The reason for the unscheduled shutdown of the 4-th power unit of Beloyarsk NPP

Some details are published related to the shutdown of the 4 power unit of the Beloyarsk nuclear power plant. It is a power unit with a BN-800 reactor - a fast neutron reactor. The shutdown became unplanned, like the previous one - which happened a little more than a month ago.

On July 12, it was reported that power unit No. 4 of the Beloyarsk NPP shut down due to changes in the capacitor parameters installed in the turbine generator shutdown system.

Today, another error was announced in the system, which ultimately led to a new shutdown of the power unit.

The published message says that the automated protection has worked after a power loss on EC No. 4. Moreover, as stated, the operation of one of the protection systems was false. At the moment, the Beloyarsk NPP power unit is disconnected and is in a semi-unloaded state.

Station Press Service:

The power unit was shut down according to the regular algorithm according to the normal scheme. After finding out the reasons for the false positive of one of the protective systems, the power unit will be switched on again and will resume operation.

For reference: BN-800 uses uranium-plutonium MOX fuel (with several types of fissile oxides). The use of such fuel actually allows irreversible disposal of surplus weapons-grade plutonium.

Comments

[Aristarkh Lyudvigovich]

This is not a serial reactor, but an experimental one. BN-1200 should become the standard of the series. And this is far from 5 years, but 2030 +. A completely new industry from scratch. Abroad strongly pierced with reactors of this type and shut down. But at the same time, a powerful power station was immediately made abroad. And ours gradually, step by step, experience various nodes, selecting the best solutions and rejecting unsuccessful ones. The first power units of the Beloyarsk NPP with thermal neutron reactors AMB-100 and AMB-200 exhausted their life. Now the Beloyarsk NPP operates the world's only power units with fast neutrons reactors of industrial power level BN-600 and BN-800.

[maxim947]

It is useless and stupid to speculate about the reasons; it is better to wait for official statements following the results of the audit and taking into account that everything happened normally, then this is a good practical experience

[210ox]

Cooling system. And not off. Condenser in the cooling system. One of the most important is the vacuum in the condenser and the water flow through it.

[svp67]

Quote: Aristarkh Ludwigovich

This is not a serial reactor, but an experimental one.

There, during construction, some "managers" carried out such "experiments" to replace expensive and high-quality components with cheap Chinese ones, sending the difference into their own pockets that the FSB had to intervene ... but apparently not everyone was "transplanted", since this kind of garbage is happening. ..

[mikh-korsakov]

Bridder reactors are outstanding achievements of Soviet science. A critical issue for them is cooling. In particular, neutron moderators, that is, materials containing light nuclei, are not acceptable for cooling. Therefore, liquid sodium is used in the primary circuits, or eutectics such as Wood's alloy. I remembered that many years ago I got a ticket for fast neutron reactors in the exam, to my shame for many decades, I forgot a lot. If my memory serves me, the experimental reactors in Obninsk were built back in the fifties. A fast neutron reactor was also built in Kazakhstan on Mangyshlak, but now it has been drowned. Although in terms of radiation safety, however strange it may seem, the RBFs are safer, when using liquid sodium, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of emergency contact of liquid sodium in the primary circuit with water of the secondary circuit.

[asv363]

Water there in the third circuit. And the reactor is not a breeder in the pure sense - the outer rows of the fuel assemblies have been replaced with metal simulators. When it was built, there was an agreement on the disposal of weapons-grade plutonium, which was recognized as excessive for defense needs.

[svp67]

Quote: mikh-korsakov

Therefore, in the primary circuits use liquid sodium,

Quote: asv363

Water there in the third circuit.

So it is, in the first and second circuit liquid sodium is used, it was specially purchased in France for this unit ...

[mikh-korsakov]

In fact, they bought solid sodium - in order for sodium to become liquid, it must be heated to 100 degrees. the use of sodium in the circuit does not solve the problem of preserving sodium with water in the event of an accident.

[svp67]

Quote: mikh-korsakov

the use of sodium in the circuit does not solve the problem of preserving sodium with water in the event of an accident.

Most of all I was surprised that earlier in the USSR sodium was already used in nuclear submarine reactors, I don’t think that even then it was purchased from France ... and then I had to buy it from the French

[asv363]

After the collapse of the USSR, a plant producing sodium of the required purity remained in Georgia. It was considered unprofitable to create own production.

[svp67]

Quote: asv363

After the collapse of the USSR, a plant producing sodium of the required purity remained in Georgia.

So I understand it no longer exists.

Quote: asv363

It was considered unprofitable to create own production.

How now? If this direction in the development of reactors is going to continue, then sodium cannot be done without, and now they may not sell ... like those "Mistrals"

[asv363]

There is no certainty yet. According to the information of the end of May of this month - BN-1200 was in the plan for construction with a date of commissioning in 2028. Now the deadlines have shifted to the right.
And as for sodium for BN-800, it was bought in abundance - the reserves remaining from the French SuperPhenix project. By the way, he was also 1200 MW (el.).

