Steel grades for nuclear power

Steel is considered one of the fundamental building materials of modern industry and plays a crucial role in a variety of applications. In the nuclear industry in particular, high-quality steel is required for the manufacture of components that must meet the highest safety standards. Swiss Steel Group offers various solutions in the field of engineering steel and stainless steels that are ideally suited for this application.

Industriekomplex mit kuehltuermen bei nacht

Steel grades for nuclear power

In the nuclear industry, threaded bolts and fasteners must meet strict standards and specifications due to the critical nature of nuclear facilities. The specific engineering steel grades used for threaded bolts and fasteners can vary depending on the application and the relevant standards and regulations. However, there are some common steel grades that are frequently used in nuclear applications:

  • ASTM A193 Grade B7 (42CrMo4 Class 8.8) is an alloy steel grade typically used for high temperature applications. It is often used for bolting in nuclear reactor pressure vessels and other highly stressed areas.
  • ASTM A320 Grade L7 and L43 (42CrMo4) meet high tensile strength (L7) and specific notch toughness (L43) properties. They are also frequently used for screw connections in nuclear power plant pressure vessels.
  • 20NiCrMo14-5 (1.6772) is a high-temperature, nickel-containing quenched and tempered steel that is used for connecting elements in reactor construction. With very good mechanical properties, this steel is also suitable for high safety requirements.
Labor techniker bediene maschinelles pruefgeraet

Safety through precision

It is important to know that the nuclear industry has its own stringent quality control and testing requirements. Bolts and fasteners used in nuclear facilities must meet these requirements to ensure safety and reliability. The choice of steel grade for threaded bolts and fasteners can vary depending on reactor type, environmental conditions and other factors. It is therefore essential for nuclear plants to work closely with experts and comply with legal guidelines when selecting and using threaded bolts and fasteners.

At all Swiss Steel Group plants that manufacture products for nuclear reactors, the required material properties can be tested by third parties.

Präzisionsgefertigte rostfreier stabstahl

Benchmark in production

Swiss Steel Group produces stainless steels for the nuclear industry in the form of bars, billets, filler wire, flat steel and profiles on request. These are used in the manufacture of CRDM, fuel bundles, pumps, valves, fittings and other components.

Thanks to a comprehensive quality management system, Swiss Steel Group has complete control over the process from steel production to packaging and has therefore been setting the standard in the nuclear industry for more than 40 years!

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Swiss Steel Group for a sustainable future.

Our Green Steel is based on the circular economy, on energy sources with low CO2 content and is produced using the electric steel process.

  • ~85% lower CO2 footprint
  • ~83% electricity from low carbon sources
  • ~1.3 mn t recycled scrap per year

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