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 that energize generators that generate electricity, which goes to electric motors that turn propellers.
7. CPU (Central control post).
8. The control of the icebreaker is concentrated in two main command posts: the wheelhouse and the central control post power plant(CPU). From the wheelhouse they produce general leadership operation of the icebreaker, and from the central control room - control of 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. 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 television. 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 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 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 ships. 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 being built in the midst of cold war”, but had absolutely peaceful goals - 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 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 went to sea trials to the Gulf of Finland, 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 helm 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 describe the principle of obtaining energy using reactors, it will look like this: in the process of fission of uranium 235, steam is formed under a pressure of about 30 cubic meters per square centimeter, it is converted by an electric generator and supplied 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 the needs of the crew and equipment with fresh water, sea water desalters are installed on the ship, capable of delivering 120 tons of fresh water per day. Salt residue released from this water is suitable for food products, but as unnecessary it is dumped overboard.
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 production, then the navigation 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, starting from the bow of the vessel to its central part, over the icebreaking belt is also installed additional protection 7 mm thick stainless steel to help reduce friction between the case and the 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!
Now let's start with the story...
The nuclear-powered icebreaker Arktika went down in history as the first surface ship to reach the North Pole. The nuclear-powered ship Arktika (from 1982 to 1986 was named Leonid Brezhnev) is the lead ship of the Project 10520 series. The laying of the ship took place on July 3, 1971 at the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad. More than 400 associations and enterprises, research and design organizations, including the Experimental Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering named after V.I. I. I. Afrikantova and the Research Institute of Atomic Energy. Kurchatov.
The icebreaker was launched in December 1972, and in April 1975 the ship was put into operation.
The nuclear-powered ship "Arktika" was intended for escorting ships in the Arctic Ocean with the performance various kinds icebreaking work. The length of the ship was 148 meters, width - 30 meters, side height - about 17 meters. The power of the nuclear steam generating plant exceeded 55 megawatts. Due to its technical performance, the nuclear-powered ship could break through ice 5 meters thick, and in clear water reach speeds of up to 18 knots.
The first trip of the icebreaker Arktika to the North Pole took place in 1977. It was a large-scale experimental project, in which scientists had to not only reach the geographic point of the North Pole, but also conduct a series of studies and observations, as well as test the capabilities of the Arktika and the stability of the ship in a constant collision with ice. More than 200 people took part in the expedition.
On August 9, 1977, the nuclear-powered ship left the port of Murmansk, heading for the Novaya Zemlya archipelago. In the Laptev Sea, the icebreaker turned north.
And on August 17, 1977, at 4 am Moscow time, the nuclear-powered icebreaker, having overcome the thick ice cover of the Central Polar Basin, for the first time in the world reached the geographic point of the North Pole in active navigation. For 7 days and 8 hours, the nuclear-powered ship covered 2528 miles. The age-old dream of sailors and polar explorers of many generations has come true. The crew and members of the expedition celebrated this event with a solemn ceremony of hoisting the State Flag of the USSR on a ten-meter steel mast mounted on the ice. During the 15 hours that the nuclear-powered ship spent on top of the Earth, scientists completed a set of studies and observations. Before leaving the Pole, the sailors lowered into the waters of the Arctic Ocean a commemorative metal plate with the State Emblem of the USSR and the inscription “USSR. 60 years of October, a / l "Arktika", latitude 90 ° -N, 1977.
This icebreaker has high sides, four decks and two platforms, a forecastle and a five-tiered superstructure, and three fixed-pitch four-blade propellers are used as propulsors. The nuclear steam generating plant is located in a special compartment in the middle part of the icebreaker. The hull of the icebreaker is made of high-strength alloyed steel. In places subject to the greatest impact of ice loads, the hull is reinforced with an ice belt. The icebreaker has trim and roll systems. Towing operations are provided by a stern electric towing winch. A helicopter is based on the icebreaker for conducting ice reconnaissance. Control and management technical means power plants are carried out automatically, without constant watch in engine rooms, propeller motor rooms, power plants and switchboards.
