Grant: Alliance Grants
University of Waterloo
$183,000.00
Welding Technologies for the SMR Supply Chain
FY 2023-24
Summary
The goal of the project will be to bring novel welding technologies to the commercial scale for SMR component fabrication. The first involves optimizing the wire-arc additive manufacturing, which based on arc welding methods combined with advanced material deposition control and digitization of robotic motion to generate complex geometries completely from molten metal. This has the potential to drastically increase production rates for complex components which are normally cast or forged structures, and will reduce costs and lead times for large components. The second technology will focus on the ability to join dissimilar and crack-sensitive materials using a novel Canadian-made joining technique based on induction and friction energy. This can allow tubular components to be joined without any joint interfaces or added filler material, and has been employed in automotive applications. This proposal will evaluate this induction joining method for joining tubular components used in SMR designs which require high temperature and exotic alloys (including high temperature stainless, Zr, Nb, Ni alloys) utilized in reactor systems, fuel, and heat exchangers.
Program
Alliance Grants
Recipient
Location
Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
586457-2023
Name nom
Gerlich, Adrian AP
Department département
Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics
Organization id
33
Institution établissement
University of Waterloo
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2023
Competition year année de concours
2023
Award amount
183000
Program id
ALLRP
Program name en
Alliance Grants
Program name fr
Subventions Alliance
Group en
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
Group fr
PARTENARIATS DE RECHERCHE
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
510
Area of application group en
Manufacturing processes and products
Area of application group fr
Procédés et produits industriels
Area of application en
Fabricated metal products
Area of application fr
Produits métalliques usinés
Research subject code
2401
Research subject group en
Nuclear engineering
Research subject group fr
Reactor design and operation
Research subject en
Génie nucléaire
Research subject fr
Conception et fonctionnement des réacteurs
Application title
Welding Technologies for the SMR Supply Chain
Keyword
Arc welding; Friction welding; Joining; Materials performance; Nuclear materials; Welding
Application summary
The goal of the project will be to bring novel welding technologies to the commercial scale for SMR component fabrication. The first involves optimizing the wire-arc additive manufacturing, which based on arc welding methods combined with advanced material deposition control and digitization of robotic motion to generate complex geometries completely from molten metal. This has the potential to drastically increase production rates for complex components which are normally cast or forged structures, and will reduce costs and lead times for large components. The second technology will focus on the ability to join dissimilar and crack-sensitive materials using a novel Canadian-made joining technique based on induction and friction energy. This can allow tubular components to be joined without any joint interfaces or added filler material, and has been employed in automotive applications. This proposal will evaluate this induction joining method for joining tubular components used in SMR designs which require high temperature and exotic alloys (including high temperature stainless, Zr, Nb, Ni alloys) utilized in reactor systems, fuel, and heat exchangers.
