Application of Flux Cored Wire Automatic Welding Technology in the Nuclear Industry, a project of Center of Technology Transfer and Engineering Policy of ASE JSC (managing company of Rosatom State Corporation Engineering Division) has won the Technology Breakthrough 2021 Russia award. The award ceremony took place on December 7 at Skolkovo Innovation Center under Nobel Vision. Open Innovations 2.0 International Forum. The project of the Engineering Division won the Technology Breakthrough in Nuclear Power and Industry award.
Flux cored wire autowelding technology that magnifies the speed and improves the quality of welding, is being applied by ASE at NPP construction sites as part of the advanced implementation of Teplotech 4.0 project of technical upgrade of heat installation works aimed at reducing the time and cost, one of the top priorities of Rosatom State Corporation.
Industrial application of autowelding by VOSKHOD (SUNRISE) complexes with PP- SVP1 flux cored wire on circulation water tunnels of Kursk NPP-2 Unit 1 has made it possible to reduce the welding time of one weld joint from 33 to 2.5 hours. The welding quality has improved by more than five times, and the consumption of welding material has reduced twice. At the same time, the quality and reliability of welded joints have improved due to reduction of human factor and non-conformances.
“Following the implementation, we expect reduction of heat installation time to 7 months and cost saving up to 1.5 billion rubles for one unit, and we will replicate the technology for current and future NPP construction projects,” said Mr. Igor Tabaev, Director of Center of Technology Transfer and Engineering Policy of ASE, who represented ASE at the ceremony.
The award was organized within the framework of the Year of Science and Technology and is aimed at identifying, supporting and promoting outstanding engineering projects, solutions and achievements of Russian companies, research centers and educational institutions. Its founders are NTI Platform, Agency of Strategic Initiatives, University 20.35, and NTI Fond.
Awardees were selected according to the following criteria: achievement of a new level of solution of a problem existing on the market; overcoming a critical technological barrier for market development; setting a technological benchmark for other market players; achievement of significant competitive advantages.