Let's start with the very name of the ship: as you can see in the photo, it is not translated into English, but transliterated. This is the practice of international shipping.

The nuclear-powered icebreaker "50 Years of Victory" (formerly "Ural") is the largest in the world. Its construction was carried out at the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad (now St. years was frozen and resumed only in 2003. After that, on February 1, 2007, the icebreaker first entered the Gulf of Finland for sea trials, and on March 23 of the same year the flag was raised on it. Finally, on April 11, 2007, the ship arrived at the permanent home port of Murmansk.

Main characteristics and data:

Tonnage: 22.33 / 25.84 thousand tons
Length: 159.6 m
Width: 30 m
Height: 17.2 m (board height)
Average draft: 11 m
Power plant: 2 nuclear reactors
Propellers: 3 fixed pitch propellers with 4 removable blades
Power: 75,000 hp with.
Speed: max. 21.4 knots
Endurance: 7.5 months (by provision)
Crew: 138 people. After a series of cuts, reduced to 106 people

Any mechanism begins with control, while the control of the vessel, in particular the propeller and steering mechanisms, is carried out from the bridge:

Operating the steering wheel on the bridge, the helmsman sets in motion the hydraulic steering system located at the other end of the vessel. The photo shows a shaft that turns the steering wheel in accordance with the turn of the steering wheel:

As already indicated in the main characteristics, the power plant, that is, the heart of the icebreaker, is a power plant consisting of two nuclear reactors. There were two places on the ship where filming was prohibited: this was the observation point for the reactors themselves and the central control point.

If we briefly outline the principle of obtaining energy using reactors, then it will look like in the following way: in the process of fission of uranium 235, steam is formed under a pressure of about 30 cubic meters per square centimeter, with the help of an electric generator it is converted into electricity and fed to electric motors that rotate the screws.

Electric generators supplying current to electric motors:

To navigate the entire icebreaker system, even a standard sailor needs at least 3 years of training, so the crew is staffed by graduates of specialized universities, such as the State Maritime Academy. Admiral S.O. Makarov.

In this room there are electric motors that, with the help of current, drive the axles connected to the propellers:

Two electric motors of the side propellers are located in the same room, the electric motor that rotates the central propeller is located in the next one. In the photo: the electric motor of one of the side propellers.

And this is an adjacent electrical installation:

Everywhere on the icebreaker there are reminders of what to do and what not to do:

Radio room:

The rules of decency are strictly observed:

One charge of uranium fuel is enough for 5-6 years of continuous operation, i.e. all this time the ship can actually be at sea without returning to port ... if it were not for the need for provisions: one load of food is enough for 7 months of sailing - in any case, a solid period. But what about water?
To provide fresh water for the needs of the crew and equipment, sea water desalination plants are installed on the ship, capable of delivering 120 tons of fresh water per day. The salt residue released from this water is suitable for food products, but is dumped overboard as unnecessary.

It is worth noting that moving through the insides of an icebreaker is a kind of physical exercise, because. it is associated with constant descents and ascents along steep and narrow stairs:

If the propulsion equipment of the icebreaker is completely Russian-made, then the navigational equipment is all Japanese:

I decided to leave my acquaintance with the onboard life of the team at the end of the expedition, which I eventually had to regret very much, because it was at the end of the journey that we got into a severe storm that lasted more than two days. Of course, in such conditions it was not up to shooting. All I have left on this topic is a photo of the crew canteen:

This is what the interiors look like in the superstructure of the ship. Pictured: the main staircase.

This is a cafeteria where you can play darts or kicker, watch a DVD or listen to music, read a book or magazine, play some board game or just sit with a cup of coffee or tea:

Literature in the cafeteria is presented in different languages: English, Russian, German and Japanese. The situation is the same with the DVD, only instead of Japanese, Chinese prevails there.

Next to the cafeteria there is a bar where you can sit on the sofa with a glass of something, admiring the views of the sea through the window glass:

In the stern of the icebreaker there is a multifunctional hall where solemn events, concerts, lectures and presentations are held:

In addition, from the bow of the vessel to its central part, an additional 7 mm thick stainless steel protection is also installed over the icebreaking belt, which helps to reduce friction between the hull and ice.

The icebreaker is also equipped with a special turbocharger, which is connected to a pipe system. Air is supplied through it at low pressure, which exits through a system of holes in the bow of the vessel. Due to this, an additional reduction in friction between the hull and ice is achieved. When the compressor is running, the water at the bow of the icebreaker looks like it is boiling.

Since the icebreaker is a nuclear facility, it needs heavy-duty protection, with which it is adequately provided. If a similar vessel crashes into the side of the icebreaker's nuclear reactor compartment at full speed, the reactor will not be damaged and will be able to continue working. Similarly, with the upper part of the reactor compartment: the fall of the aircraft will not cause damage to the nuclear installation and will not cause interruptions in operation. But it is not known what consequences the missile strike will cause, because the vessel is for peaceful purposes, and such tests have not been carried out.

As for laying the fairway in the ice, the ship does not cut the ice at all, as it may seem, but it splits it, pressing on it with its bow. Therefore, when moving through a dense ice cover, a loud sound is heard from the blows of the bow on the ice floes, and the ship's hull trembles violently.

On this, my story about the device of the icebreaker came to an end. ahead are stories about the Arctic, the North Pole and Franz Josef Land.

To be continued!

Nuclear-powered icebreakers can stay on the Northern Sea Route for a long time without needing refueling. At present, the operating fleet includes the nuclear-powered ships Rossiya, Sovetsky Soyuz, Yamal, 50 Let Pobedy, Taimyr and Vaigach, as well as the nuclear-powered container carrier Sevmorput. They are operated and maintained by Rosatomflot, located in Murmansk.

1. Nuclear-powered icebreaker - a seagoing vessel with a nuclear power plant, built specifically for use in waters covered with ice all year round. Nuclear icebreakers are much more powerful than diesel ones. In the USSR, they were developed to ensure navigation in the cold waters of the Arctic.

2. For the period 1959–1991 in the Soviet Union, 8 nuclear-powered icebreakers and 1 nuclear-powered lighter carrier - container ship were built.
In Russia, from 1991 to the present, two more nuclear-powered icebreakers have been built: Yamal (1993) and 50 Years of Victory (2007). Three more nuclear-powered icebreakers with a displacement of more than 33,000 tons are under construction, and the icebreaking capacity is almost three meters. The first one will be ready by 2017.

