Space nuclear power plants
In 2009, the Commission under the President of the Russian Federation on the modernization and technological development of the Russian economy made a decision to implement the project "Creating a transport and energy module based on a megawatt-class nuclear power plant."
JSC NIKIET is defined by the Chief Designer of the reactor installation.
The Federal Space Agency issued NIKIET license No.981K from 29.08.2008 for the implementation of space activities.
From the interview of Yu.G. Dragunova RIA "News". Posted by 28.08.2012
Russia is actively developing atomic energy, relying on the colossal experience and knowledge accumulated over the decades of the national atomic energy program.
One of the pioneers in creating breakthrough technologies in our country and in the world is the Scientific Research and Design Institute of Power Engineering named after N.A. Dollezhal (NIKIET), celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The specialists of the institute made an invaluable contribution to the defense capability of our country, developed projects of the first reactor for production armory isotopes, the first reactor plant for a nuclear submarine, the first power reactor for a nuclear power plant. Based on projects and with the participation of NIKIET, 27 research reactors have been created in Russia and abroad.
And today the Institute is constructing completely new reactors, working on the creation of a reactor facility for a unique megawatt-class nuclear power propulsion system for a spacecraft that has no world analogues.
RIA Novosti was told by Yuri Grigorievich Dragunov, Director-General Designer of NIKIET, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, about how the work on breakthrough areas of Russian nuclear science and technology is proceeding.
- The Institute creates a unique nuclear engine for the new Russian spacecraft. At what stage is this project now?
- All 60 years of its existence, the Institute follows the motto of the founder and first director of NIKIET Academician N.А. Dollezhal: "If you can - go ahead of the century." And confirmation of this - this project. The creation of this installation is a complex work of the SSC FSUE “Center of Keldysh”, RSC Energia, KBKhM them. A.M. Isaeva and the enterprises of the State Corporation "Rosatom". Our Institute is defined as the sole executor of the reactor installation and is defined as the coordinator of works from the Rosatom organizations. The work is really unique, there are no analogues today, so it is quite difficult. Since we are a design organization, we have certain stages, stages, and we go through them step by step. Last year we completed the development of a draft design of a reactor facility, this year we are carrying out a technical design of a reactor facility. A huge amount of testing is required, especially fuel, including studies of the behavior of fuel and structural materials under reactor conditions. The work on the technical project will be quite long, approximately around 3's, but we will prepare the first stage of the technical project, the basic documentation. Today we have identified and made a technical decision on the choice of a fuel element design option and a final technical decision on the choice of a reactor design option. And just a couple of weeks ago, they took a technical decision on the choice of the design of the core and its layout.
- And what problems are there? Is it really going so smoothly?
“Today we have quite a wide cooperation, more than three dozen organizations are participating in the development of the design of the reactor facility. All agreements on this topic have been concluded, and there is complete confidence that we will do this work on time. The work is coordinated by the project management board under my chairmanship, we review the status of work once a quarter. One problem, I can not say about it. Unfortunately, as elsewhere in all subjects, we have contracts for a period of one year. The process of conclusion is stretched out, and, taking into account the time for competitive procedures, we actually eat up time. I made a decision at NIKIET, we open a special order and start working on January 11. But the participants are much harder to attract. There is a problem, so today we have puzzled our participants to give plans before the development is completed for at least a three-year period. We are forming these proposals, and we will go to the government with the request to switch to a three-year contract for this project. Then we will clearly see the schedule and better organize and coordinate the work on the project. The solution to this problem is very important for the successful implementation of the project.
- It will be a purely Russian project, will you not attract any foreign partners for R & D?
- I think the project will be purely Russian. There is still a lot of know-how, many new solutions and, in my opinion, the project must be purely Russian.
- What will be the fuel in the space reactor facility?
- Fundamentally, at this stage of the technical project, we adopted a variant of dioxide fuel. The fuel that has operating experience in installations with thermal emission. We have made the fuel element sectional to ensure the conditions that have already been tested in existing reactors. Yes, this is a novelty, yes, this is an innovative project, but on key elements it should be worked out and should be in time in the time frame set by the presidential project.
- Are you considering the option of fuel overload in the installation?
- No, we do not consider the overload option today. This can be reusable, but we are counting on 10 years of operation, and I suppose, judging by the results of the discussion in the scientific community, with Roscosmos, that today the task of doing the installation work is not longer. Roscosmos is discussing an increase in plant capacity, but this, in general, will not be a problem if we do this project, implement it, and most importantly, test the ground prototype on the stand. After that, we can easily recycle it to great capacity.
Creation of nuclear energy and power plants for space purposes
At the Semipalatinsk test site from 1960 of the year to 1989 of the year, work was carried out to create a nuclear rocket engine.
Were created:
IGR reactor complex;
stand complex “Baikal-1” with an IVG-1 reactor and two workplaces for testing 11B91 products;
RA reactor (IRGIT).
Reactor IGR
The IGR reactor is a pulsed thermal neutron reactor with a homogeneous active zone, which is a stack of graphite blocks containing uranium assembled in the form of columns. The reactor reflector is formed from similar blocks that do not contain uranium.
