Installation of reactor plant equipment using the “open top” technique was completed at Power Unit No. 3 of the Kudankulam NPP (Republic of India, the NPP’s General Designer and General Contractor is ROSATOM’s Engineering Division).
The “open top” is a technique for installing equipment when the dome is open. It is used by Indian partners on the proposal of the Russian Party with appropriate design documents provided. The first time to apply the method at the Kudankulam NPP was when the reactor vessel of Power Unit No. 3 was placed in the design position. Up till now, steam generators, reactor coolant pumps, main coolant pipelines, and the pressurizer have been installed in this manner.
“This technique aims at reducing the risks of equipment installation and shortening the time to do this. As evidenced by preliminary analysis, the open method results in 5-7 months of time saved. Equipment is supplied directly through the open top of the cylindrical part of the reactor building thus allowing you to reduce the number of operations performed. The current level of technology development ensures that activities are performed in alignment with all regulatory requirements,” noted Andrey Lebedev, Vice President of Projects in India and Prospective Projects at ASE JSC.
In parallel with the installation of reactor plant equipment by an “open top” method, installation works for heat engineering and electrical equipment are performed with focused and targeted effort.