Russian State Nuclear Energy Corporation Rosatom reported that the reactor vessel of MBIR, a multipurpose fourth-generation fast neutron research reactor, has been placed in its design position. The MBIR is built as part of a project called RTTN, which aims to develop nuclear science and technology.
Rosatom Science and Innovation carried out the installation of the reactor vessel at the RIAR construction site in the city of Dimitrovgrad in the Ulyanovsk region of Russia. The construction of the reactor at the RIAR site will expand the science and production capabilities of both Rosatom and the nuclear industry over the next 50 years.
Yuri Olenin, Rosatom Deputy Director General for Science and Strategy, stated that placing the reactor vessel in the design position was an important result of the work of a large team of scientists, engineers, designers and builders:
“Placing the reactor in its design location represents a major milestone in the MBIR reactor construction project. This step brings us closer to the installation of reactor equipment and the completion of ongoing construction. Reactor vessel placement is an advanced two-component nuclear power engineering technology study that will advance our efforts to shut down the fuel cycle. It means that we will have research infrastructure in less time. This step will speed up implementing safe fourth generation nuclear power plants and will encourage research for the next 50 years. Rosatom’s MBIR research reactor is offering a full range of research, complemented with the PIK reactor of the Kurchatov Institute.”
MBIR will become the most powerful research reactor in the world upon commissioning and will replace the BOR-60 reactor at the RIAR site.
The MBIR reactor vessel has a length of 12 meters, a diameter of 4 meters, and a weight of over 83 tons. Rosatom’s Atommash plant manufactured the equipment in Volgodonsk, Rostov Region.
Approximately 1400 people, including engineers and technical personnel, and over 80 machines, operate at the construction site.
