NPP bn. Beloyarsk NPP: interesting facts and general information (photo)

The oldest American energy magazine "POWER" is one of the most influential and respected international professional publications in this area, awarded his Power Awards for 2016 to the project of the 4th power unit of the Russian Beloyarsk NPP (branch of the Rosenergoatom Concern, Zarechny, Sverdlovsk region) with a unique fast neutron reactor BN-800, which will be used for testing a range of technologies required for development nuclear power... This was reported by the RIA Novosti news agency.

Recall that one of the most important events of the year in the nuclear power industry of Russia took place at the Beloyarsk NPP the other day - power unit No. 4 (BN-800) was put into commercial operation on time. This order was signed on October 31, 2016 by the General Director of Rosenergoatom Concern Andrey Petrov on the basis of the permission received from ROSATOM.

As noted on the magazine's website, the BN-800 power unit won the Top Plants nomination. It differs from the other nomination of the Plant of the year award in that the latter assumes the commissioning of a nuclear power plant in commercial operation within one or two years prior to the award. In turn, in the "Best Plants" nomination, the most promising and innovative projects are determined, which indicate the vector of development of the entire industry.

When determining the winner, the opportunity was taken into account to solve a set of tasks with the help of a nuclear power unit, in particular, on the production of energy and disposal of radioactive waste. The jury also noted the special importance of the BN-800 reactor in the implementation of the Russian approach to closing the nuclear fuel cycle.

This is not the first time that Russian nuclear projects have been recognized in the United States. The completed first block of the Iranian nuclear power plant "Bushehr" and block No. 1 of the Indian nuclear power plant "Kudankulam" were previously named projects of 2014 according to another authoritative American magazine Power Engineering. These power units operate Russian thermal reactors VVER-1000.

Great achievement of Russia

“Fast reactors are critical to the implementation of Russia's ambitious nuclear plans. The successful construction, connection to the grid and testing of the country's first BN-800 reactor at the Beloyarsk NPP is a major achievement in the right direction, "

- the magazine notes.

Unit No. 4 of the Beloyarsk NPP with a fast reactor with a liquid metal coolant sodium BN-800 (from "fast sodium") with an installed electrical capacity of 880 MW was put into commercial operation on Tuesday. It is the world's most powerful operating fast neutron reactor.

Experts called this event historic not only for the Russian, but also for the world atomic energy. Experts emphasize that the experience in the design, construction, start-up and operation of fast neutron power reactors, which Russian nuclear scientists will receive at the BN-800, will be necessary for the development of this area of ​​nuclear energy in Russia.

Recognized leadership

Fast reactors are considered to have great advantages for the development of nuclear power, ensuring the closure of the nuclear fuel cycle (NFC). In a closed nuclear fuel cycle, due to the full use of uranium raw materials in fast breeder reactors (breeders), the fuel base of nuclear power will significantly increase, and it will also be possible to significantly reduce the volume of radioactive waste due to the "burning" of hazardous radionuclides. Russia, according to experts, ranks first in the world in technologies for the construction of "fast" reactors.

The Soviet Union was a leader in the construction and operation of industrial-grade "fast" power reactors. The world's first such unit with a BN-350 reactor with an installed electrical capacity of 350 megawatts was launched in 1973 on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea in the city of Shevchenko (now Aktau, Kazakhstan). Part of the thermal power of the reactor was used to generate electricity, the rest went to desalination of seawater. This power unit operated until 1998 - five years longer than the design period. The experience of creating and operating this facility made it possible to understand and solve many problems in the field of BN-type reactors.

Since 1980, the third power unit of the plant has been operating at the Beloyarsk NPP with a BN-600 reactor with an installed electrical capacity of 600 megawatts. This unit not only generates electricity, but also serves as a unique base for testing new structural materials and nuclear fuel.

