Another core catcher for Belarusian nuclear station on its way

The Volgodonsk-based branch Atommash of ZAO AEM Technologies (part of Atomenergomash, which is the mechanical engineering division of the Russian state corporation Rosatom) is in the process of shipping components of the core catcher for the second power-generating unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, BelTA learned from OAO Atomenergomash representatives.

Once assembled, the core catcher will be 14 meters high, 6.5 meters in diameter and will weigh about 760 tonnes.

The two largest components of the core catcher have been delivered by trucks to a special wharf in Volgodonsk and loaded onto a freight vessel, said the source.

Automobile and water transport is used to deliver the core catcher to the Belarusian nuclear power plant. From Volgodonsk the ship will travel for 2,500km to reach Lake Ilmen. Then the large-sized and heavy components will be delivered to the construction site of the Belarusian nuclear power plant by trucks. The other components will be delivered to the customer using automobile transport.

The Volgodonsk-based enterprise has been making molten core catchers since 2010. The company has already shipped core catchers for the first power-generating unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, for the first and second units of the Novovoronezh nuclear power plant, and the first unit of the Baltic nuclear power plant.

The core catcher is a specialized system designed to protect nuclear power plants. The device protects load-bearing structures of the hermetic shell from thermomechanical impact of the molten core, which temperature can exceed 2,000C during an emergency. The conical structure is designed to catch and keep liquid and solid radioactive materials if an accident destroys the reactor. The device will keep dangerous radioactive elements from leaking out of the shell even in the direst of emergencies.

OAO Atomenergomash is the mechanical engineering division of the Russian state corporation Rosatom. Atomenergomash provides effective comprehensive solutions for nuclear power industry, heat power industry, gas, oil, and chemical industries. The company comprises about 30 major manufacturing, research, and engineering enterprises in Russia, Ukraine, Czechia, and Hungary.

The Belarusian nuclear power plant will comprise two power-generating units with the total capacity of up to 2,400MW (1,200MW each). The Russian design AES-2006 has been chosen to build the power plant. The design is fully compliant with international standards and IAEA recommendations. The merged company OAO NIAEP – ZAO Atomstroyexport (ASE) is the general designer and general contractor of the project.