3. In total, more than 1,100 people work on Russian nuclear icebreakers, as well as ships based on the Atomflot nuclear fleet.

Sovetsky Soyuz (nuclear icebreaker of the Arktika class)

4. Icebreakers of the Arktika class are the basis of the Russian nuclear icebreaker fleet: 6 out of 10 nuclear icebreakers belong to this class. Vessels have double hulls, can break ice, moving both forward and backward. These ships are designed to operate in cold Arctic waters, which makes it difficult to operate a nuclear facility in warm seas. This is partly why crossing the tropics to work off the coast of Antarctica is not among their tasks.

Icebreaker displacement - 21,120 tons, draft - 11.0 m, maximum speed running on clean water - 20.8 knots.

5. The design feature of the icebreaker "Soviet Union" is that at any time it can be retrofitted into a battle cruiser. Initially, the ship was used for Arctic tourism. Making a transpolar cruise, it was possible to install meteorological ice stations operating in automatic mode, as well as an American meteorological buoy.

6. Branch of GTG (main turbogenerators). A nuclear reactor heats water, which turns into steam, which spins turbines, which energize generators, which generate electricity, which goes to electric motors that turn propellers.

7. CPU (Central control post).

8. Icebreaker control is concentrated in two main command posts: the wheelhouse and the central power plant control post (CPU). From the wheelhouse, the general management of the operation of the icebreaker is carried out, and from the central control room - the operation of the power plant, mechanisms and systems and control over their work.

9. The reliability of nuclear powered ships of the Arktika class has been tested and proven by time - for more than 30 years of nuclear powered ships of this class there has not been a single accident associated with a nuclear power plant.

10. Cabin for feeding officers. The dining room for the ratings is located on the deck below. The diet consists of a full four meals a day.

11. "Soviet Union" was put into operation in 1989, with an established service life of 25 years. In 2008, the Baltic Shipyard supplied equipment for the icebreaker, which makes it possible to extend the life of the vessel. Currently, the icebreaker is planned for restoration, but only after a specific customer is identified or until transit along the Northern Sea Route is increased and new work areas appear.

Nuclear icebreaker "Arktika"

12. Launched in 1975 and was considered the largest of all existing at that time: its width was 30 meters, length - 148 meters, and side height - more than 17 meters. All conditions were created on the ship, allowing the flight crew and the helicopter to be based. "Arktika" was able to break through the ice, the thickness of which was five meters, and also move at a speed of 18 knots. The unusual color of the vessel (bright red) was also considered a clear difference, which personified a new nautical era.

13. The nuclear icebreaker Arktika became famous for being the first ship to reach the North Pole. Currently decommissioned and pending decision on its disposal.

"Vaigach"

14. Shallow-draft nuclear icebreaker of the Taimyr project. A distinctive feature of this icebreaker project is its reduced draft, which makes it possible to serve ships following the Northern Sea Route with calls at the mouths of Siberian rivers.

15. Captain's bridge. remotes remote control three propeller electric motors, also located on the control panel are control devices for the towing device, a control panel for the surveillance camera for the tug, log indicators, echo sounders, a gyrocompass repeater, VHF radio stations, a control panel for wiper blades and other joystick controls for a 6 kW xenon spotlight.

16. Machine telegraphs.

17. The main use of Vaigach is to escort ships with metal from Norilsk and ships with timber and ore from Igarka to Dixon.

18. The main power plant of the icebreaker consists of two turbogenerators, which will provide a maximum continuous power of about 50,000 liters on the shafts. with., which will force the ice up to two meters thick. With an ice thickness of 1.77 meters, the speed of the icebreaker is 2 knots.

19. The room of the middle propeller shaft.

20. The direction of movement of the icebreaker is controlled by an electro-hydraulic steering machine.

21. Former cinema hall. Now on the icebreaker in each cabin there is a TV with wiring for broadcasting the ship's video channel and satellite TV. And the cinema hall is used for ship-wide meetings and cultural events.

22. Study of the block cabin of the second chief mate. The duration of the stay of nuclear-powered ships at sea depends on the number of planned works, on average it is 2-3 months. The crew of the icebreaker "Vaigach" consists of 100 people.

Nuclear icebreaker "Taimyr"

24. The icebreaker is identical to the Vaigach. It was built in the late 1980s in Finland at the Wärtsilä shipyard (Wärtsilä Marine Engineering) in Helsinki by order Soviet Union. However, the equipment (power plant, etc.) on the ship was installed in the Soviet Union, Soviet-made steel was used. The installation of nuclear equipment was carried out in Leningrad, where the icebreaker's hull was towed in 1988.

25. "Taimyr" in the dock of the shipyard.

26. "Taimyr" breaks the ice in a classic way: a powerful hull leans on an obstacle from frozen water, destroying it own weight. Behind the icebreaker, a channel is formed through which ordinary sea vessels can move.

27. To improve the ice-breaking ability, the Taimyr is equipped with a pneumatic washing system that prevents the hull from sticking to broken ice and snow. If the laying of the channel is hampered by thick ice, trim and roll systems, which consist of tanks and pumps, come into play. Thanks to these systems, the icebreaker can roll on one side, then on the other, raise the bow or stern higher. From such hull movements, the ice field surrounding the icebreaker is crushed, allowing you to move on.

28. For painting external structures, decks and bulkheads, imported two-component acrylic-based enamels of increased weather resistance, abrasion and impact resistance are used. The paint is applied in three layers: one layer of primer and two layers of enamel.

29. The speed of such an icebreaker is 18.5 knots (33.3 km / h).

30. Repair of the propeller-steering complex.

31. Installation of the blade.

32. Bolts securing the blade to the propeller hub, each of the four blades is attached with nine bolts.

33. Almost all vessels of the Russian icebreaker fleet are equipped with propellers manufactured at the Zvyozdochka plant.

Nuclear icebreaker "Lenin"

34. This icebreaker, launched on December 5, 1957, was the first ship in the world to be equipped with a nuclear power plant. Its main differences were high level autonomy and power. During the first six years of operation, the nuclear-powered icebreaker covered more than 82,000 nautical miles, navigating over 400 vessels. Later, "Lenin" will be the first of all ships to be north of Severnaya Zemlya.