[Nikolay Fedorov]

Quote: mikh-korsakov

I remembered that many years ago I got a ticket for fast neutron reactors at the exam, to my shame for many decades I forgot a lot.

Without any shame, I forgot not only the tickets, but the names of the objects on which I passed the state. The faces of classmates and teachers somehow erased, became dull. Pass by, I do not remember.

[Sky strike fighter]

This is not a serial reactor, but an experimental one. BN-1200 should become the standard of the series. And this is far from 5 years, but 2030+. A completely new industry from scratch.

The 2014 BN-1200 project was decided to be finalized, so the 2017 BN-1200M project appeared.

A further development of the technology of fast sodium reactors was the development of the head commercial "fast" power unit of high power. Rosatom enterprises prepared a technical design for a BN-1200M reactor plant with an electric power of 1200 MW and materials for a BN-1200M power unit design. At a joint meeting of the thematic scientific and technical councils of Rosatom in 2017, it was recommended to finalize these documents to improve the technical and economic performance of the power unit and to develop a complete set of design documentation for the head unit BN-1200M of the Beloyarsk NPP.

According to the terms of reference for the current work, among the main technical and economic characteristics of the BN-1200M power unit, a 60-year service life, a 60-month construction period from the so-called "first concrete" to reactor start-up, specific present value of electricity - 2,35 rubles per kilowatt hour. With regard to safety issues, according to the project, even in case of hypothetical severe beyond design basis accidents, evacuation and resettlement of the population from the areas adjacent to the nuclear power plant will not be required.

http://www.atomic-energy.ru/news/2019/07/30/96552

[hydrox]

I can imagine what drool the Yankees have hung up to their knees, reading that these damned Russians use precious plutonium in their stoves to produce electric power instead of equipping them with warheads!
And they certainly do it with maliciousness in order to hurt the most advanced country in the world and cut off this country’s last opportunities to gain dominance over the world.
So it’s the smartest and most beautiful to shake up the old Rammstein bombs in order to get at least a little plutonium for at least some money, to pluck at least a dozen at least three-kilotons ...

[Mountain shooter]

Annoying. Although the reactor is thoroughly experimental, and similar automation failures are possible. There are no more such reactors in the world ... The future of nuclear power lies behind them ...

[Klingon]

the future belongs to tokomaks, this is just a transition period)) you just need more helium 3

[Mountain shooter]

Quote: Klingon

you just need more helium 3 farm

To the moon behind Helium-3? Nowhere else to take it in tangible volumes ...

[Klingon]

apparently yes, as in the famous film) only without clones and the ubiquitous AI

[mikh-korsakov]

Eugene. How much helium-3 is needed? Helium-3 is obtained from tritium. But tritium is produced during the operation of nuclear reactors on slow neutrons in huge quantities, primarily in the first water circuit. The problem now is to dispose of this tritium cheaply and safely. The American’s intention, taken up by our journalists, to fly to the moon for helium-3 is nothing more than an American publicity stunt.

[Piramidon]

Quote: mikh-korsakov

Americans' intention to fly to the moon for helium-3 is nothing more than an American publicity stunt

They say that Batka's Yankes have already ordered the quarry BelAZs for the production of helium-3 on the Moon.

[AVA77]

Helium-3 is crap, the future of humanity beyond Tiberium And there is a spice on Dune

[Klingon]

justify what crap helium 3? I won't say anything about the rest, about dilithium crystals too
Mr. Data

[AVA77]

Helium-3 mining on the moon now has more to do with science fiction, that is, perhaps, but not yet real. If I had a three-liter jar of helium-3
I would simply not know where to put it, you can put it in the refrigerator, you can on the balcony, you can give it to Mother-in-law So far, this helium-3 simply has nowhere to use. There are no reactors. That's all the rationale.

[Klingon]

so no one about "now" had in mind, firstly, secondly, the tokomaks have not yet brought it to their senses, it is clear, ... I am all the same for crystalline Dilithium, to whom has Spice surrendered? You cannot run either the Warp-Engine or a simple reactor on it. And dilithium is the only substance that has no analogue in antimatter and is so inert that it can be used in reactors with antimatter without bulky electromagnets to create powerful magnetic fields of complex configuration to keep antimatter from reacting with ordinary matter.

[Klingon]

any even the seemingly most absurd fantasy may someday become a reality)) remember the communicator from the original ST series of the 60s, the former prototype of what I now hold in my hands
Well, who said that dilithium does not exist? let's say not in our universe, but if you consider that their number is Google, then everything impossible is possible

[AVA77]

Everything is simple with tokamaks, they must be made from vibranium and let them work on Tiberium

[rruvim]

There are no competent navigators yet. We need to find a spice on earth and then ... Forward to the stars !!!