BN-800 history

In 1983, it was decided to build in the USSR four nuclear power units with a BN-800 reactor at once - one unit at the Beloyarsk NPP and three units at the new South Ural NPP. But after Chernobyl, the stagnation of the Soviet atomic energy began, the construction of new, including "fast" reactors, stopped. And after the collapse of the USSR, the situation worsened to an even greater extent, there was a threat of loss of domestic nuclear energy technologies, including the technology of BN reactors.

Attempts to resume the construction of at least one BN-800 unit were made several times, but in the middle of the 2000s it became clear that the capabilities of the nuclear industry alone might not be enough. And here the decisive role was played by the support of the country's leadership, which approved new program development of nuclear energy in Russia. It also found a place for the BN-800 at the fourth unit of the Beloyarsk NPP.

Completing the block was not easy. To finalize the project, taking into account the improvements, the purpose of which was to increase its efficiency and safety, it took a real mobilization of forces of scientific, design and design organizations nuclear industry. Equipment manufacturers also faced difficult tasks, which had to not only restore the technologies used to create the equipment for the BN-600 reactor, but also master new technologies.

And yet the power unit was built. In February 2014, loading of nuclear fuel into the BN-800 reactor began. In June of the same year, the reactor was launched. Then it was necessary to modernize the design of the fuel assemblies, and at the end of July 2015 the BN-800 reactor was restarted, the specialists began to gradually increase its power to the level required to start generating electricity. On December 10, 2015, the unit was connected to the grid and delivered its first current to the Russian power system.

The BN-800 unit is to become a prototype of more powerful commercial BN-1200 power units, the decision on the feasibility of construction of which will be made on the basis of the BN-800 operating experience. The BN-1200 head unit is also planned to be built at the Beloyarsk NPP.

The unique Russian fast breeder reactor operating at the Beloyarsk NPP has been brought to a capacity of 880 megawatts, the press service of Rosatom reports.

The reactor operates at power unit No. 4 of the Beloyarsk NPP and is currently undergoing scheduled testing of generating equipment. In accordance with the test program, the power unit ensures the maintenance of electrical power at a level of at least 880 megawatts for 8 hours.

The reactor power rises in stages, in order to eventually obtain certification at the design power level of 885 megawatts based on the test results. At the moment, the reactor is certified for a capacity of 874 megawatts.

It should be reminded that two fast reactors operate at the Beloyarsk NPP. The BN-600 reactor has been operating here since 1980 - for a long time it was the only reactor of this type in the world. But in 2015, a phased launch of the second BN-800 reactor began.

Why is this so important and considered a historic event for the global nuclear industry?

Fast reactors make it possible to implement a closed fuel cycle (at present, it has not been implemented in BN-600). Since only uranium-238 is “burned”, after reprocessing (extraction of fission products and adding new portions of uranium-238), the fuel can be reloaded into the reactor. And since more plutonium is produced than decayed in the uranium-plutonium cycle, the excess fuel can be used for new reactors.

Moreover, this method can be used to process surplus weapons-grade plutonium, as well as plutonium and minor actinides (neptunium, americium, curium) recovered from the spent fuel of conventional thermal reactors (minor actinides are currently a very dangerous part of radioactive waste). At the same time, the amount of radioactive waste in comparison with thermal reactors is reduced by more than twenty times.

Why, with all their advantages, fast neutron reactors have not become widespread? This is primarily due to the peculiarities of their design. As mentioned above, water cannot be used as a coolant, since it is a neutron moderator. Therefore, in fast reactors, metals are mainly used in a liquid state - from exotic lead-bismuth alloys to liquid sodium (the most common option for nuclear power plants).