35. The icebreaker "Lenin" worked for 31 years and in 1990 was decommissioned and put into eternal parking in Murmansk. Now there is a museum on the icebreaker, work is underway to expand the exposition.

36. The compartment in which there were two nuclear installations. Two dosimetrists went inside, measuring the level of radiation and controlling the operation of the reactor.

There is an opinion that it was thanks to "Lenin" that the expression "peaceful atom" was fixed. The icebreaker was built in the midst of the Cold War, but had absolutely peaceful purposes - the development of the Northern Sea Route and the escort of civilian ships.

37. Wheelhouse.

38. Front staircase.

39. One of the captains of the AL "Lenin", Pavel Akimovich Ponomarev, was previously the captain of the "Ermak" (1928-1932) - the world's first icebreaker of the Arctic class.

As a bonus, a couple of photos of Murmansk ...

40. Murmansk is the world's largest city located beyond the Arctic Circle. It is located on the rocky eastern coast of the Kola Bay of the Barents Sea.

41. The basis of the city's economy is the Murmansk Seaport - one of the largest ice-free ports in Russia. The port of Murmansk is the home port of the Sedov barque, the largest sailing ship in the world.

Let's now go through the interior of the icebreaker, with the exception of the wheelhouse.
The post turned out to be large, cumbersome and is more of a compilation of any information :-((

I understand that this is all a large-scale repetition of a huge number of photographs of people who visited the ship on excursions, especially since they drive to the same places. But it was interesting for me to figure it out myself.

This is our nuclear-powered guide:

It was about creating a ship that can sail for a very long time without calling at ports for fuel.
Scientists have calculated that a nuclear-powered icebreaker will consume 45 grams of nuclear fuel per day - as much as will fit in a matchbox. That is why the nuclear-powered ship, having a practically unlimited navigation area, will be able to visit both the Arctic and off the coast of Antarctica in one voyage. For a ship with a nuclear power plant, the distance is not an obstacle.

Initially, we were gathered in this hall for a brief introduction to the tour and divided into two groups.

The Admiralty had considerable experience in the repair and construction of icebreakers. Back in 1928, they overhauled the "grandfather of the icebreaker fleet" - the famous "Ermak".
The construction of icebreakers and icebreaking transport vessels at the plant was associated with a new stage in the development of Soviet shipbuilding - the use of electric welding instead of riveting. The plant staff was one of the initiators of this innovation. The new method was successfully tested on the construction of Sedov-type icebreakers. Icebreakers "Okhotsk", "Murman", "Ocean", in the construction of which electric welding was widely used, showed excellent performance; their hull proved to be more durable than other vessels.

Before the Great Patriotic War, the plant built a large icebreaking transport vessel "Semyon Dezhnev", which immediately after sea trials headed for the Arctic to withdraw caravans that had wintered there. Following the "Semyon Dezhnev", the icebreaking transport vessel "Levanevsky" was launched. After the war, the plant built another icebreaker and several self-propelled icebreaker-type ferries.
A large scientific team headed by the outstanding Soviet physicist Academician A.P. Aleksandrov worked on the project. Such prominent specialists as I. I. Afrikantov, A. I. Brandaus, G. A. Gladkov, B. Ya. Gnesin, V. I. Neganov, N. S. Khlopkin, A. N. Stefanovich and Other.

We rise to the floor above

The dimensions of the nuclear-powered ship were chosen taking into account the requirements for the operation of icebreakers in the North and ensuring its best seaworthiness: the length of the icebreaker is 134 m, the width is 27.6 m, the shaft power is 44,000 liters. s., displacement 16,000 tons, speed 18 knots in clear water and 2 knots in ice more than 2 m thick.

Long corridors

The designed power of the turboelectric plant is unparalleled. The nuclear-powered icebreaker is twice as powerful as the American icebreaker "Gletcher", which was considered the largest in the world.
When designing the ship's hull, special attention was paid to the shape of the bow, on which the icebreaking qualities of the vessel largely depend. The contours chosen for the nuclear-powered ship, in comparison with existing icebreakers, allow increasing the pressure on the ice. The aft end is designed in such a way that it provides flotation in ice during reverse gear and reliable protection of propellers and rudder from ice impacts.

Dining room:
And the caboose? This is a fully electrified plant with its own bakery, hot food is served by an electric elevator from the kitchen to the dining rooms.

In practice, it was observed that icebreakers sometimes got stuck in the ice not only with their bow or stern, but also with their sides. To avoid this, it was decided to arrange special systems of ballast tanks on the nuclear-powered ship. If water is pumped from the tank of one side to the tank of the other side, then the ship, swaying from side to side, will break and push the ice apart with its sides. The same system of tanks is installed in the bow and stern. And if the icebreaker does not break the ice on the move and its nose gets stuck? Then you can pump water from the stern trim tank to the bow. The pressure on the ice will increase, it will break, and the icebreaker will come out of the ice captivity.
In order to ensure the unsinkability of such a large vessel, if the skin is damaged, it was decided to subdivide the hull into compartments by eleven main transverse watertight bulkheads. When calculating the nuclear icebreaker, the designers ensured the unsinkability of the vessel when the two largest compartments were flooded.

The team of builders of the polar giant was headed by a talented engineer V. I. Chervyakov.

In July 1956, the first section of the nuclear icebreaker's hull was laid down.
To lay out the theoretical drawing of the hull on the plaza, a huge area was required - about 2500 square meters. Instead, the breakdown was made on a special shield using a special tool. This allowed to reduce the area for marking. Then template drawings were made, which were photographed on photographic plates. The projection apparatus, in which the negative was placed, reproduced the light contour of the part on the metal. The photo-optical method of marking made it possible to reduce the labor intensity of plaza and marking work by 40%.

Getting into the engine room

The nuclear-powered icebreaker, as the most powerful vessel in the entire icebreaking fleet, is designed to deal with ice in the most difficult conditions; therefore, its body must be especially strong. It was decided to ensure the high strength of the hull using steel of a new brand. This steel has high impact strength. It welds well and has great resistance to crack propagation at low temperatures.

The design of the hull of the nuclear-powered ship, the system of its set also differed from other icebreakers. The bottom, sides, inner decks, platforms and the upper deck at the extremities were recruited according to the transverse framing system, and the upper deck in the middle part of the icebreaker - according to the longitudinal system.
The building, as high as a good five-story house, consisted of sections weighing up to 75 tons. There were about two hundred such large sections.

The assembly and welding of such sections was carried out by the pre-assembly section of the hull shop.

It is interesting to note that the nuclear-powered ship has two power plants capable of providing energy to a city with a population of 300,000. The ship does not need any machinists or stokers: all the work of power plants is automated.
It should be said about the latest propeller motors. These are unique machines made in the USSR for the first time, especially for the nuclear-powered ship. The numbers speak for themselves: the weight of an average engine is 185 tons, the power is almost 20,000 hp. with. The engine had to be delivered to the icebreaker disassembled, in parts. Loading the engine onto the ship presented great difficulties.

They also love cleanliness.

From the pre-assembly section, the finished sections were delivered directly to the slipway. Assemblers and checkers installed them without delay.
During the manufacture of units for the first experimental standard sections, it turned out that the steel sheets from which they should be made weigh 7 tons, and the cranes available at the procurement site had a lifting capacity of only up to 6 tons.
The presses were also underpowered.

One more instructive example of the close community of workers, engineers and scientists should be mentioned.
According to the approved technology, stainless steel structures were welded manually. More than 200 experiments have been carried out; finally, the welding modes were worked out. Five automatic welders replaced 20 manual welders who were transferred to work in other areas.

There was, for example, such a case. Due to the very large dimensions, it was impossible to deliver by railway to the plant fore and sternpost - the main structures of the bow and stern of the vessel. Massive, heavy, weighing 30 and 80 g, they did not fit on any railway platforms. Engineers and workers decided to make the stems directly at the factory by welding their individual parts.

To imagine the complexity of assembling and welding the mounting joints of these stems, suffice it to say that the minimum thickness of the welded parts reached 150 mm. Welding of the stem continued for 15 days in 3 shifts.

While the building was being erected on the slipway, parts, pipelines, and devices were manufactured and assembled in various workshops of the plant. Many of them came from other companies. The main turbogenerators were built at the Kharkov Electromechanical Plant, propeller motors - at the Leningrad Electrosila Plant named after S. M. Kirov. Such electric motors were created in the USSR for the first time.
In the workshops of the Kirov Plant they gathered steam turbines.

The use of new materials required a change in many of the established technological processes. Pipelines were mounted on the nuclear-powered ship, which were previously connected by soldering.
In collaboration with the specialists of the welding bureau of the plant, the workers of the assembly shop developed and introduced electric arc welding of pipes.

The nuclear-powered ship required several thousand pipes of various lengths and diameters. Experts have calculated that if the pipes are pulled out in one line, their length will be 75 kilometers.

Finally, the time arrived for the completion of the slipway work.
Before the descent, one difficulty arose, then another.
So, it was not easy to install a heavy rudder blade. Putting it in place in the usual way did not allow the complex design of the aft end of the nuclear-powered ship. In addition, by the time the huge part was installed, the upper deck had already been closed. Under these conditions, it was impossible to take risks. We decided to hold a "general rehearsal" - first we put not a real baller, but its "double" - a wooden model of the same dimensions. The "rehearsal" was a success, the calculations were confirmed. Soon, the multi-ton part was quickly brought into place.

The launch of the icebreaker into the water was just around the corner. The large launch weight of the vessel (11,000 tons) made it difficult to design a launching device, although specialists have been engaged in this device almost from the moment the first sections were laid on the slipway.

According to the calculations of the design organization, in order to launch the Lenin icebreaker into the water, it was necessary to lengthen the underwater part of the launch tracks and deepen the bottom behind the slipway pit.
A group of employees of the design bureau of the plant and the hull shop developed a more advanced trigger device compared to the original project.

For the first time in the practice of domestic shipbuilding, a spherical wooden rotary device and a number of other new design solutions were used.
To reduce the launch weight, ensure greater stability when launching and braking a vessel that has descended from the slipway into the water, special pontoons were brought under the stern and bow.
The icebreaker's hull was freed from scaffolding. Surrounded by portal cranes, sparkling with fresh paint, he was ready to set off on his first short journey - to the water surface of the Neva.

Move on

We're going down

. . . PJ. To an uninitiated person, these three letters do not say anything. PEV - post of energy and survivability - the brain of icebreaker control. From here, with the help of automatic devices, operating engineers - people of a new profession in the fleet - can remotely control the operation of the steam generator unit. Supported from here required mode work of the "heart" of the nuclear-powered ship - reactors.

Experienced sailors, who have been sailing on ships of various types for many years, are surprised: PEJ specialists wear snow-white bathrobes over the usual marine uniform.

The post of energy and survivability, as well as the wheelhouse and crew cabins are located in the central superstructure.

And now on to the story:

December 5, 1957 In the morning it was continuously drizzling, with occasional sleet falling. A sharp, gusty wind blew from the bay. But people did not seem to notice the gloomy Leningrad weather. Long before the icebreaker was launched, the platforms around the slipway were filled with people. Many boarded a tanker under construction next door.

Exactly at noon, the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" anchored in the very place where on the memorable night of October 25, 1917, the "Aurora" - the legendary ship of the October Revolution - stood.

The construction of the nuclear-powered ship entered a new period - its completion afloat began.

The nuclear power plant is the most important section of the icebreaker. The most prominent scientists worked on the design of the reactor. Each of the three reactors is almost 3.5 times more powerful than the reactor of the first in the world nuclear power plant Academy of Sciences of the USSR.

OK-150 "Lenin" (until 1966)
Rated power of the reactor, VMT 3х90
Rated steam capacity, t/h 3х120
Power on propellers, l/s 44,000

The layout of all installations - block. Each block includes a pressurized water reactor (i.e. water is both a coolant and a neutron moderator), four circulation pumps and four steam generators, volume compensators, an ion exchange filter with a cooler, and other equipment.

The reactor, pumps and steam generators have separate casings and are connected to each other by short pipes of the "pipe in pipe" type. All equipment is located vertically in the caissons of the iron-water protection tank and is closed with small-sized protection blocks, which ensures easy accessibility when repair work Oh.

