No abstract available

[en] Short communication

[en] The fast reactors are economically expedient only if they are used for two purposes: heat generation and plutonium build-up for the nuclear power engineering.The energetic start-up of BN-350 reactor was conducted in July 1973. Its design life is 20 years. After the lifetime had been over in July 1993, its further operation was subject to the annual decisions about prolongation of the lifetime by one calendar year. Since December 1998, the reactor is being shutdown.When decommissioning the BN-350 plant, a significant amount of expenses will be committed to the activity related to handling with different kinds of radioactive wastes and metal-liquid coolants of the first and second circuits, and to the fire, radiation and overall safety. Therefore, solution of the issues of handling with sodium, when it is removed from the circuits, processed, and when the circuits are washed off of sodium, is very important during the BN-350 reactor plant preservation.Specialists of BN-350 developed a program on the primary engineering measures on preservation of equipment and on maintenance of the reactor under nuclear and radiation safety conditions. Implementation of the measures is complicated first of all due to the lack of financing and of the adequate experience in decommissioning of such type of the reactor

[en] Short communication

[en] The article relates to the development history of Kazakhstan atomic power engineering firstling - BN-350 reactor including its brief description and research work conducted on it. (author)

[en] Short communication

[en] The main design features of the 250 MW(e), 120,000 m³/d nuclear desalination plant in Aktau, Kazakhstan, are outlined. The experience gained over 20 years of operation and maintenance is discussed, with data presented on the materials used and on corrosion and scale formation. Determination of the water costs, and the impact on the environment and water quality, has confirmed the efficiency and reliability of nuclear desalination. (author)

[en] The experimental and commercial BN-350 NPP equipped with a fast neutron sodium cooled reactor is located in Kazakhstan near the Aktau city on the Caspian Sea coast. It was commissioned in 1973 and intended for weapon-grade plutonium production and as stream supply to a water desalination facility and the turbines of the Mangyshlak Atomic Energy Complex. Taking into account technical, financial and political issues, the Government of Kazakhstan enacted the Decree no. 456 'On Decommissioning of the Reactor BN-350 in the Aktau City of the Mangystau Region'. Because the decision on reactor decommissioning was adopted before the end of scheduled operation (2003), the plan to decommission the BN-350 reactor has not yet been developed. To determine the activities required for ensuring reactor safety and in preparation for decommission in the period prior, the development and ensuring approval by the Republic of Kazakhstan Government of the decommissioning plan, a 'Plan of Priority Actions for BN-350 Reactor Decommissioning' was developed and approved. Actions provided for in the plan include the following: Development of BN-350 Reactor Decommissioning Plan; Accident prevention during the period of transition; Unloading nuclear fuel from reactor and draining the coolant from the heat exchange circuits. Decommission is defined as a complex of administrative and technical actions taken to allow the removal of some or all of regulatory controls over a nuclear facility. These actions involve decontamination, dismantling and removal of radioactive materials, waste, components and structures. They are carried out to achieve a progressive and systematic reduction in radiological hazards and are undertaken on the basis of planning and assessment in order to ensure safety decommissioning operations. In accordance with the decision of Kazakhstan Government, three basic stages for BN-350 reactor decommissioning are envisaged: First stage - Placement of BN-350 into long-term storage SAFSTOR; Second stage - SAFSTOR; Third stage - Dismantling (partial or complete). According to international experience, the decommissioning of a nuclear reactor is an extremely expensive activity. Therefore, Kazakhstan organizations involved in the decommissioning are trying as much as possible to draw from the experience, technologies and financial and technical support of potential donor countries, In order ti achieve this goal, Kazakhstan, with the financial and technical support of the US, EC and Japan, is developing a BN-350 Decommissioning Plan for international peer review. The main objective of the plan is identify areas of potential technical support by technologically developed countries

[en] The BN-350 reactor was one of the most powerful fast neutron facilities in the world. The nominal designed reactor power was 1000 MW and electric power output was 350 MW. The desalination facility could produce up to 120,000 tons of fresh water a day. The reactor core was cooled by liquid sodium. The reactor core consisted of heat release assemblies with highly enriched fuel. Blanket assemblies containing natural uranium were located around the core were used for plutonium production resulting from nuclear reactions with fast neutrons. The plutonium produced could be used for nuclear weapon creation and as fuel for other rectors. The reactor finally was shutdown by decree of the Kazakhstan Government on April 22, 1999. The decision was taken to place it into SAFSTOR for 50 years with subsequent final dismantling. At the same time, the Kazakhstan Government appealed to the US Government to provided technical and financial assistance for BN-350 decommissioning activities. Many of programs are being conducted by joint efforts of Kazakhstan and the United States of America with the support of International Atomic Energy Agency. A particular note is the assistance provided under the US Cooperative Threat Reduction Program, which is commonly known as the Nunn-Lugar Act after its two primary sponsors in the US Senate. This project was the beginning one of the world's largest and he most successful nonproliferation project. The main areas of activity is: packaging, transportation and safe storage of BN-350 spent fuel. The contribution of an enhanced physical protection system, material monitoring systems and the packaging of the materials has virtually eliminated the proliferation risk. Right on schedule in June 2001, a joint Kazakhstan-US team closed 478-th canister and successfully completed the 2 and 1/2 year effort to package the BN-350 spent fuel, probably the largest such effort ever undertaken anywhere. At the present rime, the US Government is planning to support the placement of the packaged BN-350 fuel into long-term storage in 'Baikal' site in the Kurchatov city (National Nuclear Center). Kazakhstan, with the financial and technical support of the US, is developing a BN-350 Decommissioning Plan for international peer review. The main objective of the plan is identify areas of potential technical support by technologically developed countries. At the present time, the plans has already been drafted and in the end of 2002 it will be submitted for review to the IAEA. Once IAEA experts provide their comments on the plan, all necessary changes will be incorporated and it will be presented to potential donor countries to allow them to consider the possibility of funding different parts of the BN-350 decommissioning activities. The European Commission has supported this activity through TACIS projects. In particular, within framework of the BN-350 decommissioning activity a primary and secondary circuits sodium handling will be considered. The task of its draining and subsequent processing is a very expensive and complicated technical task. This US Government-funded project, may be split into three subprojects: Development, installation and operation of cesium traps to reduce the radioactive cesium level in the BN-350 primary sodium. The project also includes the improvement of reactor fire safety to support sodium trap operation; Sodium draining from reactor vessel and loops and elimination of sodium residuals; Sodium processing into a state appropriate for long-term storage or disposal. It is envisaged that during the implementation of the project the production capacities of Kazakhstan enterprises and specialists will be maximally exploited

No abstract available