Russian nuclear company Atomstroyexport (ASE), a part of Russian State-owned Rosatom group, which designs and constructs nuclear power plants (NPPs) globally, is currently running construction projects in India, Bangladesh, Turkey, Egypt, China and Hungary – an indication that Russian-built NPPs are in demand globally, according to ASE marketing specialist Irina Bulatova.

During a tour of the ASE head office in Moscow, Russia, Bulatova told Engineering News Online that the key difference between Russian-designed ASE NPPs and other designs was that the design process took place in an intellectual environment offering a complete, one-stop solution from planning through to construction.

“All of ASE’s designs incorporate Generation III+ post-Fukushima nuclear plant design, which meets all safety demands of the International Atomic Energy Agency,” Bulatova said.

She added that these types of reactors featured a balanced mix of active and passive safety systems, which enabled modern Russian-designed nuclear plants to withstand any credible beyond-design-basis accident, ensuring their protection against external impacts, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and even aircraft crashes.

ASE currently has 34 projects in different stages of implementation across Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and North Africa, in addition to eight power units currently under construction in Russia.

The company’s plant system design uses a mixed package of computer-aided three-dimensional (3D) interactive application: Intergraph, Dassault Systèmes’, Bentley, Tekla and others for different domains of engineering.

“The first level of design entails mapping out the plant using computer-aided design technology, after which the construction and design of standalone systems and buildings are mapped out. Afterwards, the technological systems and components that connect the buildings and systems are designed,” explained Bulatova.

She added that ASE designers preformed the process and instrumentation diagram in two-dimensional smart and digital format first, where the preliminary layout was designed, including major pieces of equipment and technology elements connecting them.

“After we have the general layout, we convert it into 3D format. All the design stages are only done in 3D format, where we map out equipment, systems, pipelines and valves.”

Bulatova explained that specifications for the equipment and work were built according to the 3D specifications; the customer had to approve all drawings, which were sent electronically.

She added that the entire design process happened digitally and that, after the 3D model of the processing design of the plant was complete, the design of the structural part of the plant began.

The system also automatically checks for any contradictions and sends an alert to the designers if it finds any anomalies.

“This helps us to avoid a large majority of challenges at the construction site while designing the structural and technological part of the NPP.”

Bulatova added that, on the basis of this plan, contractors issued daily tasks to their workers.

“The design methodology is Russian, and we use the framework of the software to implement our methodology.”

Fourth-year North-West University (NWU) mechanical nuclear engineering student Victor Spangenberg, who was also part of the tour, told Engineering News Online that software used for similar design purposes in South Africa fell short of the software being used by ASE.

“I have been trained in mechanical design with nuclear reactor theory and can say from what I've used, their design system seems well interfaced and would be beneficial in various cases,” he stated.

He pointed out that changes being updated automatically throughout the design process was advantageous when it came to finding faults in a system.

“I think the more we know the better. If, as students, we get exposed to different ways of doing things, our limitations become less, and I believe these systems can be viable in South Africa in the future,” said Spangenberg, adding that the design process felt efficient and thorough, which, from an engineering student's perspective, “is exciting.”

NWU mechanical nuclear engineering student Mark Verwey, who was also a guest at ASE’s facilities, said that, based on what he saw at ASE’s head office, the interfacing technology could accelerate the process from concept to final design with high-quality detail.

“If I look at my own final-year project and the challenges that come with procuring standard parts . . . a database with all vendors' parts for a specific project could be of exceptional value in terms of saving time and money,” he said.

Looking at the system’s engineering process incorporation in the software, Verwey noted that it made planning and continuous evaluation easy.

“However, this system and the software rely on human input and if people are not properly trained or competent in using this software, it could potentially cause much more harm than good,” he said.

*Anine Killian was a guest of Rosatom on a press tour in Russia.