30.06.2022
Information and Public Relations Department of the Kursk NPP
The first stage of the emergency core cooling system was installed at power unit No. 2 of the Kursk NPP-2 under construction
At the Kursk NPP-2 under construction, another key event was completed two months ahead of schedule – in the reactor building of the second power unit, all four hydraulic tanks of the emergency core cooling system (ECCS) were installed in the design position. They form the first of three stages of the emergency core cooling system.
In case of emergency situations related to the loss of coolant, the hydraulic tanks of each stage are sequentially activated one after the other, providing the safe state of the power unit. The equipment relates to the passive safety systems of nuclear power plants, which operates without the involvement of personnel and the use of external power supply sources.
“Each tank of the emergency core cooling system is a thick-walled pressure vessel with a volume of 60,000 liters. During the NPP operation, these tanks store an aqueous solution of boric acid (neutron absorber). When the pressure in the primary circuit drops below a certain level, the liquid is automatically supplied to the reactor and cools the core. This prevents damage to the fuel rods and melting of the fuel,” Andrey Osharin, first deputy director for the construction of new units of the Kursk NPP, explained the purpose of the equipment.
Hydraulic tanks weighing about 75 tons are installed in the reactor building in a vertical position at around 14.5 meters. Each tank will be connected by a pipeline to the reactor vessel. If necessary, the solution will be supplied from two tanks to the space above the core, and from two tanks – under the reactor core.
“The hydraulic reservoirs were installed using a heavy crane using the open-top method – through the open top of the building. The installation of one tank in the final position took about 2-3 hours on average,” Oleg Shperle, vice president and director of the Kursk NPP construction project, noted the specifics of the installation.
In the near future, in the reactor building of power unit No. 2, the installation of the main circulation pumps and the concreting of the steam generator supports will be completed.
The construction of power unit 1 and 2 of the Kursk NPP-2 is performed as part of the federal project "Design and construction of reference power units of nuclear power plants" of the Integrated Program "Development of equipment, technologies and scientific research in the sphere of the use of atomic energy in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2024.
In case of emergency situations related to the loss of coolant, the hydraulic tanks of each stage are sequentially activated one after the other, providing the safe state of the power unit. The equipment relates to the passive safety systems of nuclear power plants, which operates without the involvement of personnel and the use of external power supply sources.
“Each tank of the emergency core cooling system is a thick-walled pressure vessel with a volume of 60,000 liters. During the NPP operation, these tanks store an aqueous solution of boric acid (neutron absorber). When the pressure in the primary circuit drops below a certain level, the liquid is automatically supplied to the reactor and cools the core. This prevents damage to the fuel rods and melting of the fuel,” Andrey Osharin, first deputy director for the construction of new units of the Kursk NPP, explained the purpose of the equipment.
Hydraulic tanks weighing about 75 tons are installed in the reactor building in a vertical position at around 14.5 meters. Each tank will be connected by a pipeline to the reactor vessel. If necessary, the solution will be supplied from two tanks to the space above the core, and from two tanks – under the reactor core.
“The hydraulic reservoirs were installed using a heavy crane using the open-top method – through the open top of the building. The installation of one tank in the final position took about 2-3 hours on average,” Oleg Shperle, vice president and director of the Kursk NPP construction project, noted the specifics of the installation.
In the near future, in the reactor building of power unit No. 2, the installation of the main circulation pumps and the concreting of the steam generator supports will be completed.
The construction of power unit 1 and 2 of the Kursk NPP-2 is performed as part of the federal project "Design and construction of reference power units of nuclear power plants" of the Integrated Program "Development of equipment, technologies and scientific research in the sphere of the use of atomic energy in the Russian Federation for the period up to 2024.
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