Baltic Shipyard (part of USC) continues the construction of the nuclear icebreaker "Chukotka" of Project 22220. The nuclear-powered vessel, one of the largest and most powerful icebreaking vessels in the world, has received its "heart" - the "RITM-200" reactor plant.
On February 12, 2024, the shipbuilders completed the complex technological process of loading and installing the steam-generating unit of the starboard side of the RITM-200 reactor with a thermal capacity of 175 MW each on the "Chukotka" nuclear-powered icebreaker. The weight of one unit is 147.5 tons, the height is 7.3 meters, the diameter is 3.3 m. Both RITM-200 units are installed in their regular places.
The "RITM-200" will serve for forty years, this service life is also incorporated into other parts of the icebreaker. For example, in the modernized intermediate separators of centrifugal type for the main turbogenerator, specially developed for both "Chukotka" and another nuclear-powered vessel, "Yakutia".
Characteristics of "RITM-200"
"RITM-200" is a Russian reactor plant with a capacity of 175 MW. The weight of the reactor is 147.5 tons, the height is 7.3 meters, the diameter is 3.3 meters, it is more compact and lighter than its predecessors.
The reactor operates on the Russian nuclear icebreaker fleet - the only one in the world, it is installed on nuclear icebreakers of Project 22220. These include the icebreakers "Arktika", "Sibir", "Ural", plus "Chukotka" and "Yakutia", which are only being built.
When installed, "RITM-200" is placed in individual protective shells made of steel, water and concrete, completely separated physically and spatially.
The reactor houses a cassette-type core containing 199 fuel assemblies with cermet fuel made of uranium-235 enriched up to 20%. A chromium-nickel alloy is used as the cladding material for the fuel elements. The service life of the reactor core is 7 years.
