Rosatom has begun to assemble the mechanical equipment of the primary heat removal circuit and fuel handling systems for the research reactor MBIR at the site of the Research Institute of Nuclear Reactors, State Scientific Centre, Joint-Stock Company (RIAR JSC, belongs to Rosatom’s scientific division). This is an important milestone in the construction of Russia’s largest multipurpose fast research reactor of the fourth generation. The project is part of the comprehensive program to advance nuclear science, engineering, and technology in Russia.
Two intermediate heat exchangers, each weighing 38 tons and measuring 9 meters in height and 2.5 meters in diameter, were installed in accordance with the design specifications. The equipment was secured on support rings with a maximum deviation of 1 millimeter per meter from the horizontal. Additionally, drums for fresh and spent fuel, weighing 16 tons each, were positioned in their designated locations.
“The fresh fuel drum is designed to preheat fuel assemblies in an inert gas atmosphere prior to loading them into a reactor core. The spent fuel drum cools spent fuel assemblies unloaded from the reactor in a non-reactive environment. The drums are part of the combined installation equipment, which means that with their installation at the MBIR nuclear research reactor it is possible to pour concrete onto the area of the central hall flooring of approximately 100 square meters, and start to install the equipment at a height of +11.900 meters”, commented Sergey Kiverov, Deputy Director for Facilities under Construction at RIAR JSC.
