The fifth 1,000 MW nuclear power plant, which is being built by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL) at Tamil Nadu’s Kudankulam, has now been installed with “core catcher” – a critical safety part of a nuclear reactor.
The core catcher ensures the safety of beyond-design-basis accidents. Installed on supports under the reactor vessel, the core catcher is made as a globe-bottom container that weighs more than 156 metric tons.
Apart from a casing, the main core melt localisation device (CMLD) components include: cartridge units filled with special non-metallic materials, maintenance platform, cantilever truss, and a bottom plate.
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“It brought us an exceptional pleasure when, during expert discussions currently taking place at the construction site, the Indian party invited all participants to come to a large window and to observe the catcher being raised before the installation,” said Mikhail Novikov, Director of Indian Projects, Atomstroyexport JSC.
During the preparations for the device installation, a significant scope of work was completed, including the placement of a second concrete layer and sealing liners in the melt localisation pit. The core catcher for Unit 5 was delivered to the NPCIL at Kudankulam in January.
Why core catcher is necessary
The core melt localisation device is aimed at preventing radioactive substances from entering the environment in case of an accident that could damage a reactor vessel.
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The core catcher can contain liquid and solid fragments of the core and structural materials of the reactor for an indefinitely long time to keep a nuclear power plant safe.
India’s atomic power plant operator NPCIL has two 1,000 MW plants (Units 1 and 2) at Kudankulam, while four more (Units 3, 4, 5 and 6) are under construction. All the six units are built with Russian technology and equipment supplied by Rosatom.
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