As nuclear engineers call it, a process of bringing the reactor to the “critical state” at minimum capacity level (about one tenth per cent of the rated level) was launched.
A nuclear reaction generates sound alarms (clicks) of the equipment of the Unit Control Center that fixes the neutron flux in the reactor core. The clicks frequency gradually increases in response to the neutron flux growth in the core.
The start of a nuclear reaction in BN-800 is very important not only for Russia but also for the global nuclear power industry since fast neutron reactors is a promising line of development of the nuclear power industry in a great number of countries. Those reactors will be the basis of the closed nuclear fuel cycle which will allow including the unexploitable natural uranium isotope to the efficient cycle of action. As a result, the fuel stock of the nuclear power will grow tens of times. Besides, that will allow recycling the spent nuclear fuel of other NPPs and minimizing radioactive wastes by burning long-lived isotopes out of them.
That outstanding event was marked as the beginning of stage 2 of the physical launch of BN-800. During the second stage, testing and measurements will be performed to obtain the actual data on neutronic characteristics of the reactor, to confirm serviceability and accuracy of operation of control and protection systems, to check the reliability of information provided by the systems of control and registration of reactor system parameters.
Later, power launch of the unit 4 will be performed (i.e., its connection to the power system and generation of the very first kilowatt hours of power). Then, long-term stages of stepwise increase and reaching the projected generating capacity will take place, when the unit will be commissioned for pilot operation first, and then for commercial operation. And only after that, the new unit will be able to operate with its rated capacity level in 2015.
25 Января 2025 | суббота | 04:07
