SUPPLY CHAIN | SOURCING STAINLESS STEEL
Right: The development of small modular reactors could alleviate some of the challenges
project. It is therefore in the interest of the whole supply chain that this batch of material is utilised fully by the project.
An underlying factor in this supply challenge is that
steel mills are often perceived as commodity suppliers. Even though nuclear projects are planned and developed over years, stainless steel producers rarely get advance knowledge of the material specifications or oversight of the sizes and quantities required. Oversight of a project to aggregate together requirements to match steel production batch sizes where possible can significantly reduce costs. Earlier knowledge of the technical specifications, sizes and quantities, as well as certainty over timescales would also enable the supply chain to plan more strategically, and with that would come cost and project programme benefits.
Small modular reactors could change the situation for stainless steels Looking to the future, the development of small modular reactors (SMRs) could alleviate some of the challenges. Establishing serial production of modules should create
more predictable ongoing demand for these specialist steels, giving steel mills and distribution companies the confidence to schedule regular production. While many of the stainless steels used in the SMR modules are likely to be the same grades of 304, 316 and their variants that are used in standard reactors, small and micro modular reactors may also require other types of stainless steel for the balance of plant. For example, stainless steels will be required for the
thermal energy storage systems that will meet varying demand while the reactor delivers constant baseline output. Molten salt energy storage has potential as a scalable solution that is established in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants. These store energy in tanks of molten salt, built from established stainless steels such as Therma 347H, although alternative grades with improved high temperature properties are under development. Duplex stainless steels also hold promise for some
applications. The grade LDX2101 has twice the strength and similar corrosion resistance to 316L. It has been used to produce steel-concrete sandwich panels in mechanical equipment modules for the AP1000 plant design, for instance.
The duplex family of grades is well suited to structural
applications in the modular reactors that are being evaluated for remote communities and industrial facilities. These will need to work semi-autonomously with little operator intervention for maintenance and repair of corrosion of process equipment or structural elements. Duplex grades are also widely used in offshore oil and
gas, pressure vessels and large storage tanks. They have recently been adopted to build bridges with a design life of 120 years that can avoid costly road and railway closures – a philosophy that could also bring long-term cost and operational benefits to the emerging SMR sector. As a material, stainless steel has an important role to
Above: It is in the interest of the whole supply chain that material is utilised fully by the project
34 | September 2023 |
www.neimagazine.com
play in ensuring a long and safe operating life for nuclear reactors. When specifying the material, it’s worth knowing that the unique requirements of the industry might make it challenging to secure material. Therefore, it’s worth thinking ahead to discuss plans in advance with material producers to ensure material will be available in the right specification when it’s needed. ■
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