en.Wedoany.com Reported - The French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the University of Lorraine, and Framatome recently inaugurated the joint laboratory SISLAB, dedicated to studying the laws governing chemical composition variations in steel ingots used for forging large nuclear power plant components.
During the solidification of metal ingots, local inhomogeneities known as segregation form at various scales. Although the manufacturing processes of forgings (reactor pressure vessels, steam generators) can mitigate these variations, they may still affect the material's structure and properties. To address this, the team from the Institut Jean Lamour, specializing in materials science under CNRS and the University of Lorraine, will collaborate with Framatome experts. By combining chemical analysis and numerical simulation, they aim to deepen the understanding of the formation mechanisms of grains constituting solidified steel, liquid flow during solidification, and the influence of alloy composition on these phenomena.
The goal of this collaboration is to understand and control these local inhomogeneities to produce more uniform steel ingots, enhance the predictability of industrial numerical models, and strengthen the control over the mechanical properties of low-alloy steel forgings, ultimately ensuring safer and more reliable nuclear power plant components.
Mehdi Gmar, Deputy Director of Innovation at CNRS, stated that since 2012, the parties have continuously collaborated to address major industrial challenges. The SISLAB joint laboratory will enable the research team and Framatome experts to jointly tackle the critical issue of chemical segregation in steel ingots, which is vital for the reliability of nuclear components.
Gilles Perrin, Scientific Director of Framatome, noted that against the backdrop of global nuclear power growth, the SISLAB laboratory sends a clear signal to customers: by continuously pushing professional boundaries through collaboration with top experts, it provides safe, reliable, and high-performance innovative industrial solutions.
Alain Hehn, Vice President of the Scientific Council at the University of Lorraine, commented that the signing of this joint laboratory demonstrates the tangible socio-economic impact of academic research through innovation. Miha Založnik, Director of SISLAB and CNRS researcher at the Institut Jean Lamour, added that advances in experimental characterization and numerical modeling now allow a deeper understanding of industrial material structures, which is the core driving force of the joint laboratory.
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