A nuclear reactor is a technical installation in which a controlled chain reaction of nuclear fission of heavy elements is carried out with the release of nuclear energy. The reactor consists of an active zone and a reflector. Water-to-water reactor - water in it is both a fast neutron moderator and a cooling and heat exchange medium. The core contains nuclear fuel in a protective coating (fuel elements - fuel elements) and a moderator. The fuel rods, which look like thin rods, are assembled into bundles and enclosed in covers. Such structures are called fuel assemblies of fuel assemblies.

The fuel rods, which look like thin rods, are assembled into bundles and enclosed in covers. Such structures are called fuel assemblies (FA). The reactor core is a set of active parts of fresh fuel assemblies (SFA), which in turn consist of fuel elements (TVEL). 241 STVs are placed in the reactor. The resource of the modern core (2.1-2.3 million MWh) provides the energy needs of the ship with nuclear power plants for 5-6 years. After the energy resource of the core is exhausted, the reactor is recharged.

The reactor vessel with an elliptical bottom is made of low-alloy heat-resistant steel with anti-corrosion hardfacing on the inner surfaces.

The principle of operation of APPU
The thermal scheme of the PPU of a nuclear vessel consists of 4 circuits.

The coolant of the first circuit (highly purified water) is pumped through the reactor core. Water is heated to 317 degrees, but does not turn into steam, because it is under pressure. From the reactor, the coolant of the 1st circuit enters the steam generator, washing the pipes inside which the water of the 2nd circuit flows, turning into superheated steam. Further, the coolant of the first circuit is again fed into the reactor by the circulation pump.

From the steam generator, superheated steam (coolant of the second circuit) enters the main turbines. Steam parameters before the turbine: pressure - 30 kgf/cm2 (2.9 MPa), temperature - 300 °C. Then the steam condenses, the water passes through the ion-exchange purification system and enters the steam generator again.

Circuit III is intended for cooling the APPU equipment, high-purity water (distillate) is used as a heat carrier. The coolant of the III circuit has a slight radioactivity.

The IV circuit serves to cool the water in the III circuit system, sea water is used as a heat carrier. Also, the IV circuit is used to cool the steam of the II circuit during distributing and cooling down the installation.

The APPU is designed and placed on the ship in such a way as to ensure the protection of the crew and the public from exposure, and the environment - from contamination with radioactive substances within the permissible safe limits both during normal operation and in case of accidents of the installation and the ship at the expense of. To this end, four protective barriers between nuclear fuel and the environment have been created on possible routes for the release of radioactive substances:

the first - shells of the fuel elements of the reactor core;

the second - strong walls of the equipment and pipelines of the primary circuit;

the third is the containment of the reactor plant;

the fourth is a protective fence, the boundaries of which are the longitudinal and transverse bulkheads, the second bottom and the upper deck flooring in the area of ​​the reactor compartment.

Everyone wanted to feel like a little hero :-)))

In 1966, two OK-900s were installed instead of three OK-150s.

OK-900 “Lenin”
Rated power of the reactor, VMT 2x159
Rated steam capacity, t/h 2x220
Power on propellers, l/s 44000

Room in front of the reactor compartment

Windows in the reactor compartment

In February 1965, an accident occurred during scheduled repairs at reactor No. 2 of the Lenin nuclear icebreaker. As a result of operator error, the core was left without water for some time, which caused partial damage to approximately 60% of the fuel assemblies.

With channel-by-channel reloading, only 94 of them were unloaded from the core, the remaining 125 turned out to be unrecoverable. This part was unloaded along with the screen assembly and placed in a special container, which was filled with a hardening mixture based on futurol and then stored onshore for about 2 years.

In August 1967, the reactor compartment with the OK-150 nuclear power plant and its own sealed bulkheads was flooded directly from the Lenin icebreaker through the bottom in the shallow Tsivolki Bay in the northern part of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago at a depth of 40-50 m.

Before the flooding, nuclear fuel was unloaded from the reactors, and their first circuits were washed, drained and sealed. According to the Iceberg Central Design Bureau, the reactors were filled with a hardening mixture based on futurol before being flooded.

A container with 125 spent fuel assemblies filled with Futurol was moved from the shore, placed inside a special pontoon and flooded. By the time of the accident, the ship's nuclear power plant had operated for about 25,000 hours.

After that, ok-150 and were replaced by ok-900
Once again about the principles of work:
How does an icebreaker's nuclear power plant work?
In the reactor, uranium rods are placed in a special order. The system of uranium rods is penetrated by a swarm of neutrons, a kind of "fuse", causing the decay of uranium atoms with the release of a huge amount of thermal energy. The rapid motion of neutrons is tamed by the moderator. Myriads of controlled atomic explosions, caused by a stream of neutrons, occur in the thickness of uranium rods. As a result, a so-called chain reaction is formed.
bw photos are not mine

A feature of the icebreaker's nuclear reactors is that not graphite was used as a neutron moderator, as at the first Soviet nuclear power plant, but distilled water. The uranium rods placed in the reactor are surrounded by the purest water (twice distilled). If you fill a bottle with it to the neck, then it will be absolutely impossible to notice whether water is poured into the bottle or not: the water is so transparent!
In the reactor, water is heated above the melting point of lead - more than 300 degrees. Water at this temperature does not boil because it is under a pressure of 100 atmospheres.

The water in the reactor is radioactive. With the help of pumps, it is driven through a special apparatus-steam generator, where it turns non-radioactive water into steam with its heat. The steam enters a turbine that drives a DC generator. The generator supplies current to the propulsion motors. The exhaust steam is sent to the condenser, where it turns back into water, which is again pumped into the steam generator by a pump. Thus, in a system of complex mechanisms, a kind of water cycle occurs.
B&W photos taken by me from the Internet

The reactors are installed in special metal drums welded into a stainless steel tank. From above, the reactors are closed with lids, under which there are various devices for automatically lifting and moving uranium rods. The entire operation of the reactor is controlled by instruments, and if necessary, "mechanical arms"-manipulators come into action, which can be controlled from a distance, being outside the compartment.

