Zircatec Precision Industries Inc
Port Hope, ON
Company Overview
ZIRCATEC VALUES
1- Meeting CUSTOMER commitments with integrity is our highest priority. 2- PEOPLE shall be treated with trust, respect and fairness 3- The QUALITY of everything we do must continually be improved.
Theses are the values we live and work by each day.
Zircatec's highly skilled and experienced engineering personnel have developed specialized manufacturing and inspection equipment and processes to carry out large scale production of CANDU fuel to exacting tolerances. Their outstanding success in developing technically superior processes, along with our operating personnel's commitment to quality, are evidenced by the outstanding performance of our fuel.
Ziratec is the largest supplier of CANDU fuel in the world. Attaining this dominant position in the CANDU fuel market is due in no small part to the superior quality of the products we manufacture. Feedback from our customers indicates that our dedication to quality has made us the quality performance leader in our field.
To date Zircatec has produced more than 700, 000 fuel bundles for 28 CANDU power reactors. These fuel bundles have produced the energy equivalent of 450 million tons of coal and avoided the production of 500, 000, 000 tons of carbon dioxide.
Over the last few years, about 60% of the electricity used in the Province of Ontario, Canada's industrial heartland, has been nuclear generated. Zircatec has provided nearly 60% of the fuel for these reactors. This means Zircatec's fuel has provided approximately one third of the electricity used in Ontario.
In addition to domestic experience, Zircatec has produced CANDU type fuel for commercial power reactors, Zircatec also provides prototype fuel for irradiation testing of advanced fuel designs such as CANFLEX and Low Enriched Uranium (LEU).
Zircatex is, and has been for many years, the only commercial fuel manufacturer in Canada with the ability to produce enriched fuel. Zircatecis licenced to process nuclear fuel with up to 20% enrichment. Zircatec has provided fuel for development or research in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, India, Pakistan, France, Taiwan and Japan.
Zircatec also has experience as a supplier of nuclear grade fuel and UO2 pellets to the U. S. BWR/PWR market.
QUALITY PROGRAM
Zircatec recognized early that a successful Quality Assurance Program would be essential if products were to be routinely manufactured to exacting nuclear standards. Zircatec was a leader in the Canadian nuclear industry in the implementation of a Quality Assurance Program in a manufacturing environment. Today, our Quality Assurance Program is second to none and our outstanding and consistent product quality is a testament to its success.
Zircatec's fuel manufacturing facility has a fully implemented Quality Assurance program meeting the requirements of CSA Z299.1. Our Quality Assurance program also meets the requirements of ISO 9001 and 10CFR50 Appendix B.
For the manufacture of components that form part of the pressure boundary of the CANDU reactor, Zircatec maintains a Quality Assurance program that meets the requirements of CSA N285.0 and ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code Section III.
Zircatec's dedicated team of professionals is ready to meet your requirements for:
- Nuclear Fuel
- Nuclear Grade Zircaloy Tubing
- Nuclear Reactor Components
- Product Development
- Manufacturing Process Development
- Technology Transfer
ZIRCATEC COMMITTED TO NUCLEAR ENERY COMMITTED TO OUR CUSTOMERS
Company Information
Physical Address
200 Dorset St. E.
Port Hope, ON L1A 3V4
CA
Mailing Address
200 Dorset St. E.
Port Hope, ON L1A 3V4
CA
Additional Details
Legal Name: Zircatec Precision Industries Inc
Number of Employees: 200
CA
The Zircatec manufacturing processes are the most technically advanced, reliable and efficient processes for the production of high quality CANDU nuclear fuel. Zircatec has developed a very flexible modular system for manufacture if CANDU fuel. This modular system allows fuel to be produced efficiently even at relatively low throughput rates. It is the technical superiority of the Zircatec processes that has enabled Zircatec to dominate the CANDU fuel market in Canada.
Zircatec's flexible manufacturing system lends itself readily to production of enriched fuel. Zircatec is the only fuel manufacturer in Canada that has a licence for enriched fuel and the only one with experience in the manufacture of advanced design fuels such as CANFLEX.
The same advanced technology that has made Zircatec the largest and most efficient manufacturer of CANDU fuel in the world can be made available to clients around the world. The technology transfer services we provide range from a preliminary assessment of the feasibility of manufacture of CANDU fuel in the clients home country to provision of a complete turnkey fuel plant and everything in between.
Zircatec can also provide transfer of technology for the manufacture of items other than CANDU fuel. The manufacture of high precision seamless zirconium alloy tubing for use in nuclear fuel of all types is a particular area of Zircatec expertise.
The manufacturing technology for each of the Zircatec products listed in this brochure, including seam-welded tubing and reactor components, can be provided to interested parties.
