Sumitomo Metals Awarded ISOE Technology Prize

Sumitomo Metal Industries announced on Thursday the firm was awarded ISOE technology prize for steel tube coating technology from International Atomic Energy Agency. The agency evaluated the technology to reduce exposure of workers in atomic power plants when the technology reduces elution of metallic ion from steel tubes. The firm received the prize for the first time as a material manufacturer.

Metallic ion such as chrome or cobalt expose elutes slightly in coolant water of atomic furnaces from steel tubes, which often increases exposure. Sumitomo Metals succeeded in the production of steel tubes with low cobalt and the development of coating technology to reduce elution of metallic ion by oxide layer on inner surface of steel tube. This steel tube is adopted to atomic power plants with boiling water type reactor (BWR).

The firm will sell the steel tube for BWR and heat exchanger tube for steam generator of pressurized water reactor. ISOE was established by International Atomic Energy Agency and OECD/NEA in 1992 to reduce exposure of workers in atomic power plants.