Control over the operation and management of the power plant is carried out from the central control post, additional control propulsion motors brought to the wheelhouse and aft post. The wheelhouse is the ship's control center. On a nuclear-powered ship, it is located on the top floor of the superstructure, from where a greater view opens. The wheelhouse is stretched across the vessel - from side to side by 25 meters, its width is about 5 meters. Large rectangular portholes are located almost entirely on the front and side walls. Inside the cabin, only the most necessary. Near the sides and in the middle there are three identical consoles, on which there are control knobs for the movement of the vessel, indicators for the operation of the three propellers of the icebreaker and the position of the rudder, heading indicators and other sensors, as well as buttons for filling and draining ballast tanks and a huge typhon button for giving a sound signal. Near the control panel of the left side there is a chart table, near the central one - a steering wheel, at the starboard side panel - a hydrological table; near the navigational and hydrological tables, pedestals of all-round radars were installed.
In early June 1975, the nuclear-powered icebreaker Admiral Makarov navigated the Northern Sea Route to the east. In October 1976, the icebreaker "Ermak" with the dry cargo ship "Kapitan Myshevsky", as well as the icebreaker "Leningrad" with the transport "Chelyuskin" pulled out of the ice captivity. The captain of the Arktika called those days the "finest hour" of the new nuclear-powered ship.
Arktika was decommissioned in 2008.
On July 31, 2012, the nuclear-powered icebreaker Arktika, the first ship to reach the North Pole, was excluded from the Register of Ships.
According to the information voiced by representatives of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "Rosatomflot" to the press, the total cost of dismantling the a/l "Arktika" is estimated at 1.3-2 billion rubles, with the allocation of funds under the federal target program. Recently, there was a wide campaign to convince the management of refusing to be scrapped and the possibility of modernizing this icebreaker.
And now we come closer to the topic of our post.
In November 2013, at the same Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg, the laying ceremony of the lead nuclear icebreaker of project 22220 took place. In honor of its predecessor, the nuclear-powered icebreaker was named Arktika. The universal two-draught nuclear icebreaker LK-60Ya will become the largest and most powerful in the world.
According to the project, the length of the vessel will be more than 173 meters, width - 34 meters, draft at the design waterline - 10.5 meters, displacement - 33.54 thousand tons. It will become the largest and most powerful (60 MW) nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world. The nuclear-powered ship will be equipped with a two-reactor power plant with the main source of steam from the RITM-200 reactor plant with a capacity of 175 MW.
On June 16, the Baltic Shipyard launched the lead nuclear icebreaker Arktika of Project 22220," the company said in a statement quoted by RIA Novosti.
Thus, the designers passed one of the most important stages in the construction of the ship. The Arktika will become the lead ship of Project 22220 and will give rise to a group of nuclear-powered icebreakers needed to explore the Arctic and strengthen Russia's presence in the region.
First, the rector of the Nikolo-Bogoyavlensky Naval Cathedral conducted the baptism of the atomic icebreaker. Then the speaker of the Federation Council Valentina Matvienko, following the traditions of shipbuilders, broke a bottle of champagne on the hull of the nuclear-powered ship.
“It is difficult to overestimate what has been done by our scientists, designers, shipbuilders. There is a feeling of pride in our country, the people who created such a ship,” said Matvienko. She recalled that Russia is the only country that has its own nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet, which will allow active implementation of projects in the Arctic.
"We go to the quality new level development of this richest region," she stressed.
"Seven feet under the keel to you, the great "Arktika"!" - added the speaker of the Federation Council.
In turn, Vladimir Bulavin, presidential envoy for the Northwestern Federal District, noted that Russia is building new ships, despite the difficult economic situation.
"If you like, this is our answer to the challenges and threats of our time," Bulavin said.
Director General of the state corporation "Rosatom" Sergei Kiriyenko, in turn, called the launch of the new icebreaker a great victory for both the designers and the staff of the Baltic Shipyard. According to Kiriyenko, Arktika opens up "fundamentally new opportunities both in the field of ensuring the defense capability of our country and in solving economic problems."
Project 22220 vessels will be able to conduct convoys of ships in arctic conditions, breaking through ice up to three meters thick. The new ships will provide escort for ships carrying hydrocarbons from the fields of the Yamal and Gydan Peninsulas, the Kara Sea shelf to the markets of the Asia-Pacific region. The dual draft design allows the vessel to be used both in arctic waters and in the mouths of polar rivers.
Under a contract with FSUE "Atomflot", the Baltic Shipyard will build three nuclear-powered icebreakers of project 22220. On May 26 last year, the first serial icebreaker of this project, Siberia, was laid down. This autumn, it is planned to begin construction of the second Ural icebreaker.
