The company has invested substantially in developing expertise, new technologies and its manufacturing facility to become a leading damper supplier for nuclear applications – and it hasn’t been a simple process. Here is Flamgard’s journey to achieving nuclear prowess…
1. Research and New Product Development (NPD)
Setting out to design a series of dampers suitable for new-build and decommissioning nuclear applications, Flamgard dedicated significant time and resource to research and NPD activities. Through virtual heat characteristic and heat flow modelling via computation fluid dynamic (CFD) analysis, the company conducted extensive testing before prototyping each damper in collaboration with Swansea University through the Astute programme. Flamgard also collaborated with Bristol University to carry out elements of the seismic testing for its products, drawing on its strong relationships with local businesses and institutions to access industry-leading expertise.
Flamgard has undertaken numerous rounds of regulatory testing over the years, covering multiple configurations and installations in line with clients’ bespoke requirements. The company’s research and development activities were supported by the Welsh Government to promote the collaboration between industry and academia, and ultimately generate innovative solutions capable of pushing the sector forwards.
2. Safety and wellbeing
Safety and wellbeing are central to Flamgard’s ethos and are especially important given the challenging environments that the company, its team and its clients operate within. Flamgard’s products are designed to support safety for the operators and consumers of major facilities, and those individuals are always kept in mind.
Flamgard is looking ever more closely into the wellbeing of personnel in Heavy Industry environments – specifically in terms of fire and smoke integrity, air quality, and future virus mitigation.
3. Quality control and testing
Iterative prototyping allowed Flamgard to refine its nuclear range and ultimately meet or exceed modern industry standards including BS EN 1366-2, ‘Fire resistance tests for service installations: Fire dampers’, and BS EN 1751, ‘Ventilation for buildings: Air terminal devices: Aerodynamic testing of damper and valves’, which governs leakage class.
The quality control process also involved controls testing and specific regulations testing, through which Flamgard comprehensively assessed its products for performance across a series of key criteria.
4. Patenting innovation
Having developed advanced technologies for nuclear applications, Flamgard has patented its CFD-01 Fire Damper as well as its CFD-01 ICB Insulated Fire Damper. In patenting its high-integrity solutions, Flamgard is ensuring that its clients benefit from confidence and peace of mind in working with a supplier that has crafted its products from the design stage all the way through to deployment.
5. Client engagement
Flamgard’s nuclear journey is far from finished. The company remains in regular contact with its clients and the wider industry, and is always seeking to develop new solutions to meet the challenges of an evolving supply chain. Whether this involves making bespoke modifications for specific applications or innovating to match unforeseen requirements, Flamgard is vigilant in ensuring that it remains at the cutting edge of the nuclear industry.
“I’m very proud of Flamgard’s position in the nuclear sphere, and I truly believe that part of this comes down to our genuine desire to engage with our clients and work collaboratively to find innovative solutions to key challenges. The partnerships we have established with long-standing clients have enabled us to solve individual issues and meet higher safety or performance requirements – developing our capabilities and benefitting the sector as a whole,” explains Shuresh Maran, Business Development Director at Flamgard Calidair.
To learn more about Flamgard’s nuclear projects, or to make an enquiry, please get in touch by emailing sales@flamgard.co.uk or calling 01495 757347.
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Halton is the majority owner of Flamgard Calidair.
