At Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NGS), the reactor pressure vessel installation of the 2nd power unit, which is one of the main stages, has been completed.
The reactor pressure vessel, which was delivered to the Akkuyu NPP construction site by sea at the end of December 2021, was moved to the installation site from the temporary equipment storage area, where it underwent some inspections before installation. The reactor vessel was mounted in place on the reactor shaft using a Liebherr LR 13000 crawler crane. The installation process took about 6 hours.
Akkuyu Nuclear Inc. Sergey Butckikh, First Deputy General Manager and NGS Construction Director, said in a statement on the subject: “The assembly of the reactor vessel of the 2nd unit is one of the most important events of the year in the field. I would like to draw attention to the flawless work of the assembly crew and lifting equipment operators. The assembly of the container requires the precision of a surgeon. Because the maximum permissible horizontal deviation cannot exceed one tenth of a millimeter. Congratulations to the entire assembly team, crane operators and other experts for the successful completion of the assembly of the reactor pressure vessel of the 2nd unit”.
In the previous stages of the construction of the 2nd unit reactor building, the core holder was installed, the support and thrust beams were concreted, and the dry casing and thermal insulation of the cylindrical part of the reactor pressure vessel was made. Just before the assembly of the reactor pressure vessel, the support ring bearing the main weight load of the vessel was assembled.
Inspections regarding the installation of the reactor pressure vessel were carried out by a commission consisting of experts from the reactor pressure vessel manufacturer, as well as an independent inspection agency and the Turkish Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NDK).
The reactor pressure vessel, which is the most important equipment of the nuclear power plant, also contains the core required during the operation phase of the plant. Nuclear fuel and structural elements are placed inside the core for nuclear reaction and transmission of heat energy to the cooler. The reactor pressure vessel, which is a vertical cylindrical vessel weighing 343,2 tons, has a height of 11,45 meters and a diameter of 5,6 meters.
Production of the reactor pressure vessel for the 2nd unit of Akkuyu NPP started in March 2019. Many tests were carried out during the production process, including hydro-tests, as well as control equipment with in-vessel devices. As a result of the tests, a special commission confirmed the compliance with all design parameters and the high quality of the product.
Be the first to comment