The contract for the construction of the lead nuclear icebreaker of project 22220 between FSUE Atomflot and BZS was signed in August 2012. Its cost is 37 billion rubles. The contract for the construction of two serial nuclear icebreakers of project 22220 was signed between BZS and the state corporation Rosatom in May 2014, the contract value was 84.4 billion rubles.
sources
Quite recently, a very interesting trip for me and for other bloggers took place to Murmansk, to the place of parking and repair of the Russian nuclear fleet. Almost all icebreakers were in one place, stood at the berths, each carried out its own work.
Many have already written their posts, many have already read them. In order not to repeat myself and pour dry facts into your monitors, I will tell you interesting moments about each icebreaker together and separately ...
Russia is the only country with a fleet of nuclear-powered icebreakers. Nuclear icebreakers are much more powerful than diesel ones, so there are simply no analogues in the whole world. The most important advantage of the nuclear fleet is the absence of regular refueling, which is very convenient and beneficial in permafrost conditions.
I will start my story with the most massive project - Icebreakers of the Arktika type (project 10520). These include six nuclear-powered icebreakers built in the USSR and Russia.
Nuclear-powered icebreakers of the Arktika class are used to escort cargo and other ships along the Northern Sea Route. This route includes the Barents, Pechora, Kara, East Siberian Seas, the Laptev Sea and the Bering Strait. The main ports along this route are Dixon, Tiksi and Pevek.
1. Icebreaker "Arktika"was laid down on July 3, 1971 at the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad and only on April 25, 1975 was put into operation. He is the ancestor of this class and the first to visit the north pole. It is happened August 17, 1977 at 4 am Moscow time.
The nuclear icebreaker of project 10520 is a complex and expensive engineering structure. There are almost 1,300 rooms on the ship, including: - 155 cabins, a galley and a dining room, a club-cinema hall for 108 seats, a medical unit with an operating room, a gym, a library and other household premises to ensure a comfortable life for the crew and passengers during prolonged isolation from the “mainland” ” - two power plants with backup and emergency diesel generators, workshops, fire extinguishing and ventilation systems corresponding to a nuclear power facility - a helipad with appropriate infrastructure, a radio center, etc. etc.
For 33 years of trouble-free operation, he traveled more than a million miles in the ice of the Arctic. In 1999-2000, he worked in the Arctic Ocean for a year without refueling and calling at the port.
Currently, the icebreaker is in the port of Murmansk, on "cold sludge". In August 2008, it was decommissioned.
By the way, everyone's favorite captain Lobusov Dmitry dmitry_v_ch_l
, who is now working for 50 Years of Victory, from 2005 to 2007 also ruled the Arctic in the person of the captain.
My grandmother once went on an expedition to the North Pole. She even has pictures somewhere. Then I'll find it and show you...
2-3. The second icebreaker of this class, called "Sibir", is in the same place, awaiting disposal in 2015. This ship is completely identical to the "Arktika" and worked at sea from 1977 to 1992. Decommissioned due to malfunctioning steam generators.
In 1993, on board the Sibir, the anti-terrorist exercises Blockade of the Vympel group were held, dedicated to practicing the skills of freeing a nuclear icebreaker captured by terrorists.
Currently, the icebreaker is in cold sludge and is fully prepared for cutting: dock repairs have been completed, waste and nuclear fuel have been removed from the vessel, and the bottom has been sealed. According to plans, disposal will take place in 2015.
Displacement 21120 tons, length 147.9 m, width 29.9 m, depth 17.2 m, draft 11 m, NPP power 75000 hp, speed 20.8 knots.
An interesting fact: the icebreaker had an artillery mount on its bow; presumably in the bow had shafts for R-13 ballistic missiles. The living quarters are mounted on elastic mounts and shock absorbers and are isolated from the hull to keep noise out.
4. The third icebreaker "Russia" worked right up to 2013. W Laid down on February 20, 1981 at the Baltic Shipyard. Sergo Ordzhonikidze in Leningrad, launched on November 2, 1983, accepted into service on December 21, 1985, is the fourth nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world.
The ship can independently pass the tropics to work in the Antarctic, but then when crossing the tropics, the temperature in individual rooms can rise above 50 ° C, which in turn can be detrimental to the individual mechanisms of the ship. It will also be necessary to reduce the power of the installation to a minimum. No one took risks, so all nuclear icebreakers worked in northern latitudes.
In 1990, for the first time in the history of Arctic travel, he made a cruise voyage for foreign tourists to the North Pole.
