Karthi Shanker, Sr. Director of Nuclear SalesIMI Critical Engineering, a world leader in manufacturing flow control solutions, is at the forefront of assisting nuclear energy firms through its end-to-end portfolio. It designs, manufactures, and maintains bespoke valves and actuators that efficiently and safely control the flow of steam, gas, and liquids under extreme pressure, temperature, and intensely abrasive or corrosive operating conditions.
“Our portfolio is qualified for critical applications, particularly for the nuclear sector, where special safety functions and qualifications are required. In most cases, we work with customers to design custom-made valves based on their unique parameters and specifications,” says Karthi Shanker, Senior Director of Nuclear Sales at IMI Critical Engineering.
Small modular reactors (SMR) are gaining traction as an alternative to traditional nuclear power plants for their easy assembly within factory settings and better portability. This is driving the need for custom valves that withstand critical extreme operating conditions while maintaining their ease of use and deployment. Addressing this demand, IMI Critical Engineering combines its six decades of expertise in the power sector and compact design-driven philosophy to build space-efficient valves and other SMR components.
These competencies are backed by IMI Critical Engineering’s engineering team, comprising professionals with over 20 years of experience designing nuclear valves, performing seismic analyses, conducting nuclear-required qualification tests, and creating ASU specification design reports. Its team also ensures that the design and analytical processes comply with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) code Section III.
IMI Critical Engineering’s workforce is supported by two mentor-level executives with 40 years of experience in the nuclear industry.
Apart from its experience and expertise, a key factor in IMI Critical Engineering’s success is its customer-centricity. It excels in quick customer response and provides personalized services to monitor clients and help them rapidly resolve emerging problems closely. This is evident during its onboarding process, where IMI Critical Engineering’s seasoned team considers a client’s specifications for pressure, temperature, seismic level, acceleration, level key, Gs, and radiation level before designing a valve that precisely aligns with them.
“Our customers are highly satisfied with the support we offer; one of the major things that differentiate us from our competitors is our ability to provide engineering services and technical support whenever our clients need it,” states Gary Song, Senior Technical Sales Engineer.
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Our portfolio is qualified for critical applications, particularly for the nuclear sector, where special safety functions and qualifications are required. We oftenwork with customers to design custom-made valves based on their unique parameters and specifications
Deploying these competencies, the team at IMI Critical Engineering assisted a client that had crossed the halfway mark of their nuclear power plant construction project. During the initial dry run, they realized the valves were unsuitable for the required application, a setback that could hinder them from meeting their deadline. For this time-sensitive project, IMI Critical Engineering comprehensively analyzed their specifications and worked closely with them to design a valve that met their desired requirements. Subsequently, the client could complete the project and deliver a valuable end-product to their customers.
Driven by its comprehensive industry know-how and unmatched customer-centricity, IMI Critical Engineering is poised to empower innovative nuclear power applications. Moving forward, it plans to expand its portfolio of customizable and bespoke valves and actuators to support the proliferating nuclear energy sector.
