Nuclear power

SERVING THE NUCLEAR SECTOR FOR OVER 50 YEARS

James Walker has been working with customers to provide custom sealing solutions for the nuclear power generation industry for over 50 years. The company has gained experience of that time across all reactor types including pressurised water reactors (PWR), molten salt reactors (MSR), advanced gas-cooled reactors (AGCR) and boiling water reactors (BWR) and is now working to provide solutions that will be required by the first generation of small modular reactors (SMRs).

At James Walker, we deliver advanced engineering solutions for the cooling, transfer, transport, and storage of nuclear fuel and waste—supporting both operational sites and decommissioning projects. Whether manufacturing to exact customer specifications or developing bespoke solutions to overcome complex challenges, our deep expertise in applications engineering, materials science, and precision manufacturing has earned us a trusted place in the global nuclear supply chain.

Click on the 'hotspot' buttons to learn more about the sealing and bolting solutions provided by James Walker for each application

Elastomer materials

James Walker’s proprietary Shieldseal range of elastomer materials offers class-leading levels of performance and longevity even under exposure to gamma radiation. These materials are ideal for hatches and personnel doors plus hermetic sealing on refuelling rigs as well as penetration seals for drives, electricals and pipework. James Walker also processes and manufactures sealing products in a range of customer-specific materials such as Sellafield’s EPDM 30H or Lily, Foxglove and other PMUC approved materials for EDF. Follow this link for more information on elastomers for nuclear applications.

Bolted joint integrity

For cranes, heavy lifting equipment, structural bolting and critical flange integrity James Walker offers RotaBolt tension indicating fasteners. Ensuring installation to the correct design tension and capable of providing a simple, quick touch or visual check that correct tightness is being maintained, RotaBolt technology is ideal for critical bolted joints of any kind where access is difficult, joint integrity is critical and personnel time in the environment may need to be limited for safety reasons. Follow this link for more information on tension measuring fastener technology.

Remotely operated equipment

James Walker provides an array of seals and components for remotely operated equipment across many industries. Whether using proprietary engineered plastics to reduce component weight, moulding high performance elastomers for bearings, shaft seals and precision sealing of hydraulic control and drive systems or complex mouldings of bellows and covers for the protection of sensitive equipment, our applications engineering team works in partnership with OEMs and customers’ own experts to develop, test and commission effective solutions.

Semi-metallic and sheet gaskets

Used across all types of piping and pressure vessels our Metaflex spiral-wound and Metakamm kammprofile gaskets are precision manufactured from approved metals and filler materials (including PMUC approved materials). These products are backed-up by expertise in bolting and flange management that ensures bolted joint integrity on installation with long-term, leak-free performance for pipework and heat exchange systems. Follow this link for more information on our gasket ranges.

Our full gasket range also includes CNAF, PTFE and graphite sheet materials which can be cut and supplied to any size and configuration in addition to the Nebar range of premium cork-elastomer materials for transformers and electrical isolation applications.

Specialist metal machining

Working to customer drawings and specifications, James Walker provides a highly experienced and skilled machining service for critical metallic components and primary metallic seals. Our engineers are experienced in machining a comprehensive range of materials including high nickel alloys, stainless steels and titanium with quality and manufacturing programmes that offer full traceability and certification to customer requirements. Follow this link for more information on our metal machining capabilities

Pumps and valves

We can offer full sealing packages for any valve or pump including those in the primary, secondary and emergency backup cooling circuits. This includes gaskets, O rings, compression packing and specialised sealing components in engineered plastic or metal. Where the application demands, we can manufacture products in approved materials (such as PMUC approved elastomers and graphite) with very high purity specification to ensure no leaching of unwanted elements into the system being sealed.

Transfer, transport and storage

From low level laboratory waste to spent fuel, decommissioning waste and new fuel, James Walker has experience of sealing the containers in which such material is handled, transported and stored. Collaborating with cask and skip designers, our engineers have worked to develop effective solutions for secure transportation and long-term storage using our proprietary materials for seal manufacture and tension monitoring bolting to ensure long-term seal integrity.

Gloveboxes

We have the materials and expertise to design and manufacture all seal configurations required for the safe sealing of glove boxes of any design. Working with both glovebox OEMs and end-user customers we provide solutions that optimise safety and operational ‘useability’ of these assets across research, decommissioning, processing and generating sites.