In 2012-2013 the icebreaker even managed to work in the Gulf of Finland and ensure the escort of ships to the port of Primorsk
A complex has been introduced at Rossiya constructive solutions aimed at further improving the ice qualities of the nuclear-powered ship. In particular, it is provided with devices to reduce the interaction of propellers with ice, means for better ice-breaking, protection of the hull from sticking and corrosion, and also for improving the cleanliness of the channel behind the icebreaker. The composition of the equipment that provides ice reconnaissance, including during the polar night, has been changed. The nuclear-powered ship's hangar is designed for the Ka-32 all-weather helicopter.
Currently, the icebreaker is laid up and the process of unloading spent fuel has begun. According to the plans, the disposal will take place after 2015, together with the nuclear icebreakers Arktika and Sibir. The icebreaker was put into sludge due to lack of nuclear fuel for the next campaign and the refusal to extend the life of the reactor.
5. The next regular icebreaker "Soviet Union" was put into operation in 1989 and is currently being re-equipped in the port of Murmansk.
An interesting point is that the ship is designed in such a way that it can be retrofitted into a warship in a short time. Some of this equipment is in a mothballed state on board, and some is in coastal warehouses.. In particular, a fire control radar of the MP-123 detachable artillery mount was installed on the tank in front of the felling.
In March 2002, during the icebreaker's mooring at the berth in Murmansk, for the first time in practice, its power plant was used to supply onshore facilities. At the same time, the power of the installation reached 50 megawatts. The experiment was successful, but was considered unprofitable.
The service life of the icebreaker is set at 25 years. In 2007-2008, the Baltic Shipyard supplied equipment for the Sovetsky Soyuz 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. As stated in August 2014 CEO Rosatomflot Vyacheslav Ruksha, “We are extending the service life of the Sovetsky Soyuz icebreaker and will restore it by 2017.”
Atomic scientists laugh at the meaning of the ships' names. "Russia" is destroyed, and the "Soviet Union" is restored.
At one time, the "Soviet Union" brought and unloaded the Moskvich-2141 car onto the ice of the North Pole. Believe it or not, with such an unusual step, the AZLK management wanted to promote their products to the West. Although this miracle of the Russian auto industry flatly turned out to start, at an impromptu auction it was sold for 12 thousand dollars to the owner of a network of gas stations from the United States, and later safely delivered to a happy buyer at home. Thus, a historical maximum price for Moskvich-2141 was set.
I read an awesome detailed post from masterok about this icebreaker
6-10. The next icebreaker "Yamal" is on the list of my favorite ships. This is one of all nuclear-powered ships that this moment We are working in full force on the Northern Sea Route.
The icebreaker was laid down in 1986 and launched in 1989. In 2000, he made an expedition to the North Pole to meet the third millennium. Yamal is the seventh ship to reach the North Pole. In total, he made 46 flights to the North Pole.
Everyone remembers this icebreaker by its distinctive coloring on the forecastle (bow of the ship) in the form of shark teeth. Looks amazing live! The stylized image on the nose of the icebreaker appeared in 1994 as a design element for a children's cruise, then left at the request of travel companies and eventually became traditional
The ship can break ice, moving both forward and backward. Reversing the engine (changing the direction of rotation from full turns in one direction to full turns in the other) takes 11 seconds, with a propeller weight of 50 tons. Also, the nuclear-powered ship has a double hull made of AK-28 steel. At the point of collision with ice, the outer hull has an "ice belt" five meters high and 46 mm thick, in other places the thickness of the outer hull is about 30 mm. The body is covered with a half-millimeter layer of special paint "Inerta-160" to reduce friction. That still colossus!
There are several incidents associated with this icebreaker that I would like to talk about:
On December 23, 1996, a fire broke out on the ship, as a result of which one crew member died. Nuclear reactors were not damaged, the fire was extinguished within 30 minutes.
- On August 8, 2007, a 65-year-old tourist from Switzerland, through negligence, fell overboard an icebreaker and died after hitting the water and propellers.
- On March 16, 2009, in the Yenisei Bay of the Kara Sea, during ice escort, the Yamal collided with the Indiga tanker. As a result of the impact, a crack with a total length of 9.5 m was formed on the main deck of the tanker with an opening of up to 8 mm. The tanker was in ballast, pollution environment Did not happen. Then the tanker was escorted by Yamal to Arkhangelsk for repairs.
