CIE lecture - Developing special grade steels for the nuclear industry
On Wednesday 14th May Dr Richard Birley will give the Cleveland Institution of Engineers May Lecture. The lecture takes place at the Materials Processing Institute and is sponsored by Fraser-Nash Consultancy.
The lecture title is:
The changing face of the scrap industry and how this will impact on the production of RAFM steel for fusion reactors
Scientists have worked for decades to make nuclear fusion a realistic goal. Unlike first generation nuclear reactors we now recognise that alloys must not only perform in service but shouldn’t leave decontamination issues. This brings new challenges in materials design.
Richard will look at RAFM, (Reduced Activation Ferritic Martensitic Steel) which is designed for use in nuclear fusion reactors. He will talk about the pioneering work we have been involved with as part of the Neurone Project, which has now successfully produced the first multi-tonne UK RAFM steel.
The second part of this presentation will look at scrap steel, the scale, challenges and opportunity. Richard will outline the typical scrap steel life cycle and consider the UK steel market both now and in the future, and the implications for the production of high value, precision steels both economically and with a reduced environmental impact.
For enquiries about CIE events email cieevents@iom3materialscycle.org
For more information email enquiries@mpiuk.com
8 May 2025
