26.08.2016
Kolsk NPP Information and Public Relations Administration
The Kolsk NPP has started unique reactor shell annealing at the power block №2, aimed at restoring physical and mechanical properties of the metal
The reactor shell at the power block №2 of the Kolsk NPP (the branch of «Rosenergoatom» concern, Polyarnyye Zori, Murmansk region) has become the object of recovery annealing treatment.
This is a unique technology created by Russian scientists, which makes it possible to restore physical and mechanical properties of the metal the reactor shell consists of, no matter how seriously they are affected by radiation during operation.
As the Director of the nuclear power plant Vasily Omelchuk said, giving his comments on the event, the recovery annealing procedure is recognized worldwide as an effective method, ensuring safe and reliable operation of reactor units.
Annealing is launched in a reactor hall, while the reactor remains on the same place. Details of a special annealing furnace are delivered to the site and later on assembled together on the reactor, building a two-store-high construction, which follows into the shell. The metal is slowly heated up to the annealing temperature. Afterwards, it needs to be kept at 475оС for 150 hours, and only then cooled, gradually as well.
The annealing procedure was founded by the team of the National Research Centre «Kurchatov Institute». According to it, metal samples cut from inside walls of reactors – so called templates – are used in order to analyze the actual state of the metal and its operation period.
In total, both preparation for the annealing of the reactor shell at the Kolsk NPP and the procedure itself are going to take about 15 days. In addition, according to V.Omelchuk, it will be necessary to provide official reasons for operating the reactor shell for a longer period. The decision on prolongation will be made by the NRC «Kurchatov Institute» in accordance with the results of metallographic sample examination after the annealing.
Similar procedures took place at the power blocks №1 and №2 of the Kolsk NPP in 1989. However first, it was held at the power block №3 of the Novovoronezh NPP (also in 1989). Moreover, recovery annealing was successfully completed on the VVER-440 reactors of the Rivne, Novovoronezh, Armenian, «Greifswald» (Germany) and «Kozloduy» (Bulgaria) NPPs.
Both the local experts and the representatives of such specialized organizations as JS «Atomenergoremont», the NRC «Kurchatov Institute», JS Development design office «Gidropress», JS NGO «TSNIITMASH» have taken part in the recovery annealing treatment of the reactor shell at the power block №2 the Kolsk NPP.
The Kolsk NPP is an affiliate of Rosenergoatom Concern JSC and is based 200 km to the south from the city of Murmansk, at the Imandra lakeside. The plant produces around 60% of the Murmansk Region electric power. It has 4 operational power blocks with VVER-type reactors, each of them having capacity of 440 megawatt. The Kolsk NPP supplies electric power to the Murmansk Region and Karelia.
The up-to-date information on the nuclear environment close to the Russian NOOs and other nuclear objects is available at www.russianatom.ru
Kolsk NPP Information and Public Relations Administration.
This is a unique technology created by Russian scientists, which makes it possible to restore physical and mechanical properties of the metal the reactor shell consists of, no matter how seriously they are affected by radiation during operation.
As the Director of the nuclear power plant Vasily Omelchuk said, giving his comments on the event, the recovery annealing procedure is recognized worldwide as an effective method, ensuring safe and reliable operation of reactor units.
Annealing is launched in a reactor hall, while the reactor remains on the same place. Details of a special annealing furnace are delivered to the site and later on assembled together on the reactor, building a two-store-high construction, which follows into the shell. The metal is slowly heated up to the annealing temperature. Afterwards, it needs to be kept at 475оС for 150 hours, and only then cooled, gradually as well.
The annealing procedure was founded by the team of the National Research Centre «Kurchatov Institute». According to it, metal samples cut from inside walls of reactors – so called templates – are used in order to analyze the actual state of the metal and its operation period.
In total, both preparation for the annealing of the reactor shell at the Kolsk NPP and the procedure itself are going to take about 15 days. In addition, according to V.Omelchuk, it will be necessary to provide official reasons for operating the reactor shell for a longer period. The decision on prolongation will be made by the NRC «Kurchatov Institute» in accordance with the results of metallographic sample examination after the annealing.
Similar procedures took place at the power blocks №1 and №2 of the Kolsk NPP in 1989. However first, it was held at the power block №3 of the Novovoronezh NPP (also in 1989). Moreover, recovery annealing was successfully completed on the VVER-440 reactors of the Rivne, Novovoronezh, Armenian, «Greifswald» (Germany) and «Kozloduy» (Bulgaria) NPPs.
Both the local experts and the representatives of such specialized organizations as JS «Atomenergoremont», the NRC «Kurchatov Institute», JS Development design office «Gidropress», JS NGO «TSNIITMASH» have taken part in the recovery annealing treatment of the reactor shell at the power block №2 the Kolsk NPP.
The Kolsk NPP is an affiliate of Rosenergoatom Concern JSC and is based 200 km to the south from the city of Murmansk, at the Imandra lakeside. The plant produces around 60% of the Murmansk Region electric power. It has 4 operational power blocks with VVER-type reactors, each of them having capacity of 440 megawatt. The Kolsk NPP supplies electric power to the Murmansk Region and Karelia.
The up-to-date information on the nuclear environment close to the Russian NOOs and other nuclear objects is available at www.russianatom.ru
Kolsk NPP Information and Public Relations Administration.
career
Innovations
Projects
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS