Yi-Chun LinPh.D.Taiwan
Laser Materials ProcessingPublished
Mar 26, 2026
Energy, Power and Nuclear Laser Cleaning Applications
Laser cleaning in energy, power, and nuclear applications removes scale, corrosion inhibitor residue, and oxide layers from turbine blades, heat exchanger tubes, reactor vessel internals, and pipeline infrastructure. Fiber laser systems operating in restricted access zones enable remote decontamination of uranium oxide and activation products with closed-loop vacuum extraction, avoiding secondary waste streams that chemical methods generate. Power generation assets including gas and steam turbines benefit from oxide scale removal on Inconel and nickel superalloy blades prior to thermal barrier recoating. NRC and IAEA regulatory frameworks govern radioactive surface operations, requiring ALARA-certified procedures. Offshore wind turbine tower cleaning represents a newer growth segment within this domain.
Power Generation and Reactor Materials
Stainless steel dominates reactor vessel internals, primary coolant pipework, and heat exchanger plates. Inconel and nickel superalloy turbine blades in gas and steam turbines require scale removal before thermal barrier recoating. Titanium condenser tubes and carbon steel pipework are cleaned under NRC-governed ALARA procedures with closed-loop vacuum extraction.
Energy and Nuclear System Contaminants
Calcium and silicate scale on heat exchanger tube surfaces, corrosion inhibitor deposits in coolant circuits, rust on carbon steel pipeline infrastructure, industrial lubricating oil on turbine components, and uranium oxide with activation products on reactor vessel internals are addressed by laser systems operating under ALARA procedures with vacuum extraction to prevent secondary radioactive waste streams.
