Commercial nuclear power currently generates approximately 20 percent of the electricity consumed in the United States. As such, the 104 operating light water reactor (LWR) plants constitute the single largest domestic source of energy production that does not emit carbon dioxide (CO2) or other greenhouse gases (GHG). As Nuclear power plants grow older and begin to approach the end of their design life, welding, repair, and maintenance technology issues will become more important. Demonstrated, cost-effective repair methods are required to provide economical, reliable, and safe nuclear power. This project seeks to develop and commercialize an entirely new portable, advanced welding overlay technology, based on diode laser cladding, for in-field repair of light water reactor systems and components. The diode laser has many attributes that will enable the welding of very thin and smooth clad layers of creep resistant alloys onto steel substrates with little or no dilution, low distortion, and at very high deposition rates creating superior material properties.
Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The cladding repair process should find use in repairing the damage caused by flow accelerated corrosion, cavitations, flashing, liquid droplet impingement, and solid particle erosion corrosion in nuclear power plants. The same process could be marketed for the purpose of laser cladding and remanufacture of commercial components, critical infrastructure, and the engine and drive train components used in military combat and transportation vehicles.
