All four power units of the Rostov NPP (Volgodonsk, Rostov Oblast) will soon be equipped with a turbine trip mechanism, which increases performance reliability of feed pump turbines.

For the first time among all NPPs in Russia, the newest turbine trip mechanism was implemented in the power unit No. 3 of the Rostov NPP six months ago and during this period managed to approve itself.

The equipment was upgraded during scheduled outage last July in accordance with an engineering solution agreed with the turbine manufacturer. After half a year, the analysis performed on the implementation of the turbine trip mechanism has proved its effectiveness in ensuring reliability of turbine protective devices.

According to the results of the successful work, it was decided to spread the experience of equipping turbines with a turbine trip mechanism at all units of the Rostov NPP.

Operating principle of a turbine trip mechanism is based on the generating a control signal in the software of control and protection system of a feed pump turbine and of a remote switch with electromagnets installed during the upgrade. Protection operates by signals from three rotation velocity sensors.

Implementation of electronic overspeed protection allows to perform verification of electronic overspeed protection at any speed.

“Use of turbine trip mechanism in overspeed protection system increases reliability and protection accuracy by several times in comparison with the existing mechanical protection. Verification of overspeed protection is performed in 15-30 minutes with a duration of up to three days required for a verification of mechanical protection”, -Yevgeny Baklamyshev, Deputy Chief Engineer in Engineer Assistance and Modernization of Equipment noted.