At that time, when we were in Murmansk, the icebreaker was in a floating dock and was undergoing scheduled repairs. Photos from there:
11-13. For the most delicious of this series, "50 Years of Victory" remained.
Today it is the largest operating icebreaker in the world. It was laid down on October 4, 1989 under the name "Ural" and launched on December 29, 1993. Further construction was suspended due to lack of funds. In 2003, construction was resumed, and already on February 1, 2007, the icebreaker entered the Gulf of Finland for sea trials, which lasted two weeks. The flag was raised on March 23, 2007, and on April 11 the icebreaker arrived at its permanent home port of Murmansk. On July 30, 2013, the icebreaker reached the North Pole for the hundredth time!
The estimated maximum ice thickness that the icebreaker must overcome is 2.8 m.
"50 Years of Victory" is a modified project 10520 "Arktika", which has many differences from its predecessor. The ship uses a spoon-shaped bow, which was first used in the development of the Canadian experimental icebreaker Kenmar Kigoriyak in 1979 and convincingly proved its effectiveness during trial operation. The icebreaker has a digital system automatic control new generation. The complex of means of biological protection of the nuclear power plant has been modernized and re-examined in accordance with the modern requirements of Rostekhnadzor. An ecological compartment equipped with the latest equipment for the collection and disposal of all waste products of the ship.
There will be a separate, detailed post about him in pictures and an interesting story. We climbed it up and down, had dinner with the captain, visited the wheelhouse and other secret places, but everything has its time! Wait for a huge post on this topic, but for now a few photos for the seed :)
14. The next icebreaker, the first nuclear, grandfather "Lenin"
Now it is located in Murmansk, stands at the pier and works as a full-fledged museum. It was built in 1959 and did a lot of useful things for the Northern Sea Route.
Due to the high power of the power plant and high autonomy, the icebreaker showed excellent performance already in the first navigation. The use of a nuclear icebreaker made it possible to significantly extend the period of navigation.
The Lenin nuclear icebreaker is a smooth-deck vessel with an elongated middle superstructure and two masts; a runway for ice reconnaissance helicopters is located in the stern. The water-to-water type nuclear steam generating plant, located in the central part of the vessel, generates steam for 4 main turbogenerators that supply 3 propeller motors with direct current, the latter drive 3 propellers (2 onboard and 1 medium) of a particularly robust design. There are 2 autonomous auxiliary power stations. Management of mechanisms, devices and systems is remote. The crew was provided with good living conditions for a long Arctic voyage.
The icebreaker "Lenin" worked for 30 years and in 1989 was decommissioned and put into eternal parking in Murmansk.
There were two accidents on the nuclear icebreaker Lenin. The first happened in February 1965. The reactor core was partially damaged. Part of the fuel was placed at the Lepse floating technical base. The rest of the fuel was unloaded and placed in a container. In 1967, the container was loaded onto a pontoon and sunk in Tsivolki Bay, the east coast of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
The second accident on the icebreaker occurred in 1967. A leak in pipelines of the third circuit of the reactor was recorded. During the liquidation of the leak, serious mechanical damage was caused to the equipment of the reactor plant. It was decided to completely replace the entire reactor compartment. Part of the fuel was placed again at the Lepse floating technical base. The reactor plant was towed to Novaya Zemlya in Tsivolki Bay and flooded.
Thanks to this icebreaker and these accidents, our modern ships are improved and safe, no matter what happens! Starting with "Lenin" and ending with "50 Years of Victory", one can see a huge leap in nuclear energy and in the nuclear fleet, respectively.
The nuclear-powered icebreaker "Lenin" became the first domestic museum ship with a nuclear power plant, which was moored to the berth at the sea station of the hero city of Murmansk on May 5, 2009 and in five years has become one of the most visited sights of Murmansk. More than 100,000 visitors visited the nuclear-powered ship during its stay, official delegations and honored guests of the city of Murmansk come here.
I will also tell you about him separately!
15. And finally, I would like to talk about two smaller icebreaker brothers "Taimyr" and "Vaigach".
These nuclear-powered icebreakers have a reduced draft and are designed to guide ships to the mouths of Siberian rivers.
The icebreakers were built in Finland at the Wärtsilä shipyard (Wärtsilä Marine Technics) 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,. This installation develops a power of 50,000 liters. With. and allows icebreakers to go through ice two meters thick. With an ice thickness of 1.77 meters, the speed of the icebreaker is 2 knots. Icebreakers can operate at temperatures down to -50 °C.
