Installation of Two Large Heat Exchange Units Completed at Russia's 300 MW Lead-Cooled Fast Reactor

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 7, Rosatom announced progress in the construction of the BREST-OD-300 lead-cooled fast neutron reactor in Seversk, Tomsk Oblast, with two large moisture separator reheaters installed in their design positions within the turbine hall. Each unit is 16 meters tall and weighs 95 tonnes, and is a large heat exchange unit supporting the turbine generator set. The nuclear power unit has an electrical power of 300 MW and is under construction at the Siberian Chemical Combine site, as part of the Generation IV experimental demonstration energy complex under Russia's "Proryv" (Breakthrough) project.

The two moisture separator reheaters installed this time are responsible for moisture separation and reheating of the steam entering the low-pressure cylinder of the turbine, in order to reduce droplet erosion of the blades. Both units have been positioned in their design locations, while installation of the turbine proper still awaits completion of its dedicated foundation works. The project developer plans to complete the foundation construction for the turbine generator set by the end of 2026 and begin installing the turbine.

The foundation works for the turbine and generator entered the concrete pouring preparation stage in May 2026. The foundation adopts a vibration isolation design, and the supporting turbine generator equipment has a total weight of more than 1,700 tonnes. Settlement monitoring markers were installed during construction, and after concrete pouring the foundation requires several months of curing to reach the strength required for equipment installation. The 300 MW turbine and generator arrived at the Siberian Chemical Combine construction site at the end of 2025.

Some key construction of the main structure of the turbine hall had previously been completed. In October 2025, the last roof truss of the hall was hoisted into place; the truss weighs 52 tonnes and has a span of 42 meters. The double-girder overhead crane, whose installation began in May 2025, has a rated lifting capacity of 280 tonnes and is arranged at a height of 29.6 meters, and is designed for the installation and maintenance of heavy equipment such as the turbine, generator, and large heat exchange units.

In the reactor building of the same energy complex, installation of the metal shell of the central cavity and the shells of four peripheral cavities has been completed. In 2026, installation of the pipelines connecting the central cavity with the peripheral cavities was completed, forming the primary circuit for the lead coolant. In September, the first stage of concrete pouring was completed for the inner cavity of the reactor vessel, and subsequent heat-resistant concrete pouring is planned to continue until the winter of 2027, with a total pouring volume of more than 7,000 cubic meters.