ATS awarded contract for NuScale VOYGR™ plants

ATS Industrial Automation announced a contract for their nuclear division with NuScale Power to build and test a prototype for the Module Assembly Equipment-Bolting (MAE-B) system, a critical part of the NuScale VOYGR™ SMR power plant.

The MAE-B system includes prototyping the automation technology to be used on the Reactor Flange and Containment Flange tools. Extensive testing will be performed on the system to provide confidence that the technology will operate as intended for the NuScale Power Module™.

The prototype, which will serve as a proof-ofconcept system, will be assembled and tested at an ATS facility in Wixom, Michigan.

ATS Industrial Automation delivers proven automated tooling solutions, concurrent engineering, and digital twin technology for nuclear refurbishment, decommissioning, and small modular reactors. The company specialises in solving the most complex nuclear automation challenges with innovation, ingenuity, and experience.

UKAEA launches tritium training course

United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has launched a new tritium training course taking place on 27 June 2023 as part of its commitment to upskill the fusion industry. The course is being launched for the wider fusion industry following a successful pilot course in April, which was attended by a team from First Light Fusion.

Tritium is a likely fuel of future fusion power plants, which will combine the hydrogen isotopes of deuterium and tritium to generate electricity.

Managing, storing and supplying tritium fuel is vitally important for the commercialisation of fusion energy. UKAEA has been safely handling, processing and storing tritium for more than 40 years as part of its research into fusion energy. The course will cover tritium’s chemical properties, behaviours and safety factors, before delving into tritium fuel cycle stages. It will also include the processes and equipment required within a tritium plant.

Turnbull & Scott win the 2023 sustainable development award

Turnbull & Scott is continually committed to investing in innovative products and in its dedicated workforce so that it can help customers solve and deliver the solution to their comfort or process heating, drying, cooling, chilling, and energy saving challenges. In doing so, it is increasingly passionate about helping companies work toward a NetZero future.

This award comes as a great birthday present for the company as it celebrates its 90th Anniversary this year.

“We are delighted to be receiving this award in 2023, the year we celebrate our 90th birthday. We have been quietly helping our customers to reduce their heat energy consumption for much of that time and to receive the Sustainable Development award is a huge honour, particularly in 2023 with so many companies doing so much wonderfully innovative engineering to solve the climate change challenge.”

Peter Murphy, Managing Director

Winning the award rounded off a great week for Turnbull & Scott after exhibiting at the 2023 AllEnergy event in Glasgow. It provided the opportunity to connect with people and discuss creative ways in which the company can help its customers with their energy saving challenges.

“UKAEA is committed to sharing our knowledge to drive forward tritium research across the scientific and engineering community. Fusion energy has the potential to be a safe, low carbon and sustainable part of the world’s future energy supply.”

Hayley Taylor, Tritium Training, Development and Recruitment Manager for UKAEA

UKAEA was pleased to recently host members of the First Light Fusion team for the successful pilot tritium training course.

“The training that UKAEA has provided has been really impressive and our team gained a great deal from the tritium course. The content matched what we needed and the delivery was engaging and focused. We’re looking forward to continuing this part of our broader relationship going forward.”

Ryan Ramsey, Chief Operating Officer of First Light Fusion

Course attendees can speak with and learn from UKAEA tritium experts and will experience a tour of UKAEA’s tritium processing plant providing a unique opportunity to see the real-world application of what they have just learned in the training room.

The one day, classroom-based course is applicable to industry, academia, start-ups, graduates, new starters, scientists, engineers and operators with a range of tritium knowledge. Organisations can also contact UKAEA to request bespoke sessions tailored to their areas of interest.

For more information about future course dates this Autumn and to sign up for the next course on Tuesday 27 June 2023, at UKAEA’s Culham Campus, please contact info@h3at.ukaea.uk.