“In fast reactors, thermal and radiation loads are much higher than in thermal reactors,” explains PM Chief Engineer Beloyarsk NPP Mikhail Bakanov. - This leads to the need to use special materials of construction for the reactor pressure vessel and in-reactor systems. The bodies of TVEL and fuel assemblies are made not of zirconium alloys, as in thermal reactors, but of special alloyed chromium steels, which are less susceptible to radiation ‘swelling’. On the other hand, for example, the reactor pressure vessel is not subject to internal pressure loads - it is only slightly higher than atmospheric pressure. "

According to Mikhail Bakanov, in the first years of operation, the main difficulties were associated with radiation swelling and cracking of the fuel. These problems, however, were soon resolved, new materials were developed - both for fuel and for fuel rod casings. But even now campaigns are limited not so much by fuel burnup (which reaches 11% on BN-600), as by the resource of materials from which the fuel, fuel rods and fuel assemblies are made. Further operational problems were mainly associated with leaks of sodium in the secondary circuit, a chemically active and fire hazardous metal that violently reacts to contact with air and water: “Only Russia and France have long experience in operating industrial fast-neutron power reactors. Both we and the French specialists faced the same problems from the very beginning. We have successfully solved them by providing special means for monitoring the tightness of circuits, localization and suppression of sodium leaks from the very beginning. And the French project turned out to be less prepared for such troubles, as a result, in 2009 the Phenix reactor was finally shut down. "

“The problems were really the same,” adds Nikolay Oshkanov, director of the Beloyarsk NPP, “but they were solved here and in France in different ways. For example, when the head of one of the assemblies was bent on the Phenix to grab and unload it, the French experts developed a complex and rather expensive system of 'vision' through the sodium layer. And when we had the same problem, one of our engineers suggested using a video camera placed in a simple structure like a diving bell - an open pipe from below with argon blowing from above. When the sodium melt was displaced, the operators were able to grip the machine via video link and the bent assembly was successfully retrieved. ”

The active zone of a fast neutron reactor is arranged like an onion, in layers

370 fuel assemblies form three zones with different enrichment in uranium-235 - 17, 21 and 26% (initially there were only two zones, but in order to equalize the energy release, three were made). They are surrounded by side screens (blankets), or breeding zones, where assemblies containing depleted or natural uranium, consisting mainly of the 238 isotope, are located. reproduction).

Fuel assemblies (FA) are a set of fuel elements (fuel rods) assembled in one housing - tubes made of special steel filled with uranium oxide pellets with different enrichment. So that the fuel rods do not come into contact with each other, and a coolant can circulate between them, a thin wire is wound on the tubes. Sodium enters the fuel assembly through the lower throttling holes and exits through the windows in the upper part.

In the lower part of the fuel assembly there is a shank inserted into the socket of the collector, in the upper part there is a head part, for which the assembly is gripped during overloading. Fuel assemblies of different enrichment have different seats, so it is simply impossible to install the assembly in the wrong place.

To control the reactor, 19 compensating rods are used, containing boron (neutron absorber) to compensate for fuel burnout, 2 automatic control rods (to maintain a given power), and 6 active protection rods. Since the intrinsic neutron background of uranium is small, a "backlight" is used for the controlled launch of the reactor (and control at low power levels) - a photoneutron source (gamma emitter plus beryllium).

Power units with fast reactors can significantly expand the fuel base of nuclear power and minimize radioactive waste by organizing a closed nuclear fuel cycle. Only a few countries possess such technologies, and the Russian Federation, according to experts, is the world leader in this area.

The BN-800 reactor (from "fast sodium", with an electric power of 880 megawatts) is an experimental-industrial fast neutron reactor with a liquid metal coolant, sodium. It should become a prototype for commercial, more powerful power units with BN-1200 reactors.

sources

At the Beloyarsk NPP in the city of Zarechny, they are preparing to install a reactor for a new power unit. Currently, the BNPP operates the only power unit in the world with a fast neutron reactor with a capacity of 600 MW (it is the most powerful in the Middle Urals), and now a new, even more powerful unit is under construction. The correspondent of Nakanune.RU has seen how these works are going and is ready to tell and show what the future is like. nuclear reactor, being built at a nuclear power plant in Sverdlovsk region, and what makes the technology used at the BNPP unique.

