Specialists from the training centre at Russia’s Kursk-II NPP have assembled an analytical simulator to prepare and maintain the qualifications of operational personnel who will work at the plant.
The analytical simulator includes exact copies of the unit and back-up control panels at unit 1. The facility is able to simulate processes taking place in the reactor and will enable nuclear scientists to work out solutions for different events. The simulator was delivered by JSC ITC JET.
“It is a powerful engineering tool for checking design solutions at new power units, testing control algorithms, selecting settings for automatic regulators and optimising operational and emergency instructions,” said Andrei Osharin, First Deputy Director for the Construction of New Units at Kursk NPP. The simulator is currently housed in existing building on the Kursk site and will be moved to the training centre when it is completed
“We plan to start training personnel in the second quarter of 2024 after the finalisation of the mathematical model of the simulator, which should correspond to the prototype power unit, verification acceptance tests,” said training centre head Yevgeny Sukhonosenko.
Russia’s TITAN-2 (part of Rosatom) began construction of the training in March. The centre is designed to cater for 200 employees of the new power units. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
Kursk II is intended as a replacement station for the currently operating Kursk NPP, which comprises four ageing RBMK reactors (one of which is already closed). Units 1&2, currently under construction, are being built according to the VVER-TOI project (standard optimised informatised pressurised water power reactor), which is a development of the VVER-1200 reactor design. Public discussions began in February on the siting of units 3&4.
Image: The analytical simulator at Kursk-II (courtesy of Kursk NPP)
