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Westinghouse Unveils Pioneering Nuclear Generative AI System
Westinghouse Electric Company launched its Hive™ nuclear-specific Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) System to deliver custom GenAI solutions for its global customer base. The Hive System will be a game-changing capability that will drive improved cost and schedule through the entire reactor lifecycle from design, licensing, manufacturing, construction and operations.
With the Hive System, customers gain access to more than 100 years of proprietary industry innovation and knowledge pioneered by Westinghouse, powered by its global team of engineers and data scientists, via a highly secure system infrastructure and software. By integrating the Hive System into its own products, services and processes, Westinghouse engineers drive enhancements to their operations and customer applications. Additionally, the Hive System helps customers optimize maintenance planning, enhance inspections and improve the digital user experience to provide operational teams with the right information at the right moment.
Westinghouse Electric Company additively manufactured bottom nozzles improve debris resistance by 30%
Westinghouse Electric Company has used additive manufacturing to produce bottom nozzles that are said to improve debris capture and fuel endurance within its Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR) fuel assemblies. The company believes this application of additive manufacturing is a world-first and ‘demonstrates its leadership in the nuclear industry to achieve cutting-edge solutions using AM techniques.’
Leveraging additive manufacturing, Westinghouse says the components have demonstrated a 30% improvement in debris resistance, thanks to significant improvements in debris filtering that are enabled by additive’s enhanced design freedom. The 3D printed parts are said to have reduced the diameter of debris that can enter into the reactor, reducing the likelihood of debris-wearing action on the fuel rod cladding (debris fretting). Debris fretting is considered to be the primary source of leaks in PWR fuel assemblies.