Westinghouse invests in zirconium tube plant

[Florin]

Westinghouse invests in zirconium tube plant
09 January 2008



Westinghouse is to invest nearly $13 million in improvements at a
plant that makes zirconium alloy tubes for nuclear fuel in readiness
for the worldwide nuclear renaissance.

The company has announced that its Specialty Metals Plant in
Pennsylvania will be fitted with new equipment to accommodate its
projects in China as well as pending projects in the USA. "The
investments we are making to expand our manufacturing capabilities
will position Westinghouse for continued success in the worldwide
nuclear renaissance," said Aris Candris, senior vice president of
Westinghouse's Nuclear Fuel business unit. Construction work is due to
start in March on the first of four Westinghouse AP1000 reactors to be
built in China, and applications for construction and operating
licences for two two-unit AP1000 power plants have recently been
submitted in the USA.

The bulk of Westinghouse's investment - over $11 million - will be
spent on two high-speed pilgers used in the manufacturing process to
produce seamless zirconium alloy tubing. The other major equipment
purchase will be a vacuum annealing furnace worth some $1.75 million,
which Westinghouse says will support the anticipated growth of the
next generation of zirconium alloys providing enhanced performance.
The new equipment is expected to be commissioned in early 2009.

Zirconium alloy tubes manufactured at the Specialty Metals Plant are
used to encase pellets of uranium dioxide to make nuclear fuel rods.
The rods, which are typically around 4 m long, are arranged in fuel
assemblies for loading into a reactor. The fuel for the AP1000 is
based on a 17x17 design that has already been used in pressurized
water reactors in the US and Europe.

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