Equipment of foreign manufacturers was widely used in the Russian industry in the recent past. At the same time technical support for the operation of such complex equipment is currently significantly hampered or non-existent under the pressure of sanctions and system restrictions imposed on Russia. The Novovoronezh NPP staff is confronting successfully such challenges by developing technical solutions that enable the continued efficient operation of imported equipment under the new reality. One of the many examples of the efforts of the Novovoronezh NPP staff to ensure Russia's economic safety and technological sovereignty is given in this article. During operation of power units with VVER-1200 reactors, failures in operation of turbine unit rotor hydraulic lift pumps of Allweiler GmbH (Germany) were identified. As part of the programme of import substitution and improvement of equipment reliability on the basis of available documentation and comparative analysis of operation modes of turbine unit rotor hydraulic lift pumps pumps at Novovoronezh and Leningrad NPPs, the technology of turbine unit rotor hydraulic lift pumps repair with modernisation of internals by means of installation of bronze bushing and observance of precise clearances of pump internals is developed. Improved circuit solutions for the system of hydrostatic lifting of rotors are proposed which exclude damage to the turbine unit rotor hydraulic lift pumps during operation of the power unit at capacity and during scheduled preventive maintenance. The modernisation of equipment manufactured in Germany and its successful operation at Novovoronezh NPP is a vivid example of a scientifically sound technical response to the sanctions pressure of foreign countries and can be extended to other Russian enterprises as a positive practice.

The paper considers the results of a study of the decomposition of surfactants in the unbalanced waters of nuclear power plants by corrective treatment with hydrogen peroxide followed by heating. It proposes a method of determining the type and concentration of surfactants in aqueous solutions based on the method of high-performance liquid chromatography in tandem with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). The dependences of the purification efficiency of the solution on the initial concentration of surfactants, time and temperature as well as on the presence of an additional contaminant (potassium permanganate) are investigated. It is shown that in order to meet the requirements of regulatory documents with a conservative approach the efficiency of surfactant purification should be at least 81% when evaporating the cubic residue before cementing to 150 g/l and at least 95 % when evaporating to 450 g/l. Decomposition of complexing agents is shown to occur during processing in the temperature range of 80-100 degrees Celsius when hydrogen peroxide is dosed into aqueous solutions. The surfactant concentration reaches a value of 62 % at temperatures of 80 C and above which corresponds to the surfactant content in the cube residue not exceeding the value of 1 % (without conservative approach) after 4 hours of treatment. Dosing of potassium permanganate into the purified water allows to achieve virtually 100% purification from surfactants, without resorting to heating the water to boiling point. The efficiency of purification from surfactants to the level of complexing substances in the cubic residue in the range below 1 % is achieved by dosing potassium permanganate 70 minutes after the start of the experiment, and when heated to 100 C – in less than 40 minutes. The results obtained can be used to substantiate the safety of radioactive waste management technologies used in nuclear energy.

The welded joint zone (WJ) No. 111 is a welding unit for the "hot" collector of the primary coolant to the DN1200 steam generator nozzle. The experience of operation of steam generators PGV-1000M of NPP power units with VVER-1000 shows that the WJ zone No. 111 is prone to the formation and development of operational defects. According to the results of periodic non-destructive testing of the WJ No. 111 zone performed at the PG of various power units of the VVER-1000 NPP, cases of detection of extended planar-type discontinuities, including through ones, were repeatedly recorded. Thus, this zone is one of the most critical zones of the reactor plant (RU) with VVER -1000. The root cause of the formation and development of operational defects has not yet been identified. Solving the problem of cracking of WJ No. 111 steam generators of nuclear power plants with VVER-1000 is one of the priority areas for improving the safety of operation of the power unit during the over-design service life. This problem is determined by a complex combination of temperature conditions, mechanical and corrosive effects, is relevant and has not yet been definitively solved. Therefore, it is very important to ensure the collection of reliable data on the actual stress-strain state of the WJ No. 111 zone in various operating modes (pressure loading of steam generators, heating/cooling of the power unit, hydraulic testing of the 1st and 2nd circuits). The article reveals the approaches and stages of creating and applying a strain gauge installation to ensure metrological suitability in the conditions of a campaign fuel company at an NPP power unit by using an adequate physical model to obtain additive and multiplicative correction coefficients.

