Höganäs to help Blykalla develop materials for SMR

Thursday, 30 January 2025

Blykalla said the partnership spans three key areas: industrialisation, qualification, and commercialisation. It focuses specifically on the industrial production of advanced corrosion-resistant materials needed to ensure the performance and durability of metal components in liquid lead environments. 

Höganäs will leverage its expertise in advanced metal powder technologies to develop and produce corrosion-resistant alloys for cladding critical Swedish Advanced Lead-cooled Reactor (SEALER) components, in particular tubular products. These efforts will involve optimising laboratory-tested alloys for intended powder application processes, scaling them to industrial production, and meeting the stringent performance and safety standards required for liquid lead environments.

Blykalla and Höganäs will also work together to ensure the scalability and qualification of these materials for small modular reactor (SMR) deployment.

Blykalla said the collaboration "highlights the importance of building a reliable supply chain for advanced reactor technologies while driving broader innovation in clean energy".

"This collaboration with Höganäs is an essential step in securing a strong and resilient value chain for SEALER technology," said Blykalla CEO Jacob Stedman. "With their leading expertise in material development and manufacturing, and their process know-how of metal powder applications, we have found a world-class partner in our alloy development."

Hans Keller, Division President Coating & Brazing Technologies, Höganäs, added: "By combining our materials expertise with Blykalla's innovative reactor technology, we are taking important steps toward making advanced SMRs a reality. Industrialising these solutions has the potential to unlock opportunities across multiple sectors, driving both sustainable growth and long-term prosperity."

Earlier this month, Blykalla signed a letter of intent with Swedish pump and valve manufacturer KSB to develop specialised pumps for the SEALER reactor. Under the collaboration, Blykalla and KSB will design, develop, and manufacture pumps capable of operating in liquid lead environments.

Blykalla - formerly called LeadCold - is a spin-off from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, where lead-cooled reactor systems have been under development since 1996. The company - founded in 2013 as a joint stock company - is developing the SEALER.

Together with Uniper, OKG, KTH and the Swedish Energy Agency, Blykalla will build an electric research reactor in Oskarshamn. The Swedish Energy Agency has awarded a SEK99 million (USD9.3 million) grant for the project.

A demonstration SEALER (SEALER-D) is planned to have a thermal output of 80 MW. As in future commercial reactors from Blykalla, the fuel rods will be cooled by 800 tonnes of liquid lead. The reactor will have a height and diameter of about 5 metres.

Blykalla's goal is for its first 140 MWt SEALER-55 commercial reactor to be ready for operation in the early 2030s.