, confirm the reserved openings in the brickwork, the clearance of the water-cooling jacket and the sealing method, because dimensional deviation directly affects how difficult replacement will be. For furnaces with water-cooled structures, also check that the water circuit is clear and that flow and temperature monitoring have returned to normal, so that the end is not damaged by insufficient cooling after ignition.

Power Supply Review Before Ignition

The power supply system should be reviewed for transformer capacity, busbar connections and control logic, and the power distribution plan for the ramp-up stage confirmed. The initial electrode load should not be applied in full at once; it is usually raised step by step along a staged heating curve, watching whether melt temperature and current change in step.

What to Watch After Restart

During ramp-up, electrode load and melt surface temperature fluctuate considerably, so it is advisable to record daily current, voltage and cooling water temperature to build a comparable operating baseline. If one electrode draws a noticeably higher current, investigate contact resistance and clamp condition early rather than waiting for a furnace stop.

Product parameters are given in the selection notes for this duty; you can also visit the electrode manufacturer's home page.