About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Additive Manufacturing Materials, Processes and Applications for Energy Industry
|
| Presentation Title |
Wire-Arc Additive Manufacturing of Austenitic Steels components production for Lead-cooled Fast Reactors |
| Author(s) |
Enrico Virgillito, Michele Cau, Raffaele Panza, Daniele De Caro, Marco Actis Grande, Francisco Garcia Ferrč |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Enrico Virgillito |
| Abstract Scope |
The nuclear industry is shifting from economies of scale to economies of series, requiring advancements in the supply chain for nuclear component manufacturing. Additive manufacturing offers potential benefits in efficiency and time-to-market, yet its adoption remains limited due to insufficient research and regulatory standardization, particularly for demanding environments like Lead-cooled Fast Reactors (LFRs). Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) is gaining increasing interest from academia and industry as promising solution. This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of WAAM for producing vessel-type components for LFR applications. The manufactured mock-up will undergo rigorous evaluation, including visual inspection, liquid penetration, ultrasonic testing, CT scanning, SEM, and optical microscopy. Additionally, corrosion testing in liquid lead will be conducted. Evaluation on the effect of the surface roughness on liquid lead corrosion resistance will be assessed. These investigations represent a significant step toward validating WAAM for nuclear applications, supporting its integration into the LFR supply chain. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Additive Manufacturing, Environmental Effects, Nuclear Materials |