The last of two low pressure rotors has been installed in the turbine building of unit 1 at the Akkuyu NPP under construction in Türkiye. The rotor assembly weighed 255 tonnes.
“The rotor was mounted using an overhead crane. Installing a rotor is a technically complex operation that requires high precision,” said Sergei Butskikh, General Director of project company Akkuyu Nukleer. “The operation was successful, and now all the main large-sized components of the turbine unit of Unit No. 1 of the Akkuyu NPP have been installed in the designed position. Before we begin testing the turbine unit, we have to set the line of the turbine shaft, as well as ensure the density and tightness of the secondary circuit. To do this, it is necessary to weld more than 3,000 connections on various technological systems.”
At one of the subsequent stages of turbine installation, specialists will perform alignment of all elements, during which the components will be aligned in the optimal position relative to other elements of the equipment. Next, specialists will have to install the turbine on the shaft turning device, check the correct assembly and alignment of all elements, as well as the readiness of the working systems for hydraulic tests.
The turbine unit is a high-power thermal rotary engine. The cylinder rotor is one of the key components of the engine: superheated steam, generated from demineralised water in the steam generators of the reactor plant, is supplied to the rotor blades under high pressure. The energy of the compressed and heated steam causes the rotor to rotate, converted into mechanical energy, which is transmitted to a turbogenerator that produces electric current. The turbine unit consists of a combined high and medium pressure module, two low pressure modules and a generator.
Akkuyu NPP, will eventually host four Russian-designed VVER-1200 reactors. The pouring of first concrete for unit 1 took place in April 2018, for unit 2 in June 2020, for unit 3 in March 2021, and for unit 4 in July 2022. Rosatom is constructing the reactors according to a build-own-operate model. Unit 1 is scheduled to begin operation in 2025. In July Akkuyu NPP reported that some 70% of the equipment and systems installed at unit 1 had already undergone commissioning.
