Specialty Ceramics
High-performance advanced ceramics for extreme conditions
Saint-Gobain Performance Ceramics & Refractories offers advanced specialty ceramics products, consisting of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, Alumina and Boron Carbide materials, designed to perform reliably in the harshest conditions. These engineered solutions provide exceptional thermal stability, corrosion resistance, and mechanical strength, making them ideal for high-temperature reactors, chemically aggressive processes, precision metrology, mechanical seals, thermocouple protection & gas sensors, labware operations, and semiconductor manufacturing equipment. Focused on durability and efficiency, Saint-Gobain’s solutions help critical industries improve reliability, minimize maintenance, and optimize operational performance.
Nuclear Reactors
Silicon Carbide and Silicon Nitride Seal Faces for Nuclear Reactor Coolant Pumps
Alundum, Alfrax Al2O3, Hexoloy® SiC, Noralide Si3N4and Norbide B4C materials are used in nuclear fuel sintering furnaces, reactor coolant pumps, and neutron absorbing pellets in control rods.
Seal faces require intricate designs and must be highly machined, ground and lapped in order to conform to very tight tolerances required in nuclear reactor coolant pumps.
Seal faces are available in three materials: sintered alpha silicon carbide, sintered silicon carbide with excess carbon, and hot pressed silicon nitride.
FAQ
What are the key technical considerations when manufacturing seal faces for nuclear reactor coolant pumps?
Seal faces for nuclear reactor coolant pumps must be highly engineered to meet the specific tolerances of the application. These must be machined according to intricate designs, ground and lapped.
What level of quality assurance is required for nuclear reactor seal faces?
Saint-Gobain Performance Ceramics & Refractories is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified. In addition to conforming to end-use specifications, nuclear reactor customers typically require a comprehensive audit of key suppliers involved in the supply chain.
What materials are typically used to make seal faces for nuclear reactor coolant pumps?
Seal faces for nuclear reactor coolant pumps can be manufactured with pressure-less sintered alpha silicon carbide, sintered alpha silicon carbide with excess carbon and hot pressed silicon nitride.
