DNP-TIP-2022–05, Nanofiber Technology for Aqueous System Filtration

To support its Source Term Reduction Program, Beaver Valley Power Station (BVPS) engaged Framatome’s Nuclear Parts Center (NPC) to design a drop-in replacement filter cartridge for the plant’s reactor coolant system (RCS) filtration applications. The objectives for the design were to remove RCS contaminants (e.g., particulates and colloids), reduce source term and radiation levels, and extend equipment service life with fewer filter change-outs and a lower total cost of ownership. Framatome’s filter cartridge design team leveraged its exclusive relationship with Nano Technologies Inc. (NTI) to incorporate its nano-fiber technology as a cornerstone of the cartridge’s design. NTI’s nano-fiber media uses electro-adsorption to attract contaminants instead of conventional mechanical particle size exclusion. The electro-adsorptive properties of the nano-fibers make the filter highly efficient in the removal of waterborne contaminants in the sub-0.1 µm range, while its open pore structure results in higher permeability, lower pressure losses, and higher holding capacities.