[AVA77]

According to rumors, some on the ground found some kind of wrong spice They say that after applying some even saw worms and Muad Diba.

[rruvim]

Muad Diba is seen as lazy in the Middle East, especially movements prohibited in the Russian Federation. But another party is gathering against Vladimir Kh. In Moscow.

[AVA77]

I’m up to Muatdib, against whom they are going there. After the US Embassy has posted the route of the so-called protesters on its website, for me personally the question
closed.

[Avior]

You can’t give a deadline

. In December 2014, the State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted a bill banning spice-based smoking mixtures

[hydrox]

Who needs it, those already long ago on tokamaks "feed" very generous money already in the fourth generation, although Tokamaks have been in scientific operation since 1954 - so something, but for this industry under Velikhov's promises "for 10 years, ... in 5 years ... "for all this time, large trillions of funds have been allocated.

[Piramidon]

Quote: Mountain Shooter

Annoying.

And through what in general it was necessary to go through creating nuclear reactors and this industry from scratch, one can only guess. But now we are in this field at the forefront. True, thanks to the Soviet developments.

[awg75]

I don’t understand one thing, why do we need to irreversibly dispose of surplus weapons-grade plutonium. this is a strategic element. mattresses neatly store everything.

[maxim947]

Plutonium is not stored forever, so it’s better than later simply for disposal or disposal.

[mikh-korsakov]

Maksim! Yes, weapons-grade plutonium itself is not stored forever, but long enough, the half-life of plutonium-239 is 24100 years. Therefore, there is no problem of storing plutonium as such. There is a problem of storing nuclear weapons due to the heat release accompanying the radioactive decay of plutonium or uranium. Heat can be dissipated - no problem. The problem is in the damage of the crystal lattice of the shell material due to radiolysis, which leads to its rapid "aging" and loss of mechanical properties.

[maxim947]

Plutonium has a half-life of about 24 years - it seems to be a lot, but this means that literally in a few years, enough impurities accumulate in this portion of plutonium to require its purification. And without cleaning it is simply impossible to use as part of a weapon. Therefore, the available stocks of plutonium have to be constantly subjected to various processing (purification). Moreover, even the shelf life of nuclear bombs in warehouses is determined precisely by the need to occasionally dismantle the bomb and change contaminated plutonium to freshly cleaned one.

[asv363]

Quote: maxim947

Plutonium has a half-life of about 24 years - it seems to be a lot, but this means that literally in a few years, enough impurities accumulate in this portion of plutonium to require its purification.

In reality, from 20 to 30 years.

[Wedmak]

Well, not everyone said it really. Surplus plutonium must be used, since their shelf life is limited. BUT. They are not loaded directly into the BN, they are mixed with spent fuel from thermal-neutron reactors, VVER, etc. Moreover, there the cat wept. And the waste we have is just heaps. And spent fuel from BN is suitable for heat. By technology, you need 1 BN on 3-5 ordinary cost. The result is that we have enough fuel for a couple of thousand years. Now they are just closing this cycle.

[sir.jonn]

Quote: Wedmak

Well, not everyone said it really. Surplus plutonium must be used, since their shelf life is limited. BUT. They are not loaded directly into the BN, they are mixed with spent fuel from thermal-neutron reactors, VVER, etc. Moreover, there the cat wept. And the waste we have is just heaps. And spent fuel from BN is suitable for heat. By technology, you need 1 BN on 3-5 ordinary cost. The result is that we have enough fuel for a couple of thousand years. Now they are just closing this cycle.

Plus an export perspective.

[Paranoid50]

Quote: Wedmak

we get that we have enough fuel for a couple of thousand years.

Now, somewhere, someone had a huge toad strangled ...

[hydrox]

They are not storing anything, they have been in a terrible famine for plutonium for years, and because of this they are trying to make ultra-low-power BGs, posing as a huge humanistic achievement.

[EXPrompt]

Quote: awg75

I don’t understand one thing, why do we need to irreversibly dispose of surplus weapons-grade plutonium. this is a strategic element. mattresses neatly store everything.

1 Mattresses today have lost the technology and production of uranium enrichment. And even more so on the production of new plutonium.
But Russia is not.

Secondly, natural uranium 235 in the ore is not enough 1-2%, and 98% of uranium 238 which is not divided in a conventional reactor.
Mox fuel is loaded into a BN-type reactor from uranium mining waste, and the waste is uranium. 238 kotor dofiga has already extracted millions of tons, it produces from the waste a valuable resource of which there is little uranium 235.
This is the main exhaust of this technology.

[asv363]

Quote: EXPrompt

Secondly, natural uranium 235 in the ore is not enough 1-2%, and 98% of uranium 238 which is not divided in a conventional reactor.

