Sibir Icebreaker to Float out Soon

ROSATOM NEWSLETTER #186

LEAD STORY

The double - draft design allows for the Sibir Icebreaker to operation both in Arctic deep waters and estuaries of polar rivers. The Project Float Out Soon 22220 vessels will be powered by two nuclear reactors, with the 175 MW RITM - 200 propulsion unit acting as a primary A historic event will take place in late source of steam. They will become the September as the Sibir (Siberia) world’s largest and most powerful (60 nuclear icebreaker will be put afloat in MW) nuclear icebreakers. All Project St. Petersburg. The float - out ceremony 22220 vessels will measure 173.3 meters is scheduled for 22 September. This in le ngth and 34 meters in width, displace was announced by the Baltic Shipyard 33,500 tons of water and have a crew of (a subsidiary of U nited Shipbuilding 75 people. Corporation) . A few days ago, ZiO - Podolsk (a subsidiary of AEM, Rosatom’s mechanical Sibir is one of Project 22220 icebreakers engineering division) finished hydraulic designed to reinforce Russia’s leadership tests on the first reactor vessel to be used in the Arctic. Capable of breaking three in Sibir’ s RITM - 200 propulsion unit. Being meter thick ice, these vessels will escort the final step of the reactor vessel ship convoys through the Arctic Ocean. production process, the tests serve to They will assist oil tankers and gas confirm the product quality and provide a carriers in trans porting hydrocarbons guarantee of seamless operation in future. from the Yamal and Gydan Peninsulas and

Kara Sea offshore deposits to the Asian - Hydraulic tests are one of the most Pacific markets. frequent quality control procedures used

to check whether equipment working under pressure is hermetically sealed. ROSATOM NEWSLETTER #186

The reactor vessel was tested by inducing flagship Arktika nuclear icebreaker in internal condensation under the air 2016. It is expected to be fully pressure of 270 atmospheres. After the commissioned in 2019, said Rosatomflot’s pressure fell to 220 atmospheres, experts CEO Vyacheslav Ruksha at the Arctic examin ed the vessel for deformations and Council Ministerial Meeting. He also said leaks by exposing it to UV radiation and that the design of the Lider (Leader) using luminescent detection techniques. icebreaker and relevant ice tests would be The results confirmed robustness and completed by the end of the year. The reliability of the reactor . icebreaker will be capable of making its way through the ice at a speed of 12 – 14 The first RITM - 200 reactor was knots. manufactured at ZiO - Podolsk for the

INTERESTING FACTS A short time ago, 50 Let Pobedy, another Russian icebreaker, set a speed record en route from Murmansk to the North Pole. The journey to the North Pole was dedicated to the 40th anniversary of the first voyage to reach the northernmost point of the globe. The nuclear - powered ship left Murmansk and reached the North Pole in just 79 hours. In 1977, it took the icebreaker 176 hours to get to the peak of the planet. The voyage of 50 Let Pobedy was the 124th in the history of sea journeys to the North Pole, 111 of which were done by Russian and Soviet vessels. At present , the plant is preparing to run a fit - up test on RITM - 200’s vessel and internals. The service life of the new reactor is 40 years .

