Electron Beam Welding (EBW)
Electron beam welding is a non-contact, high integrity process suitable for the manufacture of fuel assemblies (see fuel case study), the encapsulation of waste (see SKB case study ), and the manufacture of thick section flasks for storage and transportation.EBW will weld most metals and is capable of producing welds up to 300mm thick in a single pass. Although it is usual to perform EBW in a high vacuum chamber, this is not essential, as Reduced Pressure and Non-Vacuum technology are being increasingly applied in a range of industries.
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Comparison of single pass EBW and conventional multi-pass arc welding for thick section fabrication |
Benefits
- Electron Beam Welding is fast e.g. 100mm thick steel can be welded at up to 150mm per minute in a single pass.
- The deep, narrow fusion zones, typical of the process, give a low level of distortion in the component e.g. Zircaloy cases for PWR fuel assemblies are often EB welded.
- It can be deployed remotely in active areas.
TWI has a wide range of EB equipment available to Industrial Members for process evaluation. There is also an EB equipment design team able to produce special or customised equipment for your application.
For further information, please contact:
power@twi.co.uk
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