Contacts
L. R. Jones
Title: President & Chief Executive Officer
Area of Responsibility: Management Executive
Phone: Show phone
Fax: Show fax
Email: Show email
Neil Hamilton
Title: Director Port Hope Operations
Phone: Show phone
Fax: Show fax
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Services
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Engineering Services
ENGINEERING SERVICES
Zircatec has been involved in the CANDU reactor development program since its' inception and has played a major role in many research and development programs including all development programs related to CANDU fuel.
Our engineering team has developed comprehensive expertise in the design, development, testing and manufacture of fuel, equipment and components for nuclear service.
Product development programs range from evolutionary improvements to the existing CANDU fuel designs to entirely new products such as Light Water Reactor fuel channel boxes, Slowpoke-4 fuel, CANFLEX fuel and advanced designs of shut-off rods.
The services of our experienced engineering team can be made available on a contracted basis for product and manufacturing process development.
SERVICES
- Manufacturing Technology
- Fuel Design
- Materials and Components Testing
- Ultrasonic Flaw Detection
- Helium Leak-testing
- Laser Welding
- Vacuum Induction Brazing
- Corrosion Testing
- Vacuum Heat Treating
Products
- Flat Products, Zirconium Alloy
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Nuclear Fuel
NUCLEAR FUEL
The CANDU nuclear power reactor fuel cycle involves many processes from the mining of uranium to storage of spent fuel bundles.
Zircatec's contribution to the CANDU power reactor fuel cycle entails the processing of ceramic grade uranium dioxide into pellets and assembly of finished fuel bundles.
These fuel bundles must operate in hostile environment at high temperature, high pressure and in a high neutron flux.
Since the performance of a billion dollar nuclear reactor can be no better than the fuel used in it, these bundles must be manufactured to exacting quality standards.
Zircatec's fuel manufacturing facility has the installed capacity to product 1, 200 metric tonnes (U) of CANDU fuel per year.
Annual production rates approaching 1, 000 metric tonnes (more than 50, 000 CANDU fuel bundles) have been demonstrated.
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Reactor Components
For nearly 30 years, Zircatec has been a major supplier of components for the CANDU reactor. We have developed a very extensive expertise in the forming, welding, brazing, and machining of zirconium alloys as well as other engineering materials.
Zircatec is the largest supplier, in Canada, of components used in the construction of a CANDU reactor.
COMPONENTS CURRENTLY SUPPLIED BY ZIRCATEC:
- Calandria Tubes
- Guide Tubes
- Fuel Channel Annulus Spacers
- Liquid Zone Control Assemblies
- Flux Detector Assemblies
- Reactor Startup Components
- Shut-off and Control Absorber Rods
- Adjuster Absorber Rods
- Liquid Injection Nozzles
- Guide Tube Assemblies
Reactivity Mechanisms
- Thimble Tubes
- Flux Detector Assemblies
- Booster Assemblies
- Liquid Zone Control Assemblies
- Ion Chambers
- Shut-off and Control Absorber Rods
- Adjuster Absorber Rods
- Reactor Start-up Components
Zircatec has a Certificate of Registration issued under the Boiler Pressure Vessels Act of Ontario to produce components in accordance with ASME Code Section III.
- Reactors, Atomic/Nuclear, Gen Purp, Pts Of
- Tubes, Zirconium Alloy
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Tubing
TUBING
Zircatec is a supplier of wide range of tubular products. Back integrated and expansion have resulted in a fully integrated tubing facility that is second to none in the world.
To date, more than 43, 000, 000 feet (13, 000, 000 metres) of CANDU fuel tubing has been produced to exacting nuclear standards. Current CANDU tubing production rates have exceeded 3, 000, 000 feet (900, 000 metres) per year. Production capacity exceeds 4, 000, 000 feet (1, 200, 000 metres) per year.
In addition, more than 1, 700, 000 feet (5000, 000 metres) of fuel tubing has been produced for use in Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) fuel assemblies.
Custom sizes of both seamless and seam welded Zircaloy tubing can be supplied to ASTM or other customer special requirements.
SEAMLESS ZIRCALOY TUBING
- 0.25 to 2.5 inch diameter (6 to 60 mm)
- Zircaloy 2 &4
- CANDU Fuel Tubing PWR & BWR Fuel Tubing
- Tubing for Reactivity Monitoring and Control Systems
- Corrosion Resistant Tubing for:
- Chemical Processes
- Heat Exchangers
- Condensers
SEAM WELDED ZIRCALOY TUBING
- 3 to 6 inch Diameter (75 to 150 mm)
- Tubing for Reactivity Monitor and Control Systems
- Calandria Tubes
- Guide Tubes
- Uranium Alloys Primary Forms & Fab'd Mat
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Zirconium Alloys Fabricated Materials, Nes
Used in the manufactures of nuclear components for CANDU reactors.
NAICS Categories
Additional Information
332410
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