The reactor can be viewed on TV at any time.
Everything that poses a danger with its radioactivity is carefully isolated and located in a special compartment.
The drainage system diverts dangerous liquids to a special tank. There is also a system for trapping air with traces of radioactivity. The air flow from the central compartment is thrown through the main mast to a height of 20 m.
In all corners of the ship, you can see special dosimeters, ready at any time to notify of increased radioactivity. In addition, each crew member is equipped with an individual pocket-type dosimeter. The safe operation of the icebreaker is fully ensured.
The designers of the nuclear-powered ship provided for all sorts of accidents. If one reactor fails, another one will replace it. The same work on the ship can be performed by several groups of identical mechanisms.
This is the basic principle of operation of the entire system of a nuclear power plant.
In the compartment where the reactors are placed, there is a huge number of pipes of complex configurations and large sizes. The pipes had to be connected not as usual, with the help of flanges, but butt-welded with an accuracy of one millimeter.

Simultaneously with the installation of nuclear reactors, the main mechanisms of the engine room were installed at a rapid pace. Steam turbines were mounted here, rotating generators,
on an icebreaker; there are more than five hundred electric motors of different power on the nuclear-powered ship alone!

Corridor in front of the medical center

While the installation of power systems was underway, engineers worked on how to better and faster mount and put into operation the ship's machinery control system.
All management of the complex economy of the icebreaker is carried out automatically, directly from the wheelhouse. From here, the captain can change the operating mode of the propeller engines.

Actually first-aid post: Medical offices - therapeutic, dental X-ray, physiotherapy, operating room? procedures: Yuya as well as a laboratory and a pharmacy are equipped with the latest medical and preventive equipment.

Work related to the assembly and installation of the ship's superstructure It was not an easy task: to assemble a huge superstructure weighing about 750 tons. A boat with a water jet, main and foremasts were also built for the icebreaker in the workshop.
The four blocks of the superstructure assembled in the shop were delivered to the icebreaker and installed here by a floating crane.

The icebreaker had to perform a huge amount of insulation work. The area of ​​isolation was about 30,000 m2. New materials were used to isolate the premises. Monthly presented for acceptance of 100-120 rooms.

Mooring trials are the third (after the slipway period and completion afloat) stage of the construction of each vessel.

Prior to the launch of the steam generator plant of the icebreaker, steam had to be supplied from the shore. The device of the steam pipeline was complicated by the lack of special flexible hoses of large cross section. Use a steam pipe from conventional metal pipes, tightly fixed, was not possible. Then, at the suggestion of a group of innovators, a special hinged device was used, which ensured a reliable supply of steam through the steam line to the nuclear-powered ship.

The electric fire pumps were launched and tested first, and then the entire fire system. Then, tests of the auxiliary boiler plant began.
The engine started up. The instrument needles flickered. One minute, five, ten. . . The engine works great! And after a while, the installers began to adjust the devices that control the temperature of water and oil.

When testing auxiliary turbogenerators and diesel generators, special devices were needed to allow loading two parallel turbogenerators.
How was the test of turbogenerators?
The main difficulty was that during the work the voltage regulators had to be replaced with new, more advanced ones, which provide automatic voltage maintenance even under conditions of high overload.
Mooring tests continued. In January 1959, turbogenerators with all the mechanisms and automatic machines serving them were adjusted and tested. Simultaneously with the testing of auxiliary turbogenerators, electric pumps, ventilation systems and other equipment were tested.
While the mechanisms were being tested, other work was carried out at full speed.

Successfully fulfilling their obligations, the Admiralty in April completed the testing of all the main turbogenerators and propulsion motors. The test results were excellent. All calculated data made by scientists, designers, designers were confirmed. The first stage of testing the nuclear-powered ship was completed. And finished successfully!

April 1959
The installers of the hold department entered the case.

The first-born of the Soviet nuclear fleet, the Lenin icebreaker is a vessel perfectly equipped with all means of modern radio communication, location installations, and the latest navigation equipment. The icebreaker is equipped with two radars - short-range and long-range. The first is designed to solve operational navigation problems, the second - to monitor the environment and the helicopter. In addition, it must duplicate the short-range locator in conditions of snowfall or rain.

The equipment located in the bow and stern radio rooms will ensure reliable communication with the shore, with other ships and aircraft. Internal communication is carried out by an automatic telephone exchange with 100 numbers, separate telephones in various rooms, as well as a powerful general ship radio broadcasting network.
Work on the installation and adjustment of communication facilities was carried out by special teams of installers.
Responsible work was carried out by electricians to put into operation electrical and radio equipment and various devices in the wheelhouse.

The nuclear-powered ship will be able to sail for a long time without calling at ports. So it is very important where and how the crew will live. That is why, when creating the icebreaker project, special attention was paid to the living conditions of the team.

More living rooms

. .. Long bright corridors. Along them are sailor cabins, mostly single, less often for two people. During the day, one of the beds is removed into a niche, the other turns into a sofa. In the cabin, opposite the sofa, there is a desk and a swivel chair. Above the table is a clock and a shelf for books. Nearby are wardrobes for clothes and personal belongings.
In a small entrance vestibule there is another closet - especially for outerwear. A mirror is fixed above a small faience washbasin. Hot and cold water in the taps - around the clock. In short, a cozy modern small-sized apartment.

All rooms have fluorescent lighting. The electrical wiring is hidden under the lining, it is not visible. Milky glass screens cover fluorescent lamps from harsh direct rays. Each bed has a small lamp that gives a soft pink light. After labor day, having come to his cozy cabin, the sailor will be able to have a great rest, read, listen to the radio, music ...

There are also household workshops on the icebreaker - a shoemaker's and a tailor's workshop; there is a hairdressing salon, a mechanical laundry, baths, showers.
We return to the central staircase

We go up to the captain's cabin

More than one and a half thousand wardrobes, armchairs, sofas, shelves took their places in the cabins and office space. True, all this was made not only by the woodworkers of the Admiralty plant, but also by the workers of the furniture factory No. 3, the plant named after A. Zhdanov, and the Intourist factory. The Admiralty also made 60 separate sets of furniture, as well as various wardrobes, beds, tables, hanging cabinets and bedside tables - beautiful solid furniture.

The Soviet Union broke the ice with nuclear icebreakers and knew no equal. There were no ships of this type anywhere in the world - the USSR had absolute dominance in the ice. 7 Soviet nuclear icebreakers.

