Industrialisation of ebflow for pressure vessel manufacture - EBManPower

The ability to weld thick section efficiently is critical to drive widespread deployment of cost-effective solutions to meet low-carbon energy needs. Thick section local vacuum electron beam welding is considered a key enabling technology in the serialised fabrication of micro modular reactors (MMR) and other large tubular structures.
TWI, CVE and Cammell Laird have been working collaboratively for over three years to produce the UK’s first full-size MMR vessel segment. Supported by Innovate UK, EBManPower has demonstrated a low cost and rapid manufacturing solution of thick section vessels for nuclear and other industries, using existing UK logistical and manufacturing capabilities. EBManPower focussed on using the Ebflow system, deployed at the Cammell Laird’s shipyard in Birkenhead, to demonstrate the viability of cost-effective MMR fabrication.
Electron beam welding has been used for the nuclear and aerospace industries for decades. This is the first time that a commercially available local vacuum EB system has been deployed in an industrial environment.
EBManPower has:
• Simplified both the manufacturing and qualification processes
• A near-net approach, enabling large cost savings on materials by replacing forgings with rolled plate, suitable for nuclear and other vessel or tubular structures
• Shown no evidence of hydrogen cracking and exhibited low distortion
• Demonstrated a feasible manufacturing technique which is up to 95% faster than other welding methods, with no consumables, filler or fumes.
• Significantly reduced health risks, labour and inspection costs of such fabrications, whilst offering much higher productivity.