Analytical studies of the results of thermal imaging control using IAS TIK together with the corresponding values of the temperature control results obtained in the standard DGS condition monitoring system were carried out within the framework of R&D for the development of an integrated automated system for thermal imaging control (IAS TIK). Approbation of IAS TIK in NPP conditions was carried out by thermography of standby diesel generator sets of NPP type 12zv40/48+S2445-12. At the same time, the parameters of the diesel engine and the generator were measured using the standard control system. The methodology is proposed that provides an analysis of the uniformity of the operation of diesel cylinders, the condition of the crankshaft bearings, the condition and quality of the generated electricity of the generator, as well as the analysis of the operation of lubrication and cooling systems. The practical application of the technique demonstrates the correspondence between the temperatures measured by the standard system and the IAS TIK. A joint analysis of the results obtained by the standard and developed systems provides an increase in the depth of the diagnostic examination and confirms the information content of the thermographic parameters and the quality of the measurement channels of the standard systems. The parameter values obtained from the analysis of the indicators of the standard control system, recorded at a steady power value, will be used in subsequent diagnostics to establish trends in these parameters

В статье представлены основные результаты научно-исследовательской работы, посвященной определению источников поступления радионуклидов сурьмы в трапные воды при эксплуатации реакторной установки ВВЭР-1200. Рассмотрены механизмы образования и поступления радиоизотопов сурьмы из первого контура реакторной установки ВВЭР-1200 в трапные воды за счет протечек. На основе результатов экспериментальных исследований содержания радиоизотопов сурьмы в трапных водах и в жидких средах систем реакторной установки ВВЭР-1200, камеральных и экспериментальных исследований содержания примесей стабильных сурьмы и олова в конструкционных материалах, моделирования образования и переноса радиоизотопов сурьмы в первом контуре реакторной установки ВВЭР-1200, с учетом международного опыта, выполнен анализ вероятных источников поступления сурьмы в теплоноситель первого контура. Определены возможные пути решения проблемы, связанной с повышенным содержанием радиоизотопов сурьмы в жидких средах действующих и сооружаемых АЭС. The article presents the main results of the research work devoted to determination of sources of antimony radionuclides entering the drain water due to operation of the VVER-1200 reactor. The mechanisms of generation and entry of antimony radioisotopes from the primary circuit of the VVER-1200 reactor into drain waters due to leaks were reviewed. An analysis was made for probable sources of antimony entry into the primary coolant based on the results of experimental studies of the content of antimony radioisotopes in drain waters and in liquid media of systems of the VVER-1200 reactor, desktop and experimental studies of the content of stable antimony and tin impurities in structural materials, and modeling of the generation and transfer of antimony radioisotopes in the primary circuit of the VVER-1200 reactor, taking into account the international experience. Possible ways for solving the problem of the increased content of antimony radioisotopes in liquid media of nuclear power plants in operation and under construction were determined.

The drive of the reactor control and protection system (CPS) is a system of normal operation, important for safety. Malfunctions of the drives of the ARC type CPS are often the initial events for accidents leading to unauthorized downtime. The currently existing standard methods for monitoring the parameters of the CPS do not allow for a reliable assessment of the condition of the drives. In this paper, it is proposed to implement an approach that provides an increase in sensitivity when recognizing the states of the drives of the ARC control system by processing the initial signals, which are vibroacoustic signals registered on the lid of the upper unit of the VVER reactor. A procedure for processing diagnostic signals using singular spectrum analysis is proposed. The proposed approach differs from the known ones by the presence of a scaling procedure, which is implemented by multiplying the eigenvalue matrices by the gankelized matrices of the source data. Due to scaling, the necessary sensitivity increase is provided. The expected increase in sensitivity is based on the fact that the eigenvalues reflect the structure of the signals, which changes significantly under the influence of the defect. The proposed method was used to process vibroacoustic signals registered on the lid of the upper block of the VVER reactor unit. Experimental studies were carried out at the test stand of Izhorskiye Zavody OJSC. The results of processing experimental data indicate a high quality of diagnosis. The hypothesis was clearly confirmed that the difference in the structure of diagnostic signals of serviceable and faulty equipment can manifest itself in the eigenvalues of the gankel signal matrices. The approach proposed in the article to the processing of diagnostic signals is easily amenable to automation and can be implemented in the development of a diagnostic system for the drive of an ARC-type CPS.

