Specialized Equipment Design and Manufacture

DEI designs and builds hardware systems for custom applications. Our engineers typically handle all phases of the effort, including developing conceptual designs, preparing design specifications, testing prototypes, and performing or overseeing fabrication. Our design capabilities include state-of-the-art CAD (Solidworks), and are augmented by our expertise in materials, corrosion, electronic devices, controls, and mechanical systems. We follow the manufacturing process from materials procurement through final assembly, testing, and installation.

Examples of recent work:

Nuclear fuel cleaning
Ultrasonic heat exchanger cleaning

Nuclear Fuel Cleaning
In the late 1990's, DEI developed a patented method for removing highly radioactive deposits from irradiated nuclear fuel. Based on an advanced ultrasonic cleaning technology, the first prototype system was successfully designed and built by DEI in about three months. Since the first prototype success in 1999, DEI has developed more advanced systems that have been deployed throughout the U.S.

Ultrasonic Heat Exchanger Cleaning
DEI currently runs a program for research, development, and qualification of advanced ultrasonic cleaning methods. To date, efforts have focused on the cleaning of nuclear-fuel assemblies and steam generator tube bundles. The corrosion deposits which typically form there can lead to reduced thermal performance, decreased power output, inhibited nuclear reactions, increased radiation levels, and/or corrosion of key components. Advanced ultrasonic cleaning methods comprise an important new technology in the nuclear power industry by offering a cost-effective means for mechanically removing these deposits. In addition, these ultrasonic cleaning technologies have many other potential applications.