Russia’s Chepetsk Mechanical Plant (ChMZ – Chepetskii Mekhanicheskii Zavod) in Glazov (Udmurt Republic) have manufactures unique seamless cold-formed pipes made of hexagonal steel. The products are intended for the Novosibirsk Chemical Concentrates Plant (NZKhK – Novosibirskovo Zavoda KhimKontsentratov) where the pipes will be used for the production of core simulation and core of the BREST-OD-300 reactor (as components of reflector, protection and reflector units with a passive feedback device).
The BREST-OD-300 reactor, being built at Russia’s Siberian Chemical Combine (SKhK – Sibirskovo Khimicheskovo Kombinata) in Seversk (Tomsk region) is a lead-cooled fast reactor. It is part of the pilot demonstration power complex (ODEK – Opitno Demonstratsionovo Energo-Kompleksa), which is being developed under the Breakthrough (Proryv) project intended to demonstrate closed fuel cycle technology. ODEK also includes facilities for fuel fabrication and fuel recycling.
The hexagonal pipes are manufactured at the ChMZ from ferritic-martensitic grade steel. This alloy can withstand a high operating temperature of 600 ℃ and has high operational and plastic properties, which provides a margin of safety and efficiency. The technology to produce these hexagonal pipes is unique in Russia. The method for profiling from a round billet into a hexagonal pipe was developed by the plant’s specialists unlike the usual practice of producing hexagonal pipes by rolling.
ChMZ confirmed the technology’s compliance with the requirements of technical specifications and regulatory documentation. An experimental batch of pipes of the first standard size has passed acceptance tests. In total, the enterprise plans to produce at least six standard sizes of hexagonal and round pipes for the Proryv project to ensure the manufacture of the simulation and core areas of the BREST-OD-300 reactor unit. After the pilot batch of pipes passes technological tests at NZKhK, components for protection units and reflector units will be manufactured in Novosibirsk, which will then be sent to Seversk.
“The Chepetsk Mechanical Plant is involved in an historic event in the global nuclear energy industry,” said Sergey Chineikin, General Director of ChMZ. “Today we have started manufacturing components for the power grid of the future. And this is just the beginning of a long journey. There are almost two decades of supplies of unique products for the latest reactor installations ahead, as the Chepetsk Mechanical Plant is also planning to manufacture round and hexagonal pipes for the BR-1200 and BN-1200M reactors at the newly established pipe production site for the Proryv project.”
The new pipe production unit was established at ChMZ on the site of the previously mothballed zirconium iodide production building. The building was reconstructed, and the old equipment and internal structures were completely dismantled. New engineering communications were installed, building structures were reinforced, and interior finishing works were carried out in accordance with modern requirements for production facilities. The total area of the new site is more than 6,000 square metres. Basic operations will be performed there including machining workpieces on lathes, hexagonal profiling and ultrasonic and instrumental inspection of finished products.
Modern solutions were used to save resources and protect the environment. The site is equipped with a waterjet cleaning unit. Unlike chemical treatment of pipes, this method improves product quality, reduces corrosion and minimises the volume of by-products during processing. The cleaning system operates in a closed mode and allows the abrasive to be used with water for multiple cycles.