азовые документы в области обеспечения радиационной безопасности устанавливают основные пределы доз облучения персонала и населения от искусственных (техногенных) и природных источников [1-3].Для проверки соблюдения установленных пределов доз проводится радиационный контроль.Целью радиационного контроля является получение информации об индивидуальных и коллективных дозах облучения персонала, пациентов и населения, а также показателях, характеризующих радиационную обстановку.Переход от измеряемых величин к нормируемым регулируется методическими указаниями по проведению соответствующих видов радиационного контроля [4-6].Целью методических указаний является формулирование общих требований к контролю индивидуальных доз внешнего облучения персонала, а также обеспечение единства и систематизация методических подходов к дозиметрическому контролю

Рассматривается повторное продление срока эксплуатации энергоблока № 4 Нововоронежской АЭС свыше 45 лет. Работы в рамках модернизации позволили расширить спектр анализируемых проектных аварий от течи теплоносителя первого контура из отверстия Ду100 мм до аварии, связанной с разрывом главного циркуляционного трубопровода Ду500 мм, и обеспечили соответствие энергоблока № 4 современным требованиям безопасности в атомной энергетике. Уникальный опыт применения систем безопасности окончательно остановленного в 2016 г. энергоблока № 3 Нововоронежской АЭС был использован для обоснования дополнительного резервирования систем безопасности и повышения надежности энергоблока № 4. Выполненный комплекс работ показал правильность принятой концепции повторного продления срока эксплуатации энергоблока № 4. Безопасность дополнительного срока эксплуатации обоснована применением модели вероятностного анализа безопасности уровня 1 для внутренних инициирующих событий. Lifetime re-extension for the Novovoronezh NPP unit 4 beyond 45 years is described. Works within the modernization period made it possible to broaden the range of design-basis accidents from the primary coolant leak from the DN100 mm hole to the accident associated with the main circulation pipeline rupture DN500 mm and ensured the compliance of the power unit 4 with the modern safety requirements in the nuclear power industry. In addition, a unique experience was gained in using safety systems of the power of the Novovoronezh NPP unit 3 that was finally shutdown in 2016 for additional back-up of the safety systems and improving reliability of the power unit 4. The executed set of works demonstrated the correctness of the adopted concept of lifetime re-extension of the power unit 4, including, in terms of impact on safety, according to the Level 1 probabilistic safety analysis model for internal initiating events.

The scope of the research work is a complex of problems related to the processes of collecting and storing the results of thermographic control (TCE) used at nuclear power plants (AS) to assess the technical condition of equipment that directly affects safety. As a solution to eliminate existing problems, a comprehensive automated system for storing and analyzing the results of thermographic control of NPP equipment (CAS TVK) is being developed at the Research Institute of AEM VETI of the MEPhI Research Institute .

Technical diagnostics has a strong position in the global engineering community. It is included in the standards and recommendations for both existing and projected nuclear power plants. All foreign operating nuclear power plants are more or less equipped with means of technical diagnostics of reactor installations either from the very beginning or during modernization. Regardless of the diagnostic architecture of the automated control system, whether it is Framatom's local project systems or Westinghouse's centralized systems, diagnostic algorithms are universal. The operating organization of Rosenergoatom Concern JSC pays great attention to the development of technical diagnostics tools. Over the past 20 years, almost all Russian power units have been equipped. This contributed both to improving the safety of operation, and ensuring reliability, and extending the life of existing nuclear power plants. The article presents the authors' classification of technical diagnostics systems, the features of their operation at the Novovoronezh NPP site for a 30-year period of time. Complex, high-tech diagnostic systems are moving into operational practice with great difficulty and skepticism. The systems are slowly being filled with diagnostic knowledge, but our demanding foreign customer will undoubtedly require this diagnostic knowledge.

The paper discusses a topical issue of increasing Nuclear Power Plant operation efficiency. Given an increasing with each new project number of data signals transferred to an operator, the need of a timely and qualitative analysis of incoming data before choosing an optimal switchover variant increases as well. Proper evaluation of current processes and ascertaining the capability for parallel operations demands high-qualification personnel and substantial time expenditure, which undermine existing automation efforts in functional group control, and operations are usually performed sequentially anyway. Of particular note, time required by an operator for identifying, finding solutions for and eliminating incoherencies in transition from one acceptable state to another during a power unit start-up or shutdown. The described factors directly impact power unit out-of-service time, which in turn affects an installed capacity utilization factor, which is a main indicator of equipment operational reliability, and personnel skill level. The article considers the requirements for Virtual Operator digital system development, as the next stage of operator information support software advancement. The results show the importance of creating conditions for a gradual increase of power unit control automation, as well as speeding-up the complex processes by introducing Virtual Operator system, which is expected to reduce the likelihood of an error made by operator when selecting one of a several alternatives for dealing with an incoherence during parallel processes.

