Improving Global Quality of Life
Improving Global Quality of Life
Improving Global Quality of Life
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9 Needs and challenges <strong>of</strong> major industry sectors for future applications<br />
engineering disciplines due to the need for high priced welding and testing equipment and laboratories that<br />
must keep up with industry.<br />
Machine GTAW and Semi-Automatic GMAW will become important in the coming years and this will require<br />
specially trained Welding Technicians to keep the equipment working properly and dialed in for optimal<br />
performance. These positions require training found in 2 year associate degree programmes.<br />
Certified Senior Welding Inspectors and Non Destructive Testing (NDT) technicians are needed to assure<br />
the necessary examinations are performed to provide evidence that welds meet the requisite high quality<br />
standards. New phased array ultrasonic techniques and radiography using digital media will be employed.<br />
Presently individuals competent in these techniques are as difficult to locate and train as welders. Typically<br />
their training is commensurate with an associate degree in engineering technology. The experience levels<br />
needed to work independently are <strong>of</strong> the order <strong>of</strong> several years.<br />
A programmatic method for recording welding data will depend heavily on s<strong>of</strong>tware designed for the task.<br />
The information gathered will provide the utility operators cradle-to-grave traceability. Such data is a great<br />
asset for plant engineering staff when they find deficiencies or degradation in the plant equipment once it<br />
is placed in operation. The engineering and quality control staff will assure this is accomplished and made<br />
available for owner and regulatory review.<br />
Generally speaking, GTAW can be applied for the austenitic stainless steel and Ni base alloys against corrosion,<br />
heat and extremely low temperature. Since the reactors have the large scale structure, it is necessary to<br />
make progress on the welding process with the higher efficiency, the lower heat distortion and the higher<br />
quality. This will mean adopting much higher efficiency welding with high deposition rates, such as narrow<br />
gap Welding, hot-wire TIG welding, multi-electrode welding and laser-arc hybrid welding at the factory<br />
and the local nuclear reactor site. In the case <strong>of</strong> an International Thermonuclear Energy Reactor (ITER) with<br />
large structure and large wall thickness, high power laser and laser arc hybrid welding can be applied for<br />
high accuracy and high velocity. Figure 9.9 shows the trend <strong>of</strong> welding processes for the application to the<br />
nuclear equipment.<br />
High <strong>Quality</strong><br />
High Efficiency<br />
Laser-Arc Hybrid<br />
Super Narrow Gap<br />
High Power Laser<br />
Multi-Electrode<br />
Advance MIG<br />
Hot Wire<br />
Figure 9.9 Trends <strong>of</strong> welding processes<br />
for nuclear power plant (Reproduced<br />
courtesy: Satoru Asai)<br />
GTAW<br />
Narrow Gap GTAW<br />
Future<br />
Finally, as there are many light-water reactors operating for over 60 years, there will be the need to start<br />
the decommissioning <strong>of</strong> the used reactors. The cutting and recycling technologies <strong>of</strong> the metal, such as RPV<br />
and Core Shroud is utilised for the decrease <strong>of</strong> the waste volume. Moreover, the waste processing system <strong>of</strong><br />
used fuel rods, are in operation, and so the components are added to the systems and repaired by remote<br />
maintenance technologies <strong>of</strong> laser welding.<br />
Through Optimum Use and Innovation <strong>of</strong> Welding and Joining Technologies<br />
<strong>Improving</strong> <strong>Global</strong> <strong>Quality</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Life</strong><br />
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