Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® has experience in welding zirconium parts, tubes and pipes and have previously advised engineers from Siemens about making pumps and pipework out of zirconium for the Chemical Industry.
Some Industries make highly corrosive products like nitric acid for example and zirconium is about the only metal that can resist such acids.
Siemens went on to purchase HFT® Pipe Purging Systems and accessories for welding zirconium and titanium.
Zirconium is transparent to neutrons so it can be used to make small cans for the nuclear fuel (uranium) that is put into pressurised water reactors.
These fuel cans are made into, what are called the 'stringer rods' in nuclear language and are used to make the water in the reactor boil to make steam, that turns the turbines (turbo generators) to make electricity.
The zirconium cans are loaded with uranium, a cap is put into the can and it is welded shut. The offshore industry manufactures items from zirconium, because it resists saltwater corrosion.
China uses about half of the worlds zirconium because of the rapid growth of Nuclear Power Stations there.
Zirconium is used in the pressure tubes of Canada's nuclear reactors and it is used in the reactors of Nuclear Submarines.
For more information, please read HFT®'s White Paper Welding Zirconium and its Alloys.
