MBIR Vessel Arrived Successfully to RIAR

A reactor vessel for multipurpose sodium-cooled fast research reactor (MBIR) was successfully delivered to RIAR JSC (ROSATOM scientific division).  

The reactor vessel is a unique thin-walled construction 12 meters long, 4 meters in diameter and more than 83 tons in mass was produced by ROSATOM Power Engineering Division. For precise parameters throughout the entire production process, special instrumentation developed by the specialists of the "AEM-technologies" JSC in Volgodonsk was used.

“The unique properties of this reactor justify the capabilities of dual-component nuclear power and fuel cycle closure. The main supposed purposes of MBIR are the in-pile testing of structural and fuel materials, Gen-IV nuclear reactor cores, including fast reactors and thermal low- and medium-power reactors”, - said Alexander Tuzov, Director of RIAR JSC.

Today, more than 1,500 workers and engineers work at the construction site, and about 100 pieces of equipment are involved. Both main and auxiliary buildings are being constructed simultaneously. This year is scheduled to install the reactor vessel into the design position.

“Thanks to coordinated work led by Gennady Sakharov, the Director for Capital Investments, State Construction Supervision and State Expertise, ROSATOM, as well as by MBIR Construction Consortium Members based on ACCNI, the supply of components and construction activities are going smoothly. Of course, high-tech innovations and advanced management are prominent for the effective promotion within the ambitious deadlines”. – said Sergey Kiverov, Deputy Director for Facilities under Construction (RIAR), Head of the MBIR construction project.

 

For information:

MBIR- is a Gen-IV multipurpose sodium-cooled fast research reactor. After commissioning the facility will be the most high-performance (150 MW) operating fast research reactor in the world. The facility will pave the way to unique irradiation and post-irradiation experiments and to the improvement of isotopes and modified materials production. The work is being undertaken under the Federal Project "The Establishment of Innovative Experimental Base to Develop Dual-Component Nuclear Energy with Closed Fuel Cycle", a part of the Comprehensive Program "Development of Techniques, Technologies and Scientific Research in the Field of Nuclear Energy Use in The Russian Federation for the Period till 2024". The MBIR will replace the BOR-60 fast test reactor operated by RIAR for the last 50 years. The new reactor will provide the nuclear industry with an advanced research infrastructure for the next 50 years.

A Building Information Model and lean manufacturing technologies are used at the MBIR construction site. An index change system and a reliable target cost determination using information modeling technologies for nuclear facilities are also applied. Integrated remote monitoring tools are used at the construction site: high-resolution satellite imagery, including from unmanned aerial vehicles, laser scanning.

RIAR JSC (Research Institute of Nuclear Reactors, State Scientific Centre, Joint-Stock Company; ROSATOM) is the major and one of the largest scientific and research entity in the nuclear industry in Russia and in Europe that represents irradiation services and post-irradiation examinations of materials and nuclear power engineering products, the unique multifield experimental capabilities allow RIAR to carry out scientific and production activities related to basic scientific trends of nuclear power engineering; RIAR is also a developer and manufacturer of extensive nomenclature of radionuclides and radioactive sources for science, industry and medicine.

Atomenergomash (AEM) was established in 2007 as part of ROSATOM. Аtomenergomash JSC is one of the Russia’s leading power engineering company and a part of Mechanical Engineering Industry Association. The AEM engineering center is staffed with experienced designers and engineers. It also has two sites: "AEM-technologies" "Petrozavodskmash" in Petrozavodsk and "Atommash» - a business unit of "AEM-technologies" JSC in Volgodonsk.