The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) is a key direction of fourth-generation advanced nuclear energy technology, and the nuclear-grade helium isolation valve is a critical pressure-bearing device in its helium circuit. Recently, SUFA, in partnership with Tsinghua University, completed the full-cycle development of a nuclear-grade helium isolation valve, which passed the achievement appraisal organized by the China Machinery Industry Federation—a key step toward independent control of core HTGR equipment in China.
Why This Equipment Had to Be Conquered
The nuclear-grade helium isolation valve handles on-off control and safety isolation of helium. Its sealing performance and operational stability directly affect the overall safety and economics of the reactor. For a long time, HTGR projects in China relied on overseas procurement for this valve, facing high purchasing costs, long delivery cycles, and slow maintenance response—which constrained the pace of technological self-reliance and industrialization.
To break this bottleneck, SUFA (China Nuclear Sub-Valve, stock under CNNC) and Tsinghua University jointly applied for a National Science and Technology Major Project in 2019 and launched the domestic development of the nuclear-grade helium isolation valve. After multiple rounds of technical breakthroughs, the project team completed all development tasks and passed expert review in December 2022. The appraisal concluded that the valve has fully independent intellectual property rights, fills a domestic technology gap, and reaches internationally leading levels in core performance indicators.
From Development to Volume Delivery
Building on this achievement, SUFA continued to advance engineering implementation and obtained design and manufacturing licenses issued by regulatory authorities in 2025, clearing compliance hurdles for large-scale production and market delivery. The company has now signed formal supply contracts, marking the valve's entry into the stage of engineering application and volume delivery and providing a viable domestic option for equipment supply to China's HTGR projects.
The significance of this achievement for the industry lies not only in a single piece of equipment, but in validating a path of industry-academia-research collaboration for localizing key nuclear power equipment. As HTGR demonstration and volume projects advance, the domestic supply chain for nuclear-grade valves and supporting equipment will become more solid.
As an authorized distributor of SUFA, Akameng closely follows frontier developments in nuclear power and industrial valves and can connect customers with relevant product and technical information. To learn about nuclear power supporting products and industrial valves, please call 15851489497 or browse our Product Center.