Successful testing of GEH composite block
A research team led by GE Hitachi Nuclear has successfully tested an innovative new building block made of steel-concrete composite that is claimed to significantly reduce the cost of building nuclear reactor containment structures.
In 2021, the US Department of Energy's National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) awarded a cost-shared, multi-year project to GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (GEH) and other key stakeholders on the first project of the Advanced Construction Technology Initiative. The goal of this cost-shared public-private partnership is to help demonstrate several technologies that, when combined, could reduce the construction costs of building new reactors by more than 10% and significantly lower the scheduling risks and uncertainties associated with them.
As part of the initiative, GEH is developing its Diaphragm Plate Steel Composite, a modular steel-concrete composite. The design features reinforced concrete with two continuous steel plates, allowing for enhanced durability and flexibility. These modules can be fabricated off-site, shipped, and assembled quickly, significantly reducing labour costs and construction timelines. The modules are spliced together to form structural walls, floors, or mat foundation sections.
Diaphragm Plate Steel Composite (DPSC) test specimens were recently tested at Purdue University's Bowen Laboratory in Lafayette, Indiana.
Researchers filled the modular plates with concrete to simulate a reactor containment wall and subjected the structure to various loading conditions to mimic real-life situations a reactor building might experience, such as an earthquake.
"The DPSC system tests at Purdue exceeded our expectations," said Luke Voss, programme manager at Idaho National Laboratory. "We are very excited and enthusiastic about the use of this construction technology to help save time and money in the deployment of new nuclear reactors."
"The successful design, fabrication and testing of DPSC modules demonstrates the potential of this advanced fabrication and construction technology to lead to cost savings and improved project schedules in the deployment of small modular reactors," added Sean Sexstone, Executive Vice President, Advanced Nuclear, GE Hitachi.
The data collected during the small-scale demonstration will be used to support licensing of the modules for use in future reactor containment construction.
The National Reactor Innovation Center is currently evaluating a proposal from GEH to build a portion of a reactor containment building using the DPSC design for the walling system to further test the technology. The demonstration would also implement digital twin technologies on the civil structure and non-destructive evaluation techniques that were developed in the original phase of the project.
GEH plans to implement this technology in its first four BWXR-300 small modular reactors in Darlington, Ontario, Canada, for which a construction licence was granted to Ontario Power Generation earlier this month.
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