(DE19731160-A1)      A process for separation of the components of a composite glass pane, having one or more inorganic glass panes bonded to a plastic layer, involves heat treating the pane in a gas atmosphere by heating at 50C/min to 300C and holding at this temperature until the plastic layer is decomposed and/or evaporated. Also claimed is apparatus for carrying out the above process.    USE -   The process is used for thermal treatment of composite glass panes having (i) one or more panes of soda-lime silicate glass or borosilicate glass; (ii) one or more plastic layers of aliphatic or aromatic polyurethanes, polyvinylbutyral, ethylene vinyl acetate, acrylic acid derivatives (e.g. n-butyl acrylate), epoxides and/or silicones; (iii) electrical components such as aerial elements, heater elements, alarms and/or solar energy conversion elements; (iv) solar cells, especially of silicon, copper-indium diselenide, gallium arsenide or cadmium telluride; or (v) one or more further glass panes bonded to the plastic layer, especially spacer-containing insulating glass panes or composite safety glass panes (claimed). The process is particularly useful for recycling of photovoltaic solar modules.    ADVANTAGE -   The process produces reduced heating of sensitive components (e.g. solar cells), thus allowing their non-destructive recovery.    (DE19731160-C2)      A process for separation of the components of a composite glass pane, having one or more inorganic glass panes bonded to a plastic layer, involves heat treating the pane in a gas atmosphere by heating at 50C/min to 300C and holding at this temperature until the plastic layer is decomposed and/or evaporated. Also claimed is apparatus for carrying out the above process.    USE -   The process is used for thermal treatment of composite glass panes having (i) one or more panes of soda-lime silicate glass or borosilicate glass; (ii) one or more plastic layers of aliphatic or aromatic polyurethanes, polyvinylbutyral, ethylene vinyl acetate, acrylic acid derivatives (e.g. n-butyl acrylate), epoxides and/or silicones; (iii) electrical components such as aerial elements, heater elements, alarms and/or solar energy conversion elements; (iv) solar cells, especially of silicon, copper-indium diselenide, gallium arsenide or cadmium telluride; or (v) one or more further glass panes bonded to the plastic layer, especially spacer-containing insulating glass panes or composite safety glass panes (claimed). The process is particularly useful for recycling of photovoltaic solar modules.    ADVANTAGE -   The process produces reduced heating of sensitive components (e.g. solar cells), thus allowing their non-destructive recovery.    (JP11165150-A)      A process for separation of the components of a composite glass pane, having one or more inorganic glass panes bonded to a plastic layer, involves heat treating the pane in a gas atmosphere by heating at 50C/min to 300C and holding at this temperature until the plastic layer is decomposed and/or evaporated. Also claimed is apparatus for carrying out the above process.    USE -   The process is used for thermal treatment of composite glass panes having (i) one or more panes of soda-lime silicate glass or borosilicate glass; (ii) one or more plastic layers of aliphatic or aromatic polyurethanes, polyvinylbutyral, ethylene vinyl acetate, acrylic acid derivatives (e.g. n-butyl acrylate), epoxides and/or silicones; (iii) electrical components such as aerial elements, heater elements, alarms and/or solar energy conversion elements; (iv) solar cells, especially of silicon, copper-indium diselenide, gallium arsenide or cadmium telluride; or (v) one or more further glass panes bonded to the plastic layer, especially spacer-containing insulating glass panes or composite safety glass panes (claimed). The process is particularly useful for recycling of photovoltaic solar modules.    ADVANTAGE -   The process produces reduced heating of sensitive components (e.g. solar cells), thus allowing their non-destructive recovery.