Bruce Power has been awarded a Top Innovative Practice (TIP) Award for a novel approach to in-station radiation safety that leverages 3D printing techniques, using a tungsten-infused filament.
Bruce Power’s innovative three-dimensional (3D) Printed Tungsten Shielding process was recognized at the Nuclear Energy Institute’s (NEI) Nuclear Energy Assembly in Philadelphia on Sept. 10. Members of Bruce Power’s Radiation Protection and Site Services teams were present to accept this international award.
“We are extremely proud to be the recipient of a Top Innovative Practice Award for this radiation shielding project at Bruce Power,” said Eric Chassard, Bruce Power’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The safety of our people, stations, and equipment are Bruce Power’s top priority, and this new approach to in-station radiation shielding allows our teams to introduce enhanced precision and a level of flexibility in application that has never before been seen in the field of nuclear facility radiation shielding. This approach can be used as an example industry wide, using existing technologies in innovative ways.”
The program began in March 2023, when advancements in 3D printing technologies led to the viability of tungsten-induced filament for printing. Using this material marked a paradigm shift for in-station shielding approaches, allowing teams to use custom-printed shielding for hard-to-reach areas, such as valves, camera equipment, or pipe bends, providing an additional protective barrier for the station.
Custom shielding can be developed, modelled, printed and fitted to the target hot spot within 48 hours, reducing time and cost compared to traditional manufactured methods for custom shielding while increasing efficiency and precision. Once a model for a custom part has been produced, additional efficiencies can be gained by using the same template for the same components throughout Bruce Power’s eight units, and the compact nature of the 3D printers means the process for producing bespoke shielding solutions can take place on a machine with the same footprint as an average office photocopier.
“Bruce Power’s 3D Tungsten Shielding program is easily replicable across the nuclear industry and is a great example of our teams using innovative thinking to enhance safety,” said Chris Mudrick, Bruce Power’s Chief Nuclear Officer and Executive Vice-President. “Our team took this program from concept to prototype in just 30 days, and within 90 days the solution was field-tested and green lit for application across the station. I congratulate the team on all the hard work in bringing this vision to reality.”
The NEI annual Nuclear Energy Assembly brings together leaders from all levels of the nuclear technology industry. TIP Awards are one of the nuclear industry’s highest recognitions of excellence.
About Bruce Power
Bruce Power is an electricity company based in Bruce County, Saugeen Ojibway Nation Territory, Ontario. We are powered by our people. Our 4,200 employees are the foundation of our accomplishments and are proud of the role they play in safely delivering clean, reliable nuclear power to families and businesses across the province and cancer-fighting medical isotopes around the world. Bruce Power has worked hard to build strong roots in Ontario and is committed to protecting the environment and supporting the communities in which we live. Formed in 2001, Bruce Power is a Canadian-owned partnership of TC Energy, OMERS, the Power Workers’ Union and The Society of United Professionals. Learn more at www.brucepower.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
