NEDO Finds Design of World Strongest Thermal Plant Steel

Japanese New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) announced on Tuesday it established alloy design of world highest strength steel product for thermal power plant through joint development with Nippon Steel and Sumitomo Metal Industries. The development succeeded to increase creep rupture strength by 25-50% compared with the existing steel for the first time in world. The project also developed the technology to estimate plant material degradation in 100,000 hours of usage at more accurate level.

NEDO expects the series of developments improves efficiency of thermal power generation by around 5% from current level when the high grade steel allows thermal power operation at higher temperature. NEDO expects the better efficiency improves carbon dioxide emission and energy consumption performance along with better safety and stability for thermal plant.

NEDO succeeded to establish method for steel with world highest strength through the technologies. NEDO expects the developments paves the way for 700 degrees centigrade class high performance thermal plant in future.