Welding of the main circulation pipeline (GTsT) has begun at unit 3 of the Kudankulam NPP under construction in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, according to general contractor, Russia’s Atomstroyexport (ASE). This followed installation of the reactor vessel and the closure of the containment dome. GTsT welding is a complex technological operation involving 16 pipe blocks and including several stages: preparation, welding, heat treatment, non-destructive testing, and austenitic surfacing performed by highly qualified personnel. The total length of the GTsT is about 140 metres, the wall thickness of the pipes is 70mm, and the total length of 28 welded joints is more than 87 metres.
Andrei Lebedev, ASE vice president for projects in India, said using the best practices developed by Russian companies will help reduce the welding time of GTsT from the planned 255 days to 120-150 days, while ensuring quality and safety requirements are met. “The timely completion of the GTsT welding in conjunction with installation of heat-mechanical equipment will determines the start of operations on the open reactor and hydraulic testing and flushing of the first circuit,” he explained.
Image courtesy of ASE
