Million Ice Miles
This week atomic icebreaker Vaigach FSUE Atomflot has established an absolute record among the active atoms, passing 1 million maritime miles in ice. And it is still in perfect order, assured "Expert Online" The main mechanic of the atomic icebreaker Vaigach Evgeny Khodus. According to his forecasts, the famous atomic icebreaker, age for more than 30 years old is capable of cutting the ice of the Arctic for another 5-7 years.
From the moment of commissioning, 2706 ships and ships of the Navy were carried out. Atomizer regularly participates in the setup of ships to the coaches of the ports of Dudinka, Dickson and Sabetta, the assignment of them from the berths, as well as the support of the courts of PJSC Norilsk Nickel on the channel in communion of the Yenisei Bay and the Yenisei River, informed in the Communications Department of the FSUE "Atflot (in Rosatom composition) ".
"Now work is underway to extend the resource of the reactor installation at Atomic Iceolars" Vaigach "and" Taimyr "to 235 thousand hours," Oleg Darbinyan said the chief engineer of FSUE Atomflot. - Our company, together with the performer-projector of reactor installations, OKBM AFRICANTS (Nizhny Novgorod), are successfully engaged in these works for more than 30 years. This allows us to effectively use existing atomic icebreakers and carry out contractual obligations to partners "(talking about the carriage of goods and posting of ships).
Photo provided by FSUE Atomflot (Murmansk).
For the first time, the resource of the reactor unit is up to 200 thousand hours was extended in 2017 at the Vaigach atomic icebreaker. "Extension of the resource of the reactor installation will allow us to continue the safe operation of the icebreaker," said the captain of the atomic icebreaker Vaigach Alexander Scriabin (his words leads the press service of the FSUE "Atomflut").
It is worth recalling that in addition to regular participation in the wiring of cargo ships, when providing construction of the terminals of the seaport of Sabetta, Vaigach, participated in many marked operations and flights in the modern history of the Arctic. For example, in February-April 2011, for the first time in the history of the atomic icebreaking fleet Vaigach, he arrived at the Finnish bay under the lease agreement between the FSUE Atomflot and the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Rosmorport and left Baltic only on April 10. Mostly icebreaker worked in the direction of the port of Primorsk, providing wiring in ice tankers with petroleum products. During work at the Baltic "Vaigach" freed from the ice and spent more than 250 ships.
Reserve reliability
The main mechanic of the atomic icebreaker Vaigach Evgeny Khodus explained "Expert Online", which after such a record run, mainly, it is required to check for the safety of nuclear installation on the icebreaker (due to its at the expense of the atomic movement performs titanic movements among the polar ice). "Although the Soviet reactor itself on the icebreaker, the nuclear power plant is very reliable," -thetheil the polar star.At one time, this icebreaker (the ship was built in Finland, it was installed on it to 30% of Soviet equipment) on it) was made with a very large margin of reliability and durability, the current member of the vessel team noted.
Having a 30-year-old experience on Vaigach Evgeny Khodus expressed our edition a forecast for the remaining resource of the legendary atomic icebreaker. "Maximum how much it will be in operation - until 2026-2028," said Vaigach's chummers. This is especially important today, with a growing commercial need for Nortime. (A distinctive feature of this icebreaker is a reduced sediment, allowing to maintain vessels, following the northern sea route with an approach to the mouth of Siberian rivers.)
Today, our courts have been able to carry out about 20-30 million tons of various cargo at the age of 20-30 million on this maritime tract at the profit, which is from 1 billion rubles per year and higher, although in the 90s the volumes fell to 1.5 million tons per year and the icebreaking fleet simply "It's easy to idle, said Evgeny Khodus.
Icebreakers float into the future
But time is coming. The fleet is updated. In the coming years, Vaigach and its twin vehicles will replace the icebreakers-atoms of a new generation ("Leader" and others). To understand the difference of generations of technology quite already following: "Vaigach's icebreaking ability at a standard velocity of 2 nodes aimed at split ice 2-3 meter thickness. New vessels can sail at a speed of 10 knots, while attacking 4-meter ice, "said the representative of the Russian atomic fleet.
He also added that new icebreakers are distinguished by the so-called "fuel efficiency" (although it is largely depends on the modernization of the nuclear reactor). In addition, the old ship, the greater the cost of annual service. A move in a conversation with an "Expert Online" for clarity has led such data: the operation of Vaigach is estimated at 6-8 million rubles a day. It is expected that new ships are more economical.
"Already now I need icebreakers who will go in the Arctic year-round," the chummers of Yevgeny Khodus stressed. The current generation of icebreakers needs "vacations": so, Vaigach floats for 10 months, and two is on shipping service.