Оптимизация затрат при временном хранении упаковок радиоактивных отходов (РАО) может быть достигнута за счет применения легких хранилищ ангарного типа. Филиалом АО «Концерн Росэнергоатом» «Нововоронежская АЭС» разработана технология кондиционирования РАО в виде солевого плава установок глубокого упаривания в первичных упаковках (стальных цилиндрических контейнерах) путем размещения в дополнительную упаковку – железобетонный невозвратный защитный контейнер. При формировании упаковок применяется способ асимметричной загрузки, обеспечивающий минимизацию гамма-фона от двух боковых граней контейнера за счет формирования резко асимметричной диаграммы направленности гамма-излучения. Разработаны и успешно апробированы эмпирические зависимости для оценки радиационной обстановки на местности при временном хранении РАО в ангарах. На основе метода Монте-Карло разработано специализированное программное обеспечение для прогнозирования изменений радиационной обстановки на местности при перестановках упаковок РАО и принятия решений о возможности размещения контейнеров в периферийных рядах хранилища. Optimization of costs during temporary storage of radioactive waste (RW) packages can be achieved through the use of light hangar-type storage facilities. Novovoronezh NPP, a branch of Rosenergoatom Concern JSC, has developed a technology for conditioning RW materials in the form of a salt monolith of deep evaporation installations in primary packages (steel cylindrical containers) by placing them in an additional package – a non-returnable protective container. When forming packages, an asymmetric loading method is used, which minimizes the gamma background from the two side faces of the container due to the formation of a sharply asymmetric gamma radiation pattern. Empirical dependences have been developed and successfully tested to assess the radiation situation on the ground during temporary storage of RW in hangars. On the basis of the Monte Carlo method specialized software has been developed to predict changes in the radiation situation on the ground when rearranging RW packages and making decisions about the possibility of placing containers in the peripheral rows of the storage.

Traditionally, on reactors of the VVER type, a manual measuring tool is used to inspect the sealing surfaces of the main joint. To automate testing, a PGR-59 system was developed, which was successfully applied to three new power units of type VVER-1200. The purpose of the application is to measure the geometric characteristics of the main joint and determine the filling factor of the sealing grooves with nickel wire. Measurement is performed by laser scanning. Additionally, the article has a television camera for searching for defects with the possibility of measuring their dimensions. The result of the work was the obtaining of actual profiles of seating surfaces of the main joint of the reactor. The use of the PGR-59 system allows you to monitor the change in the profile of the seating surfaces, which constantly changes due to mechanical impact on the seating surfaces, predict its condition and plan the necessary repairs in advance. Based on the measurement results, new data were found on the nature of the main connector seal. The information obtained during the actual measurements made it possible to improve the operational and ergonomic characteristics of the system.

The purpose of tests is experimental validation of VVER-1200 power unit operation in a daily load schedule and to work out a method of controlling and checking the operation of the equipment. A method of controlling the reactor based on the principle of localization of xenon processes in the top half of the core in combination with soft temperature control was tested. The method allows control of reactivity by changing the coolant temperature in the primary loop at the expense of steam pressure variations in an extended range in the secondary loop. The tests confirmed that VVER-1200 power units can actually operate in a daily load schedule at the end of a fuel run without actually increasing the volume of the radioactive coolant withdrawn from the primary loop.

The paper deals with results of hardware-software complex application in nuclear power units design tasks and control. Critical analyses of existing information systems applied in the global power engineering was made. It was demonstrated that the main task, to be solved, was aimed at parameters monitoring and not processes control in complex. Moreover, all existing systems have distinguished functions resulting in high information load on operating personnel if there is no established managerial decision. Authors proposed the approach based on the power unit software model and respective mathematical simulation hardware for the operating personal support system development and nuclear power units facilities designing. A list of function for such systems was developed. It is demonstrated that the basis of functioning in technological process control tasks is the power unit simulation model enabling modelling under different operation modes. The power unit of the state-of-the art nuclear facility evolves a complicated technical system. For presentation of the power unit formal structure an oriented graph is used. Mathematical model of the power unit process flow diagram presents formalized record of the system digital and logic variables. The power unit model includes a distributed dynamic neutronics reactor core model, one dimension two-phase thermal physical model of processes in the main power unit systems, I&C model. The approach of the software model integration in the design freeze tasks is shown.