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Completion of Fabrication and Assembly of the Internals and Pressure
Vessel of the LABGENE Reactor.
Leonam dos Santos
Guimarães (*)
leonam@eletronuclear.gov.br
The Navy’s Technological Center in São Paulo (CTMSP) has successfully
concluded in 2005 the final assembly of the pressure vessel and the
internals of the Laboratory of Energy Generation’s Reactor (LABGENE). This
structure together with the fuel elements and the control rods drive
mechanisms are part of a PWR type Nuclear Reactor
Nuclear-Electric
Generation Laboratory - LABGENE
The
Brazilian Navy is constructing in the ARAMAR Experimental Center, located
120 km away from São Paulo, a prototype nuclear installation for
generating electricity based on a pressurized water reactor (PWR) of low
power.
This
facility aims at obtaining the national technological capacity that will
permit to develop in the country, in the
next decades, nuclear plants of low and
medium power and an installation for naval propulsion that satisfy the
national defense strategic needs.
The
Nucleoelectric Laboratory (LABGENE) was designed with the purpose of
validating new concepts and devices that will improve the performance and
safety of the nucleoelectric generation and will be a powerful tool for
R&D activities relating to fuels and systems that will give support to the
development of commercial and naval applications.
An
extensive experimental program was carried out for validating the
neutronic parameters of the reactor core project. This program is being
implemented in a critical unit specially built for this purpose that
started its operation in 1988. This small research reactor, denominated
IPEN/MB-01, was entirely designed by Brazilians and was a remarkable feat
of the national engineering at the time.
Reactor and
Turbines Building
Reactor vessel with thermal isolation
The main
components of the primary circuit, namely the reactor vessel (see figure
above) and its internals, pressurizer, cooling pump, steam generators and
associated ancillary equipment have been concluded. The reactor vessel and
its internals have recently been successfully assembled in order to verify
adjustments and tolerance.
The main
cooling pumps will be subject to performance tests in an experimental
device specially designed for this purpose. This device is connected to
the Experimental Thermo-hydraulic Circuit with 150 atmospheres (CTE-150),
originally designed and previously used for validating the parameters
adopted by the project regarding the primary and secondary circuits of the
installation. The project’s parameters and operational performance
measurements of the control rods drives mechanisms were also validated in
a testing bench specially built for this purpose. Other experimental
testing benches were used for validating the hydro-dynamic parameters and
the steam driers. Mock-ups of the reactor and of the equipment for fuel
exchange in natural scale were also constructed for validating the
corresponding operational procedures. These experimental testing benches
and circuits constitute the multi-purpose thermodynamic laboratory (LABTERMO).
The main
components of the secondary circuit are also concluded, including four
turbo-generators, two main condensers that constitute a single unit, four
condensate extraction pumps and four water feeding pumps. The
turbo-generators are being tested regarding performance according to
military rules (MIL-STD) in another laboratory, namely the Laboratory for
Testing Propulsion Equipment (LATEP), specially built for that purpose.
Software
that simulates the dynamic behavior of the complete installation,
including navigation effects, will be in operation at the end of 2005.
This simulator will permit the verification of the measurements concerning
the integrated performance of the installation (primary and secondary
circuits and electric system) and the development of technical
specifications and procedures necessary for a safe operation.
The civil
works at the site have been interrupted. The foundations of the Reactor
Building and the Turbine Building (see photos above) are concluded. The
contracts for continuing these works and for the fabrication and
construction of the Nuclear Containment are ready to be signed and they
are solely awaiting the availability of financial resources.
From 1980
until the end of 2004 about US$ 318 million have been invested in LABGENE
relative to research, development, acquisition and construction and that
corresponds to about 65% of its total value.
It is
estimated that US 170 million will be necessary to conclude the LABGENE.
Depending on the effective chronogram of allocated resources in the next
years, the first reactor criticality could technically be reached in 2010.
The
Conclusion of the Fabrication and Assembly of the Internals and the
Pressure Vessel of the LABGENE Reactor
The CTMSP
has successfully concluded on July 27 the final assembly of the Internals
and Pressure Vessel of the LABGENE Reactor.
Pressure Vessel and Internals of the LABGENE Reactor.
The
successful conclusion of the design, fabrication and assembly of this
structure that together with the fuel elements and the control rods drives
mechanisms will constitute a complete PWR type Nuclear Reactor, is a
unique event in the Southern Hemisphere and it should be a source of great
pride for the Brazilian Navy as well as for all Brazilians who believe in
the competence of the country regarding the indigenous development of
complex technologies.
 LABGENE
is an undertaking that is being developed under the responsibility of the
Brazilian Navy and aims at developing the Brazilian capacity regarding
nuclear electric generation which will make it possible to build small
nuclear power plants and nuclear naval propulsion systems.
The
conclusion of this structure highlights the CTMSP engineering capacity and
that of Brazil regarding the design development and practical experience
acquired in the fabrication of equipment and this will generate know-how
that is unique, innovative and valuable.
Complete LABGENE Reactor.
From now on
the equipment will be stored in their containers and will be kept in an
inert atmosphere until the final assembly in the Reactor Building.
The
development of science and technology, for which creativity and innovation
must necessarily be present, is based on three fundamental premises: the
first one is the human brain and the incentive to its potentiality; the
second one is to congregate people and institutions around objectives,
aims and targets that generate some strategic or social benefits; the
third one refers to the national efforts, supplying adequate resources to
the science and technology area.
This
noteworthy milestone, a result of the fortunate combination of these three
premises undoubtedly demonstrates its power. One must persist in keeping
these premises.
Fabrication of the Reactor Pressure Vessel
Fabrication of the Reactor Pressure Vessel Lid
Assembly of the Reactor Internals Barrel
Reactor’s Internals Core
(*) Leonam
dos Santos Guimarães is presently Assistant Manager of the
Director-President of Eletronuclear and was Coordinator of the Nuclear
Propulsion Program of the CTMSP |
No
53 Em
Português
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