Westinghouse announces new Seal O-Ring

Westinghouse Electric Company unveiled Wednesday a new Compound D — Extended Life O-Ring for reactor coolant pump seals designed by Westinghouse.

In testing these new O-Rings were able to last approximately 12 years of regular nuclear plant operation. With the longer lifespan of these components, nuclear utilities will be allowed greater flexibility and they will not be limited by replacing these components on a six-year basis. There is also decreased risk of human exposure to radiation from the reactor. The company states that these new components will be able to be shipped globally beginning this fall.

The company states that this development is the result of breakthroughs in materials technology.

“With the installation of the newly innovated Westinghouse O-ring, our utility customers now can expect not only a doubling of O-ring lifetime operation, but also increased convenience for their outage maintenance plans,” Senior Vice President of Westinghouse Operating Plant Businesses,David Howell said.

Westinghouse focuses on the development and manufacture of nuclear reactors, components and other technologies for utilities across the globe. The company operates as a part of the Toshiba Corp. and states that approximately 50 percent of all nuclear plants currently in operation worldwide utilize some form of technology developed at Westinghouse.