A unique transport and technological equipment has been installed at the construction site of the multipurpose fast research reactor (MBIR) in Dimitrovgrad — a mechanism for reloading and steam-water washing nests of spent fuel assemblies (SFA). This complex electromechanical device, over 10 meters long and weighing 3.3 tons, will become an integral part of the reactor's technological cycle.
According to the project's press service, the mechanism ensures the performance of a number of critical operations: gas sampling to check the tightness of fuel element claddings, rotation of the SFA to a specified angle, and monitoring of the force during their extraction. All these functions are necessary for the safe and efficient operation of the reactor at all stages of its work.
It is noted that the equipment is fully developed and manufactured at Russian enterprises. Its installation is scheduled to be completed this year as part of the overall MBIR construction schedule.