Hunterston B Power Station in Scotland was originally commissioned back in 1976 and set to serve for 25 years.
Now 20 years after its original decommissioning date, structural concerns surrounding bricks in the reactor core have seen the station’s operational life come to an end.
During its run, Hunterston B contributed massively to sustainable energy production by generating over 297.4TWh of zero-carbon electricity – enough to power every home in Scotland for over three decades.
Before the defueling phase of the decommissioning process could begin at the nearly 50-year-old site, T-T Flow – the dedicated valve design, manufacture, and supply division of T-T Pumps – was approached by specialist nuclear consultants to supply essential isolation equipment for the job.
T-T Flow supplied multiple DN100 metal seat gate valves, flanged to BS10 Table D, and selected for their lightweight and robust ductile iron body. Each valve was treated with a fusion-bonded epoxy coating for additional corrosion-resistance, ensuring reliable long-term operation in the hazardous nuclear environment.
The specified valves provide consistent and effective isolation, featuring precision-machined copper alloy seat rings that guarantee a leak-free seal between the valve face and gate.
The delicate nature of the application meant that off-set extension spindles were required for remote operation, facilitating both safe and accurate valve actuation. The spindles were custom fabricated to the site’s specifications, constructed from stainless steel for its strong and corrosion-resistant properties.
