Methods | Pictures | How it works | Nuclear Industry Applications | Benefits | Links |
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Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) | | Involves subjecting components to elevated temperature (up to 1200°C) and isostatic pressure (typically 100-200 MPa) in a high-pressure gas atmosphere to remove internal porosity and defects. | Turbine discs, casings, impellers | Eliminates internal defects, improves density, enhances fatigue resistance, and strengthens structural integrity. | More Details |
Heat Treatment | | Involves heating the component to specific temperatures followed by controlled cooling (quenching, air cooling, etc.) to alter its mechanical properties, such as hardness, toughness, and tensile strength. | Valves, nozzles, turbine blades | Enhances strength, toughness, and resistance to high-temperature creep and fatigue. | More Details |
Superalloy Welding | | Uses techniques like electron beam, laser, or TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding to join superalloy parts or repair damaged sections, ensuring precise control over temperature and fusion. | Seals, valve bodies, turbine blades | Provides strong, reliable joints for high-stress areas, improving overall durability and reducing failure risks. | More Details |
Thermal Barrier Coating (TBC) | | Applies a thin ceramic-based coating (typically zirconia) onto superalloy components using plasma spraying or electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) techniques to provide thermal insulation. | Turbine blades, nozzles, combustion chambers | Protects components from extreme heat, increases lifespan, and enhances thermal efficiency. | More Details |
Material Testing and Analysis | | Uses nondestructive (X-ray, ultrasonic, eddy current) and destructive testing (tensile testing, fatigue testing) to assess the material properties, microstructure, and detect internal defects. | All critical nuclear components | Ensures material integrity, verifies compliance with standards, and detects potential flaws or weaknesses. | More Details |
Superalloy CNC Machining | | Employs computer-controlled machinery (lathes, mills, etc.) to achieve highly precise dimensions and intricate geometries for superalloy parts, maintaining tolerances down to micrometers. | Valves, shafts, pump housings | Achieves high precision and dimensional accuracy, ensuring reliable performance in high-stress environments. | More Details |
Superalloy Deep Hole Drilling | | Utilizes specialized drills with cutting fluid injection to drill deep, narrow holes in high-strength materials, often with a depth-to-diameter ratio exceeding 100:1. | Heat exchanger tubes, reactor core components | Provides accurate, deep channels for coolant flow and structural components, improving operational efficiency. | More Details |
Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) | | Uses a controlled series of electrical discharges (sparks) to erode material from the workpiece, allowing for precision machining without direct tool contact, particularly on hard materials. | Complex nozzles, impellers, seals | Enables precise cutting of intricate geometries, reducing stress on delicate high-temperature alloy components. | More Details |