The reactor has no forced core cooling. The heat released during the operation of the reactor is accumulated by masonry, and then through the walls of the reactor vessel is transferred to the water of the cooling circuit.
Results achieved
1962-1966 years
In the IGR reactor, the first tests of model fuel rods of NRE were carried out. The test results confirmed the possibility of creating fuel rods with solid heat exchange surfaces operating at temperatures above 3000K, specific heat fluxes up to 10 MW / m2 under conditions of powerful neutron and gamma radiation (41 start up was tested, 26 model TVS of various modifications was tested).
1971-1973 years
In the IGR reactor, dynamic tests of high-temperature NRE fuel for thermal strength were carried out, during which the following parameters were implemented:
specific energy release in fuel - 30 kW / cm3
specific heat flux from the surface of fuel rods - 10 MW / m2
coolant temperature - 3000K
the rate of change of the temperature of the coolant with increasing and decreasing power - 1000 K / s
nominal mode duration - 5 with
1974-1989 years
In the IGR reactor, tests of fuel assemblies of various types of reactors from the NRE, YAEDU and gas-dynamic installations with hydrogen, nitrogen, helium and air coolants were carried out.
1971-1993 years
Investigations of the exit from the fuel to the gaseous coolant (hydrogen, nitrogen, helium, air) in the temperature range 400 ... 2600K and deposition in the gas circuits of fission products, the sources of which were experimental fuel assemblies placed in the IGR and RA reactors, were carried out.
Comparative indicators of the results obtained at the reactor IVG-1
and by the NRE development programs in the USA
the USSR
Period of active actions on the subject 1961-1989
Spent funds, billion. $ ~ 0,3
The number of manufactured reactor installations 5
Principles of refinement and creation element by element
Fuel composition
UC-ZrC,
UC-ZrC-NbC
Core thermal density,
average / maximum, MW / l 15 / 33
Maximum reached temperature of working fluid, K 3100
Specific impulse thrust, s ~ 940
Work resource at maximum working fluid temperature, s 4000
USA
Period of active actions on the subject 1959-1972
Spent funds, billion. $ ~ 2,0
The number of manufactured reactor installations 20
Principles of refinement and creation integral
Fuel composition Solid solution
UC2 in graphite
matrix
Core thermal density,
average / maximum, MW / l 2,3 / 5,1
Maximum reached temperature of working fluid, K 2550 2200
Specific impulse thrust, s ~ 850
Work resource at maximum working fluid temperature, s 50 2400
JSC NIKIET is defined by the Chief Designer of the reactor installation.
The Federal Space Agency issued NIKIET license No.981K from 29.08.2008 for the implementation of space activities.
From the interview of Yu.G. Dragunova RIA "News". Posted by 28.08.2012
Russia is actively developing atomic energy, relying on the colossal experience and knowledge accumulated over the decades of the national atomic energy program.
One of the pioneers in creating breakthrough technologies in our country and in the world is the Scientific Research and Design Institute of Power Engineering named after N.A. Dollezhal (NIKIET), celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The specialists of the institute made an invaluable contribution to the defense capability of our country, developed projects of the first reactor for production armory isotopes, the first reactor plant for a nuclear submarine, the first power reactor for a nuclear power plant. Based on projects and with the participation of NIKIET, 27 research reactors have been created in Russia and abroad.
And today the Institute is constructing completely new reactors, working on the creation of a reactor facility for a unique megawatt-class nuclear power propulsion system for a spacecraft that has no world analogues.
RIA Novosti was told by Yuri Grigorievich Dragunov, Director-General Designer of NIKIET, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, about how the work on breakthrough areas of Russian nuclear science and technology is proceeding.
- The Institute creates a unique nuclear engine for the new Russian spacecraft. At what stage is this project now?
- All 60 years of its existence, the Institute follows the motto of the founder and first director of NIKIET Academician N.А. Dollezhal: "If you can - go ahead of the century." And confirmation of this - this project. The creation of this installation is a complex work of the SSC FSUE “Center of Keldysh”, RSC Energia, KBKhM them. A.M. Isaeva and the enterprises of the State Corporation "Rosatom". Our Institute is defined as the sole executor of the reactor installation and is defined as the coordinator of works from the Rosatom organizations. The work is really unique, there are no analogues today, so it is quite difficult. Since we are a design organization, we have certain stages, stages, and we go through them step by step. Last year we completed the development of a draft design of a reactor facility, this year we are carrying out a technical design of a reactor facility. A huge amount of testing is required, especially fuel, including studies of the behavior of fuel and structural materials under reactor conditions. The work on the technical project will be quite long, approximately around 3's, but we will prepare the first stage of the technical project, the basic documentation. Today we have identified and made a technical decision on the choice of a fuel element design option and a final technical decision on the choice of a reactor design option. And just a couple of weeks ago, they took a technical decision on the choice of the design of the core and its layout.
- And what problems are there? Is it really going so smoothly?
