Only the highest integrity sealing products, services and technical advice are provided by James Walker to the nuclear industry. With over 30 years of service to this sector, our customer base now covers power generation, fuel processing and handling, fuel transportation, and defence.

The capability we have developed for the nuclear sector is unique within the sealing industry. It includes an extensive range of sealing products, continuous research and development of new materials and products, on-site and off-site technical advice, sales support and product training.

Our ranges of products and services for the nuclear sector include:

• High performance elastomers and mouldings for active areas.
• Engineering plastics.
• Flange gaskets and 'nuclear grade' sheet jointings.
• Cork-elastomer gaskets and jointings.
• Compression packings.
• Expansion joints and bellows.
• Anti-vibration mounts and slide bearings.
• Tension control fasteners.
• Technical support. 

High performance elastomers & mouldings for active areas

We use best practice and materials to meet the stringent demands of the nuclear sector. We custom-manufacture products in a number of radiation resistant elastomers, including our specially-developed Shieldseal^® 621, 641, 661 and 662 grades.

Our world-leading Shieldseal^® 551 and 561 grades are totally LEAD-FREE elastomers for shielding X-ray and gamma radiation. These materials are recommended for duties where a resilient rubber-based flexible seal is needed to prevent shine paths in active areas. 

For critical sealing applications, James Walker Technology Centre liaises closely with clients' engineering staff to create new materials or select one of the specialised compounds now available. Our immense moulding capability with standard and high performance elastomers is fully supported by James Walker Technology Centre. From 'O' rings in any size and material, to seals for the transportation and handling of nuclear fuels, we provide a comprehensive custom-moulding and problem solving service.

Engineering plastics

We hold stocks or in-house process a wide range of high performance engineering plastics.  From these materials we manufacture components by moulding, casting, machining, bonding and precision profile cutting. Bar and sheet materials can also be supplied.

Flange gaskets & sheet jointings

We produce precision cut gaskets to any shape size or quantity from any sheet material. Our cutting capabilities include CAD/CAM controlled abrasive waterjet cutters and laser cutters that work directly from CAD files, and scanned samples or templates. Glove-box gaskets are a typical example.

Our wide range of sheet jointings cover the majority of services in the industry. These include Nuclear Grade Supagraf^® Ultra High Purity expanded graphite, as well as materials based on carbon fibre, aramid, glass fibre, PTFE, elastomers, and numerous compounds.

Metaflex^® spiral wound gaskets are manufactured in an extensive combination of standard and exotic materials for high pressure/temperature duties. In addition, Metakamm^® Kammprofile-type gaskets are proving a viable alternative to spiral would gaskets on many applications. Our Moorside^® API ring joints are also widely used on pipeline applications.

Cork/elastomer gaskets & jointings

The Nebar^® range of cork/elastomer jointings has been solving gasket problems in the heavy electrical sector for almost 60 years. Constant development enables these products to meet the increasingly stringent demands of transformer/switchgear manufacturers and operators. 

Compression packings

Our wide range of packings caters for all known operating conditions with valves, and rotary or reciprocating pumps. In addition to our highest purity Nuclear Grade Supagraf^® Moulded Rings, we manufacture gland packings based on PTFE, graphite, natural fibres, metal foils, GFO^® yarn from WL Gore & Associates, aramid and many other man-made yarns. We also custom-design and manufacture gland packings and live-loaded systems, such as Valvemaster^®, for highly specialised duties.

Expansion joints & bellows

We have vast experience of conducting site surveys, designing, manufacturing and fitting Comflex composite expansion joints for all types of duties. Our bellows are made in a wide range of flexible materials suitable for high temperature duties, as well as the protection of components from abrasive environments and the retention of essential lubricants. 

Anti-vibration mounts & slide bearings

Tico^® mounting pads are designed to dampen or isolate unwanted noise/vibration. They are used on bedplates, transformers and transformer cores, pumps and other types of equipment. Tico^® Pipe Grips and Clip Strip will mount and support pipework at up to 300°C - they dampen vibration, allow for thermal movement and provide galvanic insulation. Tico^®Slide Bearings allow movement with stable support for mechanical systems and pipework - including hot air ductwork support pads at power stations.

Tension control fasteners

RotaBolt^® stud and bolt tension monitoring systems are accurate to ±5%. These are used across all industry sectors where the failure of a bolted system could have serious health & safety, environmental or financial consequences. RotaBolt^® tension control is recommended for structural and mechanical duties such as cranes and gantries, as well as flange tightening applications on pressure vessels and pipelines. 

Technical support

All our manufacturing capabilities are fully supported by materials laboratories, design offices, and process engineering teams, plus world class research, development and product testing facilities. Nuclear industry specialists, plus our scientific and applications engineering staff, are constantly available to solve clients' fluid sealing and related problems.