A special site has been constructed at the Volgodonsk branch of Russia’s AEM Technologies for the assembly of reactor internals, Rosatom’s engineering division Atomenergomash announced on 5 June.

The site, intended for assembly and welding operations for the internals of reactor pressure vessels, comprises an 11-metre shaft, a baffle, and a protective tube block, as well as equipment for carrying out various metrological measurements. Previously, such operations were carried out in the workshop. The new site meets current requirements and the norms of technical documentation.

It took about a year to complete a new airtight building, which is 11 metres high, 30 metres long, 9 metres wide.

The building is equipped with a transport trolley, overhead and jib crane. Inside, climate control and lighting systems are installed to control the conditions for  components and parts.

Reactor elements have already been assembled at the site. In mid-June, assembly and welding work will take place on the internals of the nuclear reactor for Akkuyu nuclear power plant in Turkey.


Photo: The new reactor internals assembly facility took about a year to construct (Photo: AEM-Technologies)