“Today we have quite a wide cooperation, more than three dozen organizations are participating in the development of the design of the reactor facility. All agreements on this topic have been concluded, and there is complete confidence that we will do this work on time. The work is coordinated by the project management board under my chairmanship, we review the status of work once a quarter. One problem, I can not say about it. Unfortunately, as elsewhere in all subjects, we have contracts for a period of one year. The process of conclusion is stretched out, and, taking into account the time for competitive procedures, we actually eat up time. I made a decision at NIKIET, we open a special order and start working on January 11. But the participants are much harder to attract. There is a problem, so today we have puzzled our participants to give plans before the development is completed for at least a three-year period. We are forming these proposals, and we will go to the government with the request to switch to a three-year contract for this project. Then we will clearly see the schedule and better organize and coordinate the work on the project. The solution to this problem is very important for the successful implementation of the project.
- It will be a purely Russian project, will you not attract any foreign partners for R & D?
- I think the project will be purely Russian. There is still a lot of know-how, many new solutions and, in my opinion, the project must be purely Russian.
- What will be the fuel in the space reactor facility?
- Fundamentally, at this stage of the technical project, we adopted a variant of dioxide fuel. The fuel that has operating experience in installations with thermal emission. We have made the fuel element sectional to ensure the conditions that have already been tested in existing reactors. Yes, this is a novelty, yes, this is an innovative project, but on key elements it should be worked out and should be in time in the time frame set by the presidential project.
- Are you considering the option of fuel overload in the installation?
- No, we do not consider the overload option today. This can be reusable, but we are counting on 10 years of operation, and I suppose, judging by the results of the discussion in the scientific community, with Roscosmos, that today the task of doing the installation work is not longer. Roscosmos is discussing an increase in plant capacity, but this, in general, will not be a problem if we do this project, implement it, and most importantly, test the ground prototype on the stand. After that, we can easily recycle it to great capacity.
Creation of nuclear energy and power plants for space purposes
At the Semipalatinsk test site from 1960 of the year to 1989 of the year, work was carried out to create a nuclear rocket engine.
Were created:
IGR reactor complex;
stand complex “Baikal-1” with an IVG-1 reactor and two workplaces for testing 11B91 products;
RA reactor (IRGIT).
Reactor IGR
The IGR reactor is a pulsed thermal neutron reactor with a homogeneous active zone, which is a stack of graphite blocks containing uranium assembled in the form of columns. The reactor reflector is formed from similar blocks that do not contain uranium.
The reactor has no forced core cooling. The heat released during the operation of the reactor is accumulated by masonry, and then through the walls of the reactor vessel is transferred to the water of the cooling circuit.
Reactor IGR
IVG-1 Reactor and Component Supply Systems
RA Reactor (IRGIT)
Results achieved
1962-1966 years
In the IGR reactor, the first tests of model fuel rods of NRE were carried out. The test results confirmed the possibility of creating fuel rods with solid heat exchange surfaces operating at temperatures above 3000K, specific heat fluxes up to 10 MW / m2 under conditions of powerful neutron and gamma radiation (41 start up was tested, 26 model TVS of various modifications was tested).
1971-1973 years
In the IGR reactor, dynamic tests of high-temperature NRE fuel for thermal strength were carried out, during which the following parameters were implemented:
specific energy release in fuel - 30 kW / cm3
specific heat flux from the surface of fuel rods - 10 MW / m2
coolant temperature - 3000K
the rate of change of the temperature of the coolant with increasing and decreasing power - 1000 K / s
nominal mode duration - 5 with
1974-1989 years
In the IGR reactor, tests of fuel assemblies of various types of reactors from the NRE, YAEDU and gas-dynamic installations with hydrogen, nitrogen, helium and air coolants were carried out.
1971-1993 years
Investigations of the exit from the fuel to the gaseous coolant (hydrogen, nitrogen, helium, air) in the temperature range 400 ... 2600K and deposition in the gas circuits of fission products, the sources of which were experimental fuel assemblies placed in the IGR and RA reactors, were carried out.
Comparative indicators of the results obtained at the reactor IVG-1
and by the NRE development programs in the USA
the USSR
Period of active actions on the subject 1961-1989
Spent funds, billion. $ ~ 0,3
The number of manufactured reactor installations 5
Principles of refinement and creation element by element
Fuel composition
UC-ZrC,
UC-ZrC-NbC
Core thermal density,
average / maximum, MW / l 15 / 33
Maximum reached temperature of working fluid, K 3100
Specific impulse thrust, s ~ 940
Work resource at maximum working fluid temperature, s 4000
USA
Period of active actions on the subject 1959-1972
Spent funds, billion. $ ~ 2,0
The number of manufactured reactor installations 20
Principles of refinement and creation integral
Fuel composition Solid solution
UC2 in graphite
matrix
Core thermal density,
average / maximum, MW / l 2,3 / 5,1
Maximum reached temperature of working fluid, K 2550 2200
Specific impulse thrust, s ~ 850
Work resource at maximum working fluid temperature, s 50 2400
Information