At the 2017 ANS Annual Meeting in San Francisco, Schott will display samples from its Eternaloc^® product line of glass-to-metal sealed feedthroughs and cable penetrations for the Nuclear industry at booth 6 in the ANS Meeting Exhibit Hall (June 11-14).

Additionally, Nuclear Safety Division General Manager Thomas Fink will present details on how Schott is working with the nuclear power industry worldwide to shape the development, functionality, and enhanced safety of next-generation nuclear power plants.

Glass: A non-aging and reliable material
Glass-to-metal sealing (GTMS), a core competency of SCHOTT’s Electronic Packaging business unit, is used in scores of components for harsh-environment, safety-critical applications to create a hermetic seal and protect sensitive electronics. Schott is a trusted supplier of GTMS housings and feedthroughs for automotive electronics, datacom, aviation & aerospace, and medical electronics, amongst others.

In the nuclear industry, Schott has been supplying electrical penetration assemblies (EPAs) for use in nuclear power plants for over 50 years. The 12,000 penetrations installed in more than 50 active nuclear power plants worldwide enable instrumentation and control signals to be transmitted through gas-tight reactor walls. Schott Eternaloc EPAs are maintenance-free with a 60-year lifetime, helping reduce total cost of ownership for utility companies operating nuclear power plants. At the same time, these components raise the standards for safety with proven integrity in high temperature and pressure severe accident conditions far superior to organic, polymer-sealed counterparts.

Schott’s contribution to Chinese Shidaowan HTR
At the ANS Annual Meeting, Thomas Fink will present Schott’s work in conjunction with Chinergy Co., Ltd to incorporate GTMS EPAs at the Shidaowan high temperature reactor in the Shandong province of China.

High temperature reactors (HTR) and small modular reactors (SMR) represent promising developments for the future of low greenhouse gas-emitting nuclear power. These reactor types reduce costs and physical footprints compared to traditional nuclear reactor construction and operation, and reduce pollution compared to fossil fuel-based energy sources.

“Improved GTMS feedthroughs manufactured by Schott are the only feedthrough solution that can be used in the primary loop of high temperature reactors,” said Mr. Fink. “The reason for this is because organic polymer seals are not able to withstand the high temperatures and pressures of the harsh reactor environment.”

A proven footprint
In addition to the Shidaowan HTR, Schott EPAs have also been chosen by BWXT for implementation in its mPower small modular reactor (SMR). Schott EPAs safety-relevant qualities represent an ideal feedthrough for integration in SMRs to meet their complex component requirements and help form a strong instrumentation and control safety chain.

Mr. Fink will present at 4:30PM on Wednesday, June 14 and representatives from Schott will be present at booth 6 in the exhibit hall from the Sunday June 11 through Wednesday June 14.