University of Manchester spinout Aletheia Imaging Solutions has partnered with German research institute SKZ to improve nuclear waste management with additive manufacturing.
Aletheia was contracted by Seoul National University’s Nuclear Research Institute to create 3D calibration targets that help measure the accuracy of X-ray CT scan data. This non-destructive evaluation (NDE) process evaluates the status of “wasteforms,” solid materials that encapsulate and immobilize radioactive nuclear waste.
Previous efforts to create the small-scale reference components using geopolymer, silica glass, and alumina reportedly failed due to surface defects. Therefore, Aletheia collaborated with SKZ to leverage the Würzburg plastics specialist’s Nano Dimension Fabrica 2.0 3D printer. Using this system, the team prototyped and produced low-cost, high-resolution calibration benchmarks, ensuring accurate NDE results.
While SKZ and Aletheia’s project was initially designed for academic applications, Nano Dimension believes it could be scaled for the industrial assessment of radioactive waste containers.
“We’re pleased with the progress and results of this initiative,” commented Samuel Johnston, Aletheia’s Co-founder and Scientific Director. “Aletheia, SKZ, and Nano Dimension have and will continue to play a role in evolving the practical application of this exciting project.”
Micro-3D printing optimizes nuclear waste management
Founded in 2021, Aletheia is an industrial metrology company specializing in test objects that validate the accuracy of X-ray scans for nondesctrictive testing. Seoul National University’s Nuclear Research team turned to Aletheia to help improve NDE accuracy for testing its wasteforms.
Radioactive waste from nuclear power plants must be safely stored and contained until its radiation decreases to safer levels. To address this, the Seoul-based scientists are developing new geopolymer-based wasteforms designed to immobilize carbon-14. These structures must be inspected and validated using X-ray-based NDE methods. By incorporating spatial resolution targets with precise, predetermined dimensions, the accuracy of X-ray CT scans can be optimized. This allows researchers and engineers to calibrate the testing system more effectively and obtain more reliable results.
Given these demands, Aletheia and SKZ built test pieces to help verify X-ray CT scan accuracy and evaluate how well the scan detects small defects or damage in the wasteforms. SKZ, which has developed 3D printing expertise since founding its Center for Additive Production in 2011, used its Fabrica 2.0 to fabricate plastic iterations of these target benchmarks. This high-resolution DLP 3D printer was originally known as the Fabrica Tera 250 before Nano Dimension acquired Nanofabrica, its developer, in April 2021.
Purchased in January 2023, SKZ’s 1.9-micron resolution system allowed the company to prototype designs and fine-tune parameters at low cost. This reportedly improved the quality of the targets and optimized their dimensional accuracy. According to Nano Dimension, 3D printing would also allow the team to rapidly change the test part’s design based on evolving customer needs. Additional refinement could increase dimensional fidelity and geometric variance to support a wider range of applications.
Ultimately, through this project, the team successfully used X-ray CT scanning to examine the internal structure of metakaolin-based geopolymer wasteforms. Seoul National University’s researchers successfully highlighted the value of the nondestructive technique for evaluating the structures. They believe this sets the stage for future NDE research.
The nuclear energy sector adopts additive manufacturing
Additive manufacturing is witnessing increased adoption in energy applications, particularly in the nuclear sector. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) designed, produced, and assessed a 3D printed rabbit capsule for nuclear reactor testing.
The specialized capsule, a container that holds experiments during irradiation inside a test reactor, was fabricated using laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing. Reportedly the first 3D printed component of its kind, the capsule successfully withstood nearly a month in a high neutron flux environment. Findings from this research could extend the value of 3D printing in safety-critical nuclear applications, according to ORNL.
Last July, Pennsylvanian nuclear power company Westinghouse Electric Company introduced new 3D printed nuclear nozzles. Designed to improve debris capture and fuel endurance in Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs), the filtering bottom nozzles exhibited a 30% increase in debris resistance. Additive manufacturing reportedly unlocked enhanced design flexibility, reducing the diameter of debris capable of entering the reactor.
“Our additive manufacturing technology is allowing us to achieve breakthrough performance with an immediate positive impact for our customers,” explained Westinghouse’s President of Nuclear Fuel, Tarik Choho.
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Featured image shows Nano Dimension’s Fabrica 2.0 3D printer. Image via Nano Dimension.