Nuclear energy turned out to be one of those industries that were not affected by the crisis in Russia. Well, or almost never touched. Electricity generation at the country's nuclear power plants will remain at the same level, many of the problems that we had to face in other areas are gone. In addition, builders who were previously reluctant to build new facilities on a rotational basis, rushed back to the station, because their construction is financed by the state. We visited one of these construction projects - the construction of the fourth power unit BN-800 of the Beloyarsk NPP.

Director of BNPP Nikolay Oshkanov (he is also the Deputy General Director of Energoatom Concern OJSC, which unites ten nuclear power plants in the country) notes: "There is no crisis at nuclear power plants in Russia - none of the crisis phenomena have touched us and will not affect us." However, he admits that the decrease in energy consumption also affected the nuclear power industry - at some of the concern's stations, the blocks were in reserve, but by June 1, it reached 100% output.

At BNPP, work continues on the construction of BN-800 (the project is being implemented within the framework of the federal target program for the development of nuclear energy in Russia). At present, the station operates the world's only power unit with a fast neutron reactor of an industrial level BN-600 (this is the third power unit of BNPP, the first two are in the process of being decommissioned). What is the peculiarity of the technology of "fast" reactors, says Nikolai Oshkanov himself:

"In the program (FTP for the development of nuclear energy, - approx.) BNPP is represented by the fourth power unit as innovative technology- this is a new stage along which the whole world rushed, and here Russia, by the example of the Beloyarsk NPP, turned out to be the leader. Only big countries- USA, France, Japan, Russia, England - that is, those who have the bomb. Not the DPRK, which stole the technology, but precisely those who can develop this direction. Why were "fast" reactors made? In a "fast" reactor, pure, weapons-grade plutonium is obtained. "

At BNPP, fuel is used for peaceful purposes, the technology allows expanding the country's fuel energy base and minimizing the amount of nuclear waste.

All uranium is divided into two parts: 0.7% is what can be used in reactors, 99.3% is the so-called "dump", it cannot be used in reactors that exist all over the world, including in our country. A "fast" reactor converts unused uranium-238 into plutonium-239 under the action of fast neutrons, "Nikolai Oshkanov explains.

So, after loading 10 tons of plutonium into the reactor, 12 tons are already removed from it, because the plutonium was "surrounded" by uranium, he notes. Thus, the uranium dump becomes fuel.

This technology has been used on the BN-600 since 1980, and the BN-800 is designed to solve the problem of a "closed" vigorous cycle, which ensures the "circulation" of fuel between fast and thermal reactors.

Meanwhile, Nikolai Oshkanov at a press conference last Friday confirmed that the commissioning dates are being shifted from 2012 to 2014. The problem is not in the crisis, but in the equipment, he says.

This year, 2 billion rubles were spent on the construction of the facility, not counting the cost of equipment. “In the FTP, we are number three in terms of timing. The second power unit of the Volgodonsk NPP comes first, followed by the fourth unit of the Kalinin NPP. turn, since there is no electricity in the Caucasus and in the Leningrad region, "he said.

The main problem due to which the launch of the BN-800 is being postponed is the problem with the manufacture of unique equipment. "The problem is in the equipment, it is unique, it wasn’t made for a long time, these are new technologies, materials. Whole factories had to be revived for the sake of one unit. All auxiliary equipment has been made, only there is no reactor with a turbine," said the director of the BNPP.

However, if the work on the construction of the reactor is almost on schedule (it will be delivered to the plant by the Podolsk plant named after Ordzhonikidze), then the main difficulty is in the manufacture of the turbine (United Machine Plants is engaged in it).

The fact that the workers fit into the schedule for the construction of the reactor (where the radioactive equipment will be located), we were able to make sure in the reactor assembly vessel.

The building of the reactor assembly building was built back in the 80s, but then work on the construction of BN-800 was stopped, and resumed only three years ago. Only in 2008, the enlargement of the reactor began - it arrives from the plant in Podolsk in parts, explains Aleksey Chernikov, deputy chief engineer of the Beloyarsk installation department.