"Taimyr", unfortunately, we did not find in the port, but "Vaigach" was moored to the "Soviet Union" and peacefully waited for the sea.
In conclusion, I would like to show you an infographic in comparison. A very curious picture that shows the scale and colossality of these amazing ships. The picture is clickable, if you don't see something :)
Thanks a lot Communications Department State corporations "Rosatom" for openness and personally to Ekaterina Ananyeva fromFederal State Unitary Enterprise Communications Department"Atomoflot" and Shpakov Artyom
The nuclear icebreaker fleet of Russia is a unique potential that only our country has in the world. With its development, intensive development of the Far North began, since nuclear icebreakers are designed to provide a national presence in the Arctic using advanced nuclear achievements. At present, the maintenance and operation of these vessels is carried out by state enterprise Rosatomflot. In this article, we will look at how many active icebreakers Russia has, who commands them, what goals they solve.
Activities
The nuclear icebreaker fleet of Russia is sent to solve specific tasks. In particular, it ensures the passage of ships through the Northern Sea Route to the freezing ports of Russia. This is one of the main goals of the Russian nuclear icebreaker fleet.
He also participates in research expeditions, provides rescue and emergency operations in non-Arctic freezing seas and ice. In addition, the duties of Rosatomflot include repair and maintenance of icebreakers, implementation of projects for the ecological restoration of the northwestern part of the country.
Some icebreakers even participate in organizing tourist cruises to the North Pole for everyone, they can get to the archipelagos and islands of the Central Arctic.
An important activity of the nuclear icebreaker fleet of Russia is the safe handling of radioactive waste and nuclear materials, which form the basis of the propulsion systems of ships.
Since 2008, Rosatomflot has been officially part of state corporation Rosatom. In fact, now the corporation owns all the ships of the nuclear Maintenance and ships equipped with a nuclear power plant.
Story
The history of the nuclear icebreaker fleet of Russia dates back to 1959. It was then that the solemn launching of the first nuclear icebreaker on the planet, which was called "Lenin", took place. Since then, December 3 has been celebrated as the Day of the Russian Nuclear Icebreaker Fleet.
However, it began to turn into a real transport artery only in the 70s, when it was possible to talk about the appearance of a nuclear fleet.
After the launch of the nuclear icebreaker Arktika in the western sector of the Arctic, navigation became possible throughout the year. At that time, the so-called Norilsk industrial region played a key role in the development of this transport route, when the first year-round port of Dudinka appeared on the route.
Over time, icebreakers were built:
- "Russia";
- "Siberia";
- "Taimyr";
- "Soviet Union";
- "Yamal";
- "Vaigach";
- "50 Years of Victory".
This is a list of Russian nuclear icebreakers. Putting them into operation for decades to come predetermined a significant superiority in the field of nuclear shipbuilding throughout the world.
Local Tasks
At present, Rosatomflot is solving a large number of important local tasks. In particular, it ensures stable navigation and safe navigation throughout the entire Northern Sea Route.
This makes it possible to transport hydrocarbon and other various products to the markets of Europe and Asia. This direction is a real alternative to the existing transport channels between the Pacific and Atlantic basins, which are now connected through the Panama and Suez canals.
In addition, this path is much more advantageous in terms of time. From Murmansk to Japan, it will sail about six thousand miles. If you decide to follow through the Suez Canal, then the distance will be twice as long.
Thanks to nuclear-powered icebreakers, Russia managed to establish a significant cargo flow on the Northern Sea Route. About five million tons of cargo are transported annually. The number of significant projects is gradually increasing, some customers enter into long-term contracts, up to 2040.
Also, Rosatomflot is engaged in sea exploration, evaluation of raw materials and mineral resources on the Arctic shelf, which is adjacent to the northern coast of the country.
Regular operations are carried out in the port area called Sabetta. With the development of Arctic hydrocarbon projects, an increase in the flow of cargo along the Northern Sea Route is expected. In this regard, the development of oil and gas fields in the Arctic becomes one of the key areas in the work of Rosatomflot. According to forecasts, in 2020-2022 the volume of transported hydrocarbon products may increase to 20 million tons per year.
military bases
Another area in which work is underway is the return of the domestic military fleet to the Arctic. Strategic bases cannot be restored without the active participation of the nuclear icebreaker fleet. The task that stands today is to provide the Arctic garrisons of the Ministry of Defense with everything necessary.
