China produces first AP1000 vessel
The manufacture of the reactor pressure vessel in China for Sanmen 2 has been completed - the first AP1000 vessel to be domestically produced.The manufacture of the reactor pressure vessel in China for Sanmen 2 has been completed - the first AP1000 vessel to be domestically produced.
.jpg "Sanmen 2 RPV completed 460 (SNPTC)") |
| Sanmen 2's vessel, supported in a test rig, undergoing pressure tests (Image: SNPTC) |
The completed vessel, manufactured by China First Heavy Industries (CFHI) under the supervision of Westinghouse, successfully passed a pressure test on 8 June.
The vessel is destined for use in the second of two AP1000 under construction at the Sanmen site in Zhejiang province, eastern China. Two further AP1000s are under construction at Haiyang in Shandong province.
The first locally-produced AP1000 steam generator, also destined for Sanmen 2, passed testing on 21 May.
The vessels for the first units at Sanmen and Haiyang were produced in South Korea by Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction using some forgings fabricated by CFHI. The Chinese company produced the first forging for the component in July 2007 under the supervision of China's National Nuclear Safety Administration and supported by several companies involved in the Sanmen plant project, including State Nuclear Power Technology Corporation (SNPTC), Westinghouse and Doosan. Together, the companies had strict control of quality during the manufacturing process. The vessel for Haiyang 2 will be supplied by Shanghai Electric Group.
SNPTC has a major role in the transfer of knowledge and technology from the plant supplier, Westinghouse, through agreements featured in the 2007 deal to build the units at Sanmen and Haiyang. China wants to progressively become self-sufficient in deploying AP1000s and its own derivatives.
Researched and written
by World Nuclear News
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