TECHNOLOGY

World ’ s Most Powerful X - Ray Laser Inaugurated

The world’s most powerful X - ray laser the nanoworld. For example, such X - ray was ina u gurated in Germany. It was flashes could be used to map the 3D created with the substantial structure of biomolecules and other contribution from Russian nuclear biological particles with previously experts . impossible speed and precision. Furthermore, single snapshots of The European XFEL (European X - ray free particles produced with the X - ray laser electron laser) produces extremely bright can be spliced in to ‘molecular movies’ to and ultra short light pulses. The facility study the progress of biochemical and can generate up to 27 000 pulses per chemical reactions. This will greatly second – 200 times more than other X - ray facilitate the development of new lasers. With the help of specialized medicines and therapies, more eco - instruments, these X - rays enable friendly production methods and completely new insights into the atomic technologies for extracting energy from details and extremely fast processes of sunlight. The n ew laser could also be used ROSATOM NEWSLETTER #186 in material science as a tool for of Sciences ( Moscow), Budker Institute of development of new materials and Nuclear Physics (the Siberian branch of substances, optimization of storage media the Russian Academy of Sciences, for computers or research into extreme Novosibirsk), Ioffe Institute (St. states of matter such as those found on Petersburg), Rosatom’s Efremov Research some exoplanets . The XFEL project is Institute (St. Petersburg), Joint Institute bas ed on the solutions devised by Russian for Nuclear Research (Dubna), Natio nal scientists and taps to Russia’s expertise Nuclear Research University, Moscow and finance. According to Mikhail Institute of Physics and Technology, Kovalchuk, President of Kurchatov Moscow State University, etc. According Research Institute, it is the first time that to Mr. Kovalchuk, the key asset of the free Russia, apart from being a full - fledged electron laser – its beamtime – will be member of the large i nternational allocated in proportion to the research project, has taken the lead in it. contributions made by ea ch stakeholder “The design of the device is based on the country. Russia’s input is only second to ideas of Soviet and Russian physicists. Germany’s. “After Germany, Russia has Russia has thus contributed its expertise the second largest amount of researchers and intellectual property to the XFEL involved in the XFEL project. We have project. The foundation of the projec t was also filed the third largest amount of laid by an article published in 1980 by applications for the first experiments at researchers from Novosibirsk. The X FEL,” Mikhail Kovalchuk said project also benefits from our human resources as hundreds of our experts are The capacity of the new laser is 200 times engaged in the work. The Kurchatov higher than that of its forerunners. Due to Institute has an unparalleled experience this fact, researchers are now able to in the construction of large irradiation record the so - called “molecular movies” facilities and research in the field of X - ray, that for the first time in history allow for synchrotron and neutron radiation. We making shot - by - shot breakdowns and also make an input in the research by viewing th e molecular structures with the supplying ready - made solutions, systems highest possible precision. According to and devices – this is our in - kind Dmitry Khakhulin who is engaged in the contribution to the project. Finally and research at XFEL, this process can be more importantly, it is the first time that compared to watching a football match. we act as full - fledged financial “We can compare it to a football game. Let stakeholders in a large - scale international us take the game between Germany and research project,” Mr. Kovalchuk Brazil played a few years ago as an explained in an interview to RIA Novosti. example. Suppose we saw the game kick off and the final score, but do not know Almost 300 institutes from 36 countries how it happened because we missed the are engaged in the project. The main part. To see the main part in a stakeholders from Russia include chemical reaction and get a step - by - step Kurchatov Institute (based in Moscow, picture of t he process, we need to carry Protvino and St. Petersburg), Institute for out experiments using a detector and Nuclear Research of the Russian Academy high - resolution cameras as those installed of Sciences (Moscow), Institute of in the free electron and optic lasers,” he Crystallography of the Russian Academy explained.

