Nuclear News Weekly Roundup – 11/27 - 12/01

Key Installation Milestones Reached for China’s HPR1000 Builds

On November 28th, the steam generator of Fuqing Unit 5, the world’s first HPR1000, was lowered into the equipment room. After being maneuvered through the 16.5m2 gantry platform on November 10th, it was unpacked and equipped with lifting components. It was fully lifted and ready to be installed after 18 days of preparation. As a primary equipment of the NI, the steam generator having completed the preparation work for installation is a significant developmental marker of the project. It also paves the way for subsequent work, like welding of the primary pipes.

For China’s international HPR1000 build in Pakistan, a welding machine officially went to work at Karachi Unit 2’s NI plant hall on November 23rd local time. It took 53 minutes and 56 seconds to finish the backing weld, marking the beginning of the primary pipe welding of China’s first HPR1000 export, at Karachi. The K-2 project is built by China Nuclear Industry Fifth Construction Co., Ltd, a subsidiary of CNNC. K-2 is also the first among all the HPR1000 projects under construction around the globe to start primary pipe welding.

China’s First Nuclear Generator Renovation Design Passed Assessment Inspection

Shanghai Electric has recently organized an assessment and inspection conference for the renovation design of the No.1 generator at Qinshan Unit 1. The expert panel comments that “the renovation design and update plan will realize the purpose of capacity increase and life extension. The renovated generator will perform well, have a reliable structure, and allow for convenient operation and maintenance. The design surpasses requirements and standards in both domestic and international markets.” Qinshan NPP is the first nuclear plant in China that was indigenously designed, developed, constructed, and operated. The main generator is a 310MW double inner water-cooled turbo-generator produced by Shanghai Electric Machine Corporation, which was originally designed for 30 years’ usage. It has been operated smoothly and steadily for over 25 years since the NPP was connected to the grid on December 15th, 1991.

First Marine Nuclear Power Platform Will Start Construction Soon

The 2017 Annual Conference of Hubei Province’s Shipping and Marine Engineering Equipment Academician Work Center was held in Wuhan on November 26th. It was announced during the meeting that the marine nuclear power platform, a part of the shipping and marine engineering equipment major project within Hubei Province’s “Thirteenth Five-year Plan,” is about to start construction following the imminent completion of its design work. The first platform is expected to begin operations prior to 2020. A marine nuclear power platform is a small NPP on the sea, which could either be floating or submersible. It will power off-shore oil-drilling platforms as well as facilities on islands and reefs, and become an important part of China’s territorial water infrastructure.

Test of First DN450 Explosion Valve for CAP1400 A Success

The DN450 explosion valve, which will be used in the CAP1400 demonstration unit, passed the hot opening testing on November 22nd. It marks the CAP explosion valve series has passed inspection, and signifies that the indigenous development and manufacture work was successful. The explosion valve testing was run at SPIC’s Central Research Institute. The prototype was jointly developed and manufactured by Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute, Dalian DV Valve Corporation, and Haitian Group in Sichuan.

CNNC Released “Yanlong,” a Self-developed Low Temperature Heating Reactor

Concluding on November 28th, a pool-style light-water reactor – part of the demonstration heating reactor project – was safely operated for 168 hours, and successfully provided heating for the China Institute of Atomic Energy complex, comprising a total area of about 10000 m2. CNNC released Yanlong, the self-developed pool-style low temperature heating reactor, in Beijing on the same day. Yanlong also has the codename of “DHR-400” because it is a 400MW district heating reactor. According to CNNC, a 400MW Yanlong reactor is able to heat up an area of 20 million square meters, an equivalent of two hundred thousand 3-bedroom apartments.

University of Chinese Academy of Sciences Establishes New School of Nuclear Science &Technology

Approved by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (UCAS) is establishing a new School of Nuclear Science and Technology for both teaching and research purposes. The school building is led by a joint force of CAS’ Institute of Modern Physics (Lanzhou), Institute of High Energy Physics (Beijing), Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, and Institute of Theoretical Physics (Beijing). The unveiling ceremony of the new school was held at UCAS on November 29th in Beijing.