Rosatom has manufactured the set of the bends for the reactor coolant pipeline (RCP) for Unit No.3 of Xudapu NPP (China).
A total number of 12 RCP bends were produced, the weight of one item is 7 tons, and the outer diameter is 995 mm., The manufacturing process was carried out in three stages. The first stage is ovalization – when the “cold” blanks are being pressed into the required shape. The second stage is pressure shaping, when the parts spend about 2 hours in the furnace at 870 degrees, and then for about an hour at 1080 degrees. Further, the items are bent by the special pressing machine by 90 degrees with a force of 6300 tons. In the third stage, the specialists must complete the hardening of the finished bends: for this purpose, the hot items are transported to the caisson filled with water.
Reactor coolant pipelines (RCP) are designed to connect the main equipment of the NPP first circuit: a reactor, steam generators, and reactor coolant pumps. Water with a temperature of 320 °C and a pressure of up to 17.6 MPa serves as a coolant. The pipelines belong to the first seismic category and can withstand an earthquake of magnitude 9.0. The total length of the pipeline is over 160 meters.
For Units No. 3 and No. 4 of Xudapu NPP, Rosatom will manufacture two reactor pressure vessels with internals, a top head and an upper unit, and two sets of steam generators.
Xudapu NPP is located in Liaoning Province, China. Units No. 3 and No. 4 belong to the NPP-2006 project and comply with modern IAEA safety requirements. The commissioning of the Units is scheduled for 2027 and 2028 respectively.