It is expected that the installation of the reactor in the mine will begin in August-September this year.

Meanwhile, starting from July 1, the nuclear industry may face unpleasant changes. From this date, the power industry will switch to a "50-50" scheme: 50% of the energy will be sold on the free market and 50% - at a fixed tariff. It has already been calculated that, as a result, the payment for electricity for the population will increase. "There is an option according to which the problem will be solved at the expense of nuclear energy," says Nikolai Oshkanov. Since the electricity generated by the nuclear industry is cheaper in terms of cost, "costs" can be passed on to this industry.

However, the director of the BNPP looks at the "atomic future" in general with hope: "The world is witnessing an" atomic renaissance "- the construction of nuclear power plants has gone up like in the old days, Russia is building in China, India, but it is not allowed to enter Europe. In Russia, the main problem is not resources, but their delivery. "

"As the population asks, so it will be," he comments on the industry's prospects, not hiding further plans for the BNPP proper - already in 2020 they intend to start building the fifth power unit, BN-1200.

- one of the most influential and authoritative international professional publications in this field - awarded its Power Awards for 2016 to the project of the fourth power unit of the Russian Beloyarsk NPP with a unique fast neutron reactor BN-800, which will test a number of technologies necessary for the development of nuclear power ...

This is not the first time that Russian nuclear projects have been recognized in the United States. The completed first block of the Iranian nuclear power plant "Bushehr" and the first block of the Indian nuclear power plant "Kudankulam" were previously named projects of 2014 according to the version of another authoritative American magazine Power Engineering. These power units operate Russian thermal reactors VVER-1000.

Great achievement of Russia

"Fast reactors are essential for the implementation of Russia's ambitious nuclear energy plans. The successful construction, networking and testing of the country's first BN-800 reactor at the Beloyarsk NPP is a major achievement in the right direction," the magazine notes.

Unit 4 of the Beloyarsk NPP with a fast reactor with a liquid metal coolant sodium BN-800 (from "fast sodium") with an installed electrical capacity of 880 MW was put into commercial operation on Monday. It is the world's most powerful operating fast neutron reactor.

Experts called this event historic not only for the Russian, but also for the world atomic energy. Experts emphasize that the experience in the design, construction, start-up and operation of fast neutron power reactors, which Russian nuclear scientists will receive at the BN-800, will be necessary for the development of this area of ​​nuclear energy in Russia.

Recognized leadership

Fast reactors are considered to have great advantages for the development of nuclear power, ensuring the closure of the nuclear fuel cycle (NFC). In a closed nuclear fuel cycle, due to the full use of uranium raw materials in fast breeder reactors (breeders), the fuel base of nuclear power will significantly increase, and it will also be possible to significantly reduce the volume of radioactive waste due to the burning of hazardous radionuclides. Russia, as experts note, ranks first in the world in technologies for the construction of "fast" reactors.

The Soviet Union was a leader in the construction and operation of industrial-grade "fast" power reactors. The world's first such unit with a BN-350 reactor with an installed electrical capacity of 350 megawatts was launched in 1973 on the eastern coast of the Caspian Sea in the city of Shevchenko (now Aktau, Kazakhstan). Part of the thermal power of the reactor was used to generate electricity, the rest went to desalination of seawater. This power unit operated until 1998 - five years longer than the design period. The experience of creating and operating this facility made it possible to understand and solve many problems in the field of BN-type reactors.

Since 1980, the third power unit of the plant has been operating at the Beloyarsk NPP with a BN-600 reactor with an installed electrical capacity of 600 megawatts. This unit not only generates electricity, but also serves as a unique base for testing new structural materials and nuclear fuel.

