MINSK, 22 June (BelTA) – The Volgodonsk-based branch Atommash of the Russian company AEM Technologies (part of Atomenergomash, which is the mechanical engineering division of the Russian state corporation Rosatom) has finished welding the circumferential seam to connect the upper and lower parts of the reactor vessel for the second power-generating unit of the Belarusian nuclear power plant, the Atomenergomash press service told BelTA.
After assembling the upper and lower parts of the reactor vessel Atommash specialists started welding the circumferential seam to connect the two parts. The welding operation took ten days, with the welding zone constantly heated to 200C. Once the welding operations were done, the reactor vessel was put inside a heat-treatment furnace for the final touch. After that the seam will be examined, including using x-ray technologies. All the operations are proceeding on schedule.
While making the reactor vessel, the factory is simultaneously making the components to put inside the reactor vessel as well as the reactor lid and the upper unit.
The reactor vessel is a vertical cylinder with an elliptical bottom. The reactor core and the internal components are located inside.
Established in 2007, AEM Technologies is part of Atomenergomash. AEM Technologies makes equipment for nuclear energy industry, heat energy industry, gas, oil and chemical industries. AEM Technologies has an engineering division in Saint Petersburg and two manufacturing divisions in Petrozavodsk (Petrozavodskmash) and Volgodonsk (Atommash).
The Belarusian nuclear power plant is a project to build an AES-2006 type nuclear power plant 18km away from Ostrovets, Grodno Oblast. The BelNPP will have two power-generating units with the total output capacity of up to 2,400MW (2x1,200MW). In line with the general contract for building the nuclear power plant the first power-generating unit is scheduled for commissioning in 2018, with the second one to go online in 2020.