In accordance with the long-term development strategy, in the future the main emphasis will be on the creation of a safe, reliable and efficient fleet.
Composition of the nuclear fleet
Currently, the list of operating nuclear icebreakers in Russia includes five ships.
These are two icebreakers with a 2-reactor nuclear plant - "50 Years of Victory" and "Yamal", two more icebreakers with a single-reactor plant - "Vaigach" and "Taimyr", as well as a lighter carrier with an icebreaking bow "Sevmorput". That's how many nuclear icebreakers there are in Russia.
"50 Years of Victory"
This icebreaker is currently the largest in the world. It was built at the Leningrad Baltic Shipyard. Officially launched in 1993 and commissioned in 2007. Such a long break is due to the fact that in the 90s, work was actually suspended due to lack of money.
Now the vessel's permanent port of registry is Murmansk. In addition to the task of escorting caravans through the Arctic seas, this icebreaker takes tourists on board to participate in Arctic cruises. He delivers those who wish to the North Pole with a visit to the land of Franz Josef.
The name of the captain of the icebreaker is Dmitry Lobusov.
"Yamal"
"Yamal" was built in the Soviet Union, it belongs to the "Arktika" class. Its construction began in 1986 and was completed three years later. It is noteworthy that at first it was called "October Revolution", only in 1992 it was renamed "Yamal".
In 2000, this active Russian nuclear-powered icebreaker made an expedition to the North Pole, becoming the seventh ship in history to reach this point on planet earth. In total, the icebreaker has reached the North Pole 46 times so far.
The vessel is designed to overcome sea ice up to three meters thick, while it is able to maintain a stable speed of up to two knots per hour. "Yamal" is able to break the ice, moving both forward and backward. There are several Zodiac-class boats and a Mi-8 helicopter on board. There are satellite systems providing reliable navigation, internet, telephone communications. There are 155 cabins for the crew on the ship.
The icebreaker is not designed specifically for the transport of tourists, but still participates in cruises. In 1994, a stylized image of a shark's mouth appeared on the bow of the ship as a bright design element for a children's cruise. Later it was decided to leave it at the request of travel companies. It is now considered traditional.
"Vaigach"
The icebreaker "Vaigach" is a shallow-draft icebreaker built as part of the Taimyr project. It was laid down at a Finnish shipyard, delivered to the Soviet Union in 1989, construction was completed at the Baltic Shipyard in Leningrad. It was here that the nuclear plant was installed. Considered commissioned in 1990.
Its main distinguishing feature is its reduced draft, which allows it to serve ships on the Northern Sea Route with entry into the Siberian rivers.
The main engines of the icebreaker have a capacity of up to 50,000 horsepower, which allows it to overcome an ice thickness of more than one and a half meters at a speed of two knots per hour. Work is possible at temperatures up to -50 degrees. Basically, the ship is used to escort ships from Norilsk that transport metal, as well as ships with ore and timber.
"Taimyr"
Knowing how many nuclear-powered icebreakers there are in Russia now, it is worth remembering the ship called the Taimyr, built as part of the project of the same name. First of all, it is intended for guiding ships along the beds of Siberian rivers, which is similar to the Vaigach ship.
His corps was built in Finland in the 80s by order of the Soviet Union. In this case, Soviet-made steel was used, the equipment was also all domestic. Nuclear equipment was delivered already in Leningrad. The ship has the same technical specifications, as the vessel "Vaigach".
"Sevmorput"
"Sevmorput" is an icebreaking transport vessel with a nuclear power plant on board. It is considered one of the largest non-military nuclear ships on the planet. It is the largest lighter carrier in the world in terms of displacement.
Design and estimate documentation was originally developed back in 1978. Construction was carried out at the Zaliv plant in Kerch. It was launched in 1984, the ship was launched two years later. Officially commissioned in 1988
"Sevmorput" remained the only vessel of this type. It was planned to create another such ship at the Zaliv plant, but due to the collapse of the Soviet Union, work was stopped.
First of all, the ship is designed to transport goods in lighters to the northern regions. It cuts through ice up to one meter thick on its own. Unlike most other icebreakers, it can also operate in warm waters. For example, at one time he performed cargo transportation between Murmansk and Dudinka.
At one time, the ship stood idle, there was even a threat that it would have to be handed over to "pins and needles" if the situation did not change. It has been upgraded since 2014. Now the ship is back in service, making regular flights, remaining the only operating cargo ship with a nuclear power plant.