Uranium-235 - 0,72% of the extracted natural uranium, the rest - uranium-238 and uranium-234.

[mikh-korsakov]

Not only uranium-238, but also thorium-232. But the main extraction of uranium-235 in centrifuges from natural raw materials to an isotopic composition suitable for military use is a long and energy-intensive process.

[K-612-O]

We have for a very long time been using it in products, it’s troublesome and charges need to be changed often, uranium is more reliable. Here the question is about the technology and design of charges, the Americans are behind us in this regard, plus neutron generators are not able to do it.

[Piramidon]

The reason for the unscheduled shutdown of the 4-th power unit of Beloyarsk NPP

Some details are published ... Today announced ...

All clear . Who are published and claimed. When (e) the Balts try.

[Thrifty]

Do we really have surplus weapons-grade plutonium? ??

[hydrox]

This is not called "surplus", it is called "what to do !?"
So they found WHERE.

[Old26]

Quote: awg75

I don’t understand one thing, why do we need to irreversibly dispose of surplus weapons-grade plutonium. this is a strategic element. mattresses neatly store everything.

Well, at present, this irreversibly disposed plutonium is not so much. At one time, it was decided that each side offers its own method of disposal. And utilizes 15 tons of plutonium. The American method was not suitable for irreversible disposal, so the agreement between Russia and the United States was terminated in 2018.

One way or another, recycling is needed because the accumulated reserves of both weapons-grade plutonium and weapons-grade uranium are so many that it would be more expensive to store them. And we have about 40-50% more weapons-grade plutonium reserves than in the USA. The point is to store when it can be used to produce MOX fuel, which will last for decades for nuclear power plants, if not centuries

[asv363]

Quote: Old26

Well, at present, this irreversibly disposed plutonium is not so much. At one time, it was decided that each side offers its own method of disposal. And utilizes 15 tons of plutonium. The American method was not suitable for irreversible disposal, so the agreement between Russia and the United States was terminated in 2018.

The agreement was signed for 34 metric tons of weapons-grade plutonium-239 and suspended in the fall of 2016. Its execution was supposed to begin in 2018, but, fortunately, it did not begin.

Quote: Old26

One way or another, recycling is needed because the accumulated reserves of both weapons-grade plutonium and weapons-grade uranium are so many that it would be more expensive to store them. And we have about 40-50% more weapons-grade plutonium reserves than in the USA. The point is to store when it can be used to produce MOX fuel, which will last for decades for nuclear power plants, if not centuries

Better stored, useful for weapons.

[Greg Miller]

The "surplus" of Russian weapons-grade plutonium Yeltsin, Putin and their friends have already "utilized" for a song in the United States under the HEU-LEU program ...

[Paranoid50]

Quote: Greg Miller

already "disposed of" for a song

Oh again ... It was the mattresses that bit all the elbows when they realized HOW they raped them with this deal ... So again past the checkout counter.

[Old26]

Quote: Greg Miller

The "surplus" of Russian weapons-grade plutonium Yeltsin, Putin and their friends have already "utilized" for a song in the United States under the HEU-LEU program ...

Do not write bredyatin, comrade ...
After all, sorry in this topic, "not an ear, not a snout," and flaunt contractions.
HEU-LEU - this HIGHLY ENRICHED и LOW-ENRICHED URANIUM, not plutonium, which, according to you, Yeltsin and Putin have already "utilized" in the United States

[syndicalist]

Quote: maxim947

It is useless and stupid to speculate about the reasons; it is better to wait for official statements following the results of the audit and taking into account that everything happened normally, then this is a good practical experience

Guessing is useless, and the truth will not be told. But suspiciously often we began to get this "good practical experience". A month ago, three of the four units at the Kalinin nuclear power plant and one power unit at the Beloyarsky were disconnected abnormally. And here again Beloyarskaya.

[K-612-O]

Do you need automation to not work? It is good that the protection system works even with its own error.

[Klingon]

Quote: AVA77

According to rumors, some on the ground found some kind of wrong spice They say that after applying some even saw worms and Muad Diba.

it's probably an afghan spice although no it's not that, spice is another but worms can probably be caught with him, yeah ..

[abc_alex]

Sometimes the logic of engineers eludes me. Why use deficient, chemically hyperactive sodium in the reactor, being constantly under threat of fire, which will not be possible to extinguish in principle. EMNIP all attempts to create sodium reactors ended in a fire.
Why not lead-bismuth? After all, there were operating reactors at the Lyrah, there is experience and just banal logic suggests that this option for civilian energy is many times better.
And France does not need to buy lead.

[Grim Reaper]

Well it is necessary. Just today I learned from topwar news. Although I am from Beloyarsk in 50 km. Yeah. we can not hysteria for every occasion.