BN-800 history

In 1983, it was decided to build in the USSR four nuclear power units with a BN-800 reactor at once: one at the Beloyarsk NPP and three at the new South Ural NPP. But after Chernobyl, the stagnation of the Soviet atomic energy began, the construction of new, including "fast" reactors, stopped. And after the collapse of the USSR, the situation worsened even more, there was a threat of loss of domestic nuclear energy technologies, including the technology of BN reactors.

Attempts to resume the construction of at least one BN-800 unit were made several times, but in the mid-2000s it became clear that the capabilities of the nuclear industry alone might not be enough. And here the decisive role was played by the support from the Russian leadership, which approved a new program for the development of nuclear energy. It also found a place for the BN-800 at the fourth unit of the Beloyarsk NPP.

Completing the block was not easy. To finalize the project, taking into account the improvements, the purpose of which was to increase its efficiency and safety, a real mobilization of the forces of scientific, design and design organizations of the nuclear industry was required. Equipment manufacturers also faced difficult tasks, which had to not only restore the technologies used to create the equipment for the BN-600 reactor, but also master new technologies.

And yet the power unit was built. In February 2014, loading of nuclear fuel into the BN-800 reactor began. In June of the same year, the reactor was launched. Then it was necessary to modernize the design of the fuel assemblies, and at the end of July 2015 the BN-800 reactor was restarted, the specialists began to gradually increase its power to the level required to start generating electricity. On December 10, 2015, the unit was connected to the grid and delivered its first current to the Russian power system.

The BN-800 unit is to become a prototype of more powerful commercial BN-1200 power units, the decision on the feasibility of construction of which will be made on the basis of the BN-800 operating experience. The BN-1200 head unit is also planned to be built at the Beloyarsk NPP.

The newest power unit No. 4 of the Beloyarsk NPP with a fast neutron reactor BN-800 was put into commercial operation in deadlines.

This is one of the most important events of the year in the Russian nuclear power industry, according to the press service of the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant.

This order was signed on October 31, 2016. general manager Rosenergoatom Concern Andrey Petrov on the basis of the obtained permission of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom. Before that, the regulatory body Rostekhnadzor carried out all the necessary checks and issued an opinion on the compliance of the facility being commissioned project documentation, technical regulations and regulations, including energy efficiency requirements.

Power unit No. 4 of the Beloyarsk NPP with the BN-800 reactor was for the first time included in the unified power system of the country and began generating electricity on December 10, 2015. During 2016, there was a gradual development of capacity at the stages of power start-up, and then at the stages of pilot operation, checks and tests of equipment and systems were carried out. different levels power and in various operating conditions.

The tests were completed in August 2016 with a 15-day comprehensive testing at 100% power level, during which the power unit confirmed that it is able to sustainably carry the load at the rated power in accordance with the design parameters, without deviations.

By the time it was put into commercial operation from the moment it was connected to the power system, the fourth power unit of the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant had generated more than 2.8 billion kWh.

It should become a prototype for more powerful commercial power units BN-1200, the decision on the feasibility of construction of which will be made on the basis of the BN-800 operating experience. It will also work out a number of technologies for closing the nuclear fuel cycle, which are necessary for the development of the nuclear power industry of the future.

Russia, as experts note, ranks first in the world in technologies for the construction of "fast" reactors.

Thus, there is one more nuclear power unit in operation in Russia. Now, a total of 35 power units are in operation at 10 nuclear power plants (excluding power unit No. 6 of NVNPP, which is at the stage of pilot operation), the total installed capacity of all power units is 27.127 GW.

Beloyarsk NPP (BNPP) put into operation in April 1964. This is the first nuclear power plant in the country's nuclear power industry, and the only one with reactors different types on one site. The first power units of the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant with thermal reactors AMB-100 and AMB-200 were shut down due to the depletion of their resource. The world's only power unit with a fast breeder reactor of an industrial power level BN-600 is in operation. , as well as BN-800, put into commercial operation in October 2016. Power units of nuclear power plants using fast neutrons are designed to significantly expand the fuel base of nuclear power and minimize radioactive waste by organizing a closed nuclear fuel cycle.