"Siberia"

This ship became a direct continuation of the Arktika-type nuclear installations. At the time of commissioning (1977), Siberia had the largest width (29.9 m) and length (147.9 m). The vessel operated a satellite communication system responsible for fax, telephone and navigation. Also present: a sauna, a swimming pool, a training room, a relaxation salon, a library and a huge dining room.
The nuclear-powered icebreaker "Siberia" went down in history as the first ship to carry out year-round navigation in the direction of Murmansk-Dudinka. He also became the second unit that reached the top of the planet, entering the North Pole.

"Lenin"

This icebreaker, launched on December 5, 1957, became the world's first ship equipped with a nuclear power plant. Its most important differences are a high level of autonomy and power. Already during its first use, the vessel demonstrated excellent performance, thanks to which it was possible to significantly increase the navigation period.
During the first six years of operation, the nuclear-powered icebreaker covered more than 82,000 nautical miles, navigating over 400 vessels. Later, "Lenin" will be the first of all ships to be north of Severnaya Zemlya.

"Arctic"

This nuclear-powered icebreaker (launched in 1975) was considered the largest of all existing at that time: its width was 30 meters, length - 148 meters, and side height - more than 17 meters. The unit was equipped with a medical unit, where there was an operating room and a dental unit. All conditions were created on the ship, allowing the flight crew and the helicopter to be based.
"Arktika" was able to break through the ice, the thickness of which was five meters, and also move at a speed of 18 knots. The unusual color of the vessel (bright red) was also considered a clear difference, which personified a new nautical era. And the icebreaker was famous for being the first ship that managed to reach the North Pole.

"Russia"

This unsinkable icebreaker, launched in 1985), was the first of a series of Arctic nuclear installations with a capacity of 55.1 MW (75,000 horsepower). The crew has at their disposal: the Internet, the Nature salon with an aquarium and living vegetation, a chess room, a cinema hall, as well as everything else that was present on the Sibir icebreaker.
The main purpose of the installation: cooling of nuclear reactors and use in the conditions of the Arctic Ocean. Since the ship was forced to constantly be in cold water, it could not cross the tropics to find itself in the southern hemisphere.

For the first time, this vessel made a cruise voyage to the North Pole, specially organized for foreign tourists. And in the 20th century, a nuclear icebreaker was used to study the continental shelf at the North Pole.

The design feature of the Sovetsky Soyuz icebreaker, commissioned in 1990, is that it can be retrofitted into a battle cruiser at any time. Initially, the ship was used for Arctic tourism. Making a transpolar cruise, it was possible to install meteorological ice stations operating in automatic mode, as well as an American meteorological buoy. Later, the icebreaker, which was stationed near Murmansk, was used to supply electricity to facilities located near the coast. The vessel also found use in the course of research in the Arctic on the effects of global warming.

"Yamal"

The nuclear icebreaker Yamal was laid down in 1986 in the USSR, and launched after the death of the Soviet Union in 1993. Yamal became the twelfth ship to reach the North Pole. In total, he has 46 flights in this direction, including the one that was specially initiated for the meeting of the third millennium. Several emergencies occurred on the ship, including: a fire, the death of a tourist, and a collision with the Indiga tanker. The icebreaker was not injured during the last emergency, but a deep crack formed in the tanker. It was Yamal that helped transport the damaged ship for repairs.
Six years ago, the ice drift completed a rather important mission: it evacuated archaeologists from the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, who reported their own disaster.

"50 Years of Victory"

This icebreaker is considered the most modern and largest of all existing ones. In 1989, it was laid down under the name "Ural", but since there was not enough funding, for a long time (until 2003) it stood unfinished. Only since 2007 the ship could be operated. During the first tests, the nuclear-powered icebreaker demonstrated reliability, maneuverability, and a top speed of 21.4 knots.
At the disposal of the passengers of the ship: a music room, a library, a swimming pool, a sauna, a gym, a restaurant, as well as satellite TV.
The main task assigned to the icebreaker is escorting caravans in the Arctic seas. But the ship was also intended for Arctic cruises.

Nuclear-powered icebreakers can stay on the Northern Sea Route for a long time without needing refueling. At present, the operating fleet includes the nuclear-powered ships Rossiya, Sovetsky Soyuz, Yamal, 50 Let Pobedy, Taimyr and Vaigach, as well as the nuclear-powered container carrier Sevmorput. They are operated and maintained by Rosatomflot, located in Murmansk.

1. A nuclear-powered icebreaker is a nuclear-powered marine vessel built specifically for use in year-round ice-covered waters. Nuclear icebreakers are much more powerful than diesel ones. In the USSR, they were developed to ensure navigation in the cold waters of the Arctic.

2. For the period 1959-1991. In the Soviet Union, 8 nuclear-powered icebreakers and 1 nuclear-powered lighter container ship were built.

In Russia, from 1991 to the present, two more nuclear-powered icebreakers have been built: Yamal (1993) and 50 Years of Victory (2007). Three more nuclear-powered icebreakers with a displacement of more than 33,000 tons are under construction, and the icebreaking capacity is almost three meters. The first one will be ready by 2017.

3. In total, more than 1,100 people work on Russian nuclear icebreakers, as well as ships based on the Atomflot nuclear fleet.

Sovetsky Soyuz (nuclear icebreaker of the Arktika class)

4. Icebreakers of the Arktika class are the basis of the Russian nuclear icebreaker fleet: 6 out of 10 nuclear icebreakers belong to this class. Vessels have double hulls, can break ice, moving both forward and backward. These ships are designed to operate in cold Arctic waters, which makes it difficult to operate a nuclear facility in warm seas. This is partly why crossing the tropics to work off the coast of Antarctica is not among their tasks.

The displacement of the icebreaker is 21,120 tons, the draft is 11.0 m, the maximum speed in clear water is 20.8 knots.

5. The design feature of the icebreaker "Soviet Union" is that at any time it can be retrofitted into a battle cruiser. Initially, the ship was used for Arctic tourism. Making a transpolar cruise, it was possible to install meteorological ice stations operating in automatic mode, as well as an American meteorological buoy.

6. Branch of GTG (main turbogenerators). A nuclear reactor heats water, which turns into steam, which spins turbines, which energize generators, which generate electricity, which goes to electric motors that turn propellers.