ROSATOM NEWSLETTER #186

CONSTRUCTION

Safety System Tested at Leningrad II

One of the most important safety systems of passive heat removal was successfully tested at Leningrad II Unit 1 . generator through inlet and outlet pipes. “The passive heat removal system (PHRS) The emergency heat removal tanks are utilizes steam generators to remove located at Level +59.850 m in the dome residual heat and cool the reactor core in section of the reactor building. As they are beyond design basis accidents that cause positioned well above the steam electricity cut - offs or a total loss of generators, the coolant circulation in the feedwater,” explains Vitaly Shutikov, loop is induced by gravity. “The tests have Head of the Reacto r Department at proved that the system is fully Leningrad II, which is now under operational and capable of remov ing construction. “The system is unique for its residual heat and cooling the reactor core ability to operate independently. It is in case of a total blackout at the plant,” designed to ensure sustainable removal of said Alexander Nakonechny, a shift residual heat from the reactor core supervisor at the Reactor Department of through three of four independent Leningrad II. channels fo r at least 24 hours. As for now, all of the four loop channels have passed Hot functional tests are conducted to quality tests and are ready for use. They check the core equipment and systems f or will be kept in standby mode as long as compliance with design specifications and the unit is in operation.” The PHRS is one prove their readiness for commissioning of the most important components of a and fuel loading. Successful hot tests will nuclear power plan t as it ensures safety of therefore mean that Unit 1 of Leningrad II nuclear reactor operation in emergencies. is ready for fuel loading. The nuclear Passive heat removal systems have been station has already passed almost a half of installed at Kudankulam (India) and 7 8 functional tests. Novovoronezh II (Russia), and are provided for in the design of Akkuyu FOR REFERENCE: (Turkey). Leningrad NPP operates four 1000 MW PHRS tests were carried out as part of hot reactor units. The plans are to replace this functional tests meant to ensure that the capacity with two VVER - 1200 - based units core equipment as well as auxiliary and of Leningrad II, which is now under safety systems of Leningrad II are construction. VVER - 1200 is Rosatom’s functioning as designed. Hot testing is the flagship reactor based on the AES - 2006 last major step before the start - up of the design featuring a number of definitive unit. “The loop channel ensures cool ant advantages over the VVER - 1000 reactor. circulation through the steam generator In particular, it offers a 20% higher power and the multi - sectional heat exchanger, capacity and a doubled service life (60 vs. which is placed inside the emergency heat 30 years) of its core components, reactor removal tank and connected to the steam vessel and steam generator body. More ROSATOM NEWSLETTER #186 important is that the new design is fully at the Russian - designed Tianwan Nuclear compliant with the post - Fukushima safety Power Plant in China. Passive heat requirements. removal is another unparalleled safety feature of the AES - 2006 design. This The Russian AES - 2006 design features an technology allows for cooling of the array of unparalleled safety systems. One reactor core in case of power outage of them is a core catcher, a unique safety without human involvement. de vice designed by Russian nuclear engineers to mitigate effects of a nuclear The world’s first Generation 3+ reactor meltdown. In case of an accident, the core has been commissioned at Novovoronezh catcher medium mixes with the molten II. New safety systems, increased service core materials and distributes them life of the primary equipment and evenly inside the catcher body. The improved automation solutions catcher can hold the molten core for an significantly reducing the need for unlimited period of time, preventing manpower will almost double the cost nuclear materials from getting outside. efficiency of Novovoronezh II. The first ever core catcher was installed

IN BRIEF

WANO Assesses Readiness of Rostov nuclear plant. Unit 4 is s cheduled to go Unit 4 critical in 2017 . A pre - startup peer review was completed by the World Association of Nuclear Targets Overachieved by Russia’s Operators (WANO) at the Rostov nuclear Nuclear Plan ts power plant in early September. This August Russian nuclear power plants A group of WANO experts from Russia, exceeded their power generation targets. Belarus, Ukraine, China, Korea, France, Last month Balakovo NPP produced Slovakia and Canada assessed operational 2,930.78 million kWh of electricity, or readiness of Unit 4. Vasily Aksyonov. 102% of the August target (2,873 million Director of WANO Moscow, expressed an kWh), with the power surplus reaching opinion that Unit 4 would be as safe and 57.78 million kWh. Kola NPP generated reliable as all the o ther units of Rostov 556.5 million kWh of energy in August NPP. “My confidence in safe operations of 2017. For the last 8 months, the plant the new unit is supported by a number of produced 6,544.1 million kWh, or 102.4% facts. First, I rely on the results of the of the targets set by the Federal WANO peer review of Unit 4. Second, it is Antimonopoly Service. This means Kola the fourth reactor unit that has been generated additional 152 million kWh of commissioned in Volgodonsk si nce the electricity with the capacity of 840 MW. beginning of the 21st century. It will be Finally, Rostov NPP produced 2,204.6 operated by a strong team of experienced million kWh in August and thus nuclear professionals. If the Government ove rachieved the month’s target (2,162 decided to build four more units, the million kWh) by 102% . Rostov team would be even stronger,” Aksyonov said. Andrei Salnikov, Director Global Nuclear Trends to Be Discussed of Rosto v NPP, thanked the experts for in September their work and stressed that the joint Two international nuclear industry events efforts of international experts and the are traditionally held in September. On local team contributed to safety of the ROSATOM NEWSLETTER #186

13 – 15 September, London will host the major suppliers and utilities. The two - day World Nuclear Association Symposium. event will be attended by 600 nuclear This is the most important annual event professionals, industry reps from 30+ for the global nuclear industry, bringing countries and high profile speakers. On together hundreds of nuclear energy 18 – 22 September 2017, the 61st IAEA experts from all over the world to discuss General Conference will be held in Vienna. a wide range of issues. The symposium As part of the conference, a scientific will provide unique oppor tunities for forum entitled Nuclear Techniques in establishing business contacts and Human Health: Prevention, Diagnosis and information exchange, among them an Treatment will take place on 1 9 – 20 exclusive gala dinner and an exhibition of September .