7. CPU (Central control post).

8. Icebreaker control is concentrated in two main command posts: the wheelhouse and the central power plant control post (CPU). From the wheelhouse, the general management of the operation of the icebreaker is carried out, and from the central control room - the control of the operation of the power plant, mechanisms and systems and control over their work.

9. The reliability of Arktika-class nuclear-powered ships has been tested and proven by time - in more than 30 years of the history of nuclear-powered ships of this class, there has not been a single accident associated with a nuclear power plant.

10. Cabin for feeding officers. The dining room for the ratings is located on the deck below. The diet consists of a full four meals a day.

11. "Soviet Union" was put into operation in 1989, with an established service life of 25 years. In 2008, the Baltic Shipyard supplied equipment for the icebreaker, which makes it possible to extend the life of the vessel. Currently, the icebreaker is planned for restoration, but only after a specific customer is identified or until transit along the Northern Sea Route is increased and new work areas appear.

Nuclear icebreaker "Arktika"

12. Launched in 1975 and was considered the largest of all existing at that time: its width was 30 meters, length - 148 meters, and the height of the side - more than 17 meters. All conditions were created on the ship, allowing the flight crew and the helicopter to be based. "Arktika" was able to break through the ice, the thickness of which was five meters, and also move at a speed of 18 knots. The unusual color of the vessel (bright red) was also considered a clear difference, which personified a new nautical era.

13. The nuclear icebreaker Arktika became famous for being the first ship to reach the North Pole. Currently decommissioned and pending decision on its disposal.

"Vaigach"

14. Shallow-draft nuclear icebreaker of the Taimyr project. A distinctive feature of this icebreaker project is its reduced draft, which makes it possible to serve ships following the Northern Sea Route with entry into the mouths of Siberian rivers.

15. Captain's bridge. Remote control panels for three propulsion electric motors, also on the remote control there are control devices for the towing device, a control panel for the tug surveillance camera, log indicators, echo sounders, a gyrocompass repeater, VHF radio stations, a control panel for wiper blades and other joystick controls for a xenon searchlight 6 kW.

16. Machine telegraphs.

17. The main use of Vaigach is to escort ships with metal from Norilsk and ships with timber and ore from Igarka to Dikson.

18. The main power plant of the icebreaker consists of two turbogenerators, which will provide a maximum continuous power of about 50,000 liters on the shafts. with., which will force the ice up to two meters thick. With an ice thickness of 1.77 meters, the speed of the icebreaker is 2 knots.

19. The room of the middle propeller shaft.

20. The direction of movement of the icebreaker is controlled by an electro-hydraulic steering machine.

21. Former cinema hall. Now on the icebreaker in each cabin there is a TV with wiring for broadcasting the ship's video channel and satellite TV. And the cinema hall is used for ship-wide meetings and cultural events.

22. Study of the block cabin of the second chief mate. The duration of the stay of nuclear-powered ships at sea depends on the number of planned works, on average it is 2-3 months. The crew of the icebreaker "Vaigach" consists of 100 people.

Nuclear icebreaker "Taimyr"

24. The icebreaker is identical to the Vaigach. It was built in the late 1980s in Finland at the Wärtsilä shipyard (Wärtsilä Marine Engineering) in Helsinki by order of the Soviet Union. However, the equipment (power plant, etc.) on the ship was installed in the Soviet Union, Soviet-made steel was used. The installation of nuclear equipment was carried out in Leningrad, where the icebreaker's hull was towed in 1988.

25. "Taimyr" in the dock of the shipyard.

26. "Taimyr" breaks the ice in a classic way: a powerful hull leans on an obstacle from frozen water, destroying it with its own weight. Behind the icebreaker, a channel is formed through which ordinary sea vessels can move.

27. To improve the ice-breaking ability, the Taimyr is equipped with a pneumatic washing system that prevents the hull from sticking to broken ice and snow. If the laying of the channel is hampered by thick ice, trim and roll systems, which consist of tanks and pumps, come into play. Thanks to these systems, the icebreaker can roll on one side, then on the other, raise the bow or stern higher. From such hull movements, the ice field surrounding the icebreaker is crushed, allowing you to move on.

28. For painting external structures, decks and bulkheads, imported two-component acrylic-based enamels of increased weather resistance, abrasion and impact resistance are used. The paint is applied in three layers: one layer of primer and two layers of enamel.

29. The speed of such an icebreaker is 18.5 knots (33.3 km / h).

30. Repair of the propeller-steering complex.

31. Installation of the blade.

32. Bolts securing the blade to the propeller hub, each of the four blades is attached with nine bolts.

33. Almost all vessels of the Russian icebreaker fleet are equipped with propellers manufactured at the Zvyozdochka plant.

Nuclear icebreaker "Lenin"

34. This icebreaker, launched on December 5, 1957, was the first ship in the world to be equipped with a nuclear power plant. Its most important differences were a high level of autonomy and power. During the first six years of operation, the nuclear-powered icebreaker covered more than 82,000 nautical miles, navigating over 400 vessels. Later, "Lenin" will be the first of all ships to be north of Severnaya Zemlya.

35. The icebreaker "Lenin" worked for 31 years and in 1990 was decommissioned and put into eternal parking in Murmansk. Now there is a museum on the icebreaker, work is underway to expand the exposition.

36. The compartment in which there were two nuclear installations. Two dosimetrists went inside, measuring the level of radiation and controlling the operation of the reactor.

There is an opinion that it was thanks to "Lenin" that the expression "peaceful atom" was fixed. The icebreaker was built at the height of the Cold War, but had absolutely peaceful purposes - the development of the Northern Sea Route and the escort of civilian ships.

39. One of the captains of the AL "Lenin", Pavel Akimovich Ponomarev, was previously the captain of the "Ermak" (1928-1932) - the world's first icebreaker of the Arctic class.

As a bonus, a couple of photos of Murmansk ...

40. Murmansk is the world's largest city located beyond the Arctic Circle. It is located on the rocky eastern coast of the Kola Bay of the Barents Sea.

41. The basis of the city's economy is the Murmansk Seaport, one of the largest ice-free ports in Russia. The port of Murmansk is the home port of the Sedov barque, the largest sailing ship in the world.

42. Panorama of Murmansk.