Nuclear icebreakers of Russia. Nuclear icebreaker

Russia has the world's only nuclear icebreaker fleet, designed to solve the problems of ensuring a national presence in the Arctic based on the use of advanced nuclear achievements. With its appearance, the real development of the Far North began. The main activities of Rosatomflot (an enterprise of the State Corporation "Rosatom") are: icebreaking support for the passage of ships in the waters of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) to the freezing ports of the Russian Federation; ensuring high-latitude research expeditions; ensuring emergency rescue operations in ice in the waters of the Northern Sea Route and non-Arctic freezing seas. In addition, the company carries out maintenance and repair work of general ship and special purpose both for our own needs and for third-party shipowners; participates in the implementation of work on environmental rehabilitation of the North-West region of Russia; and also operates tourist cruises to the North Pole, islands and archipelagos of the Central Arctic. Due to the characteristics of propulsion systems, one of the technical challenges is to ensure the safe handling of nuclear materials and radioactive waste.

In 2008, the Federal State unitary enterprise Atomflot became part of the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom on the basis of a Presidential Decree Russian Federation“On measures to create the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom” (No. 369 of March 20, 2008). Since August 28, 2008, ships with nuclear power plants and nuclear technology service ships have been transferred to it.

The nuclear icebreaker fleet currently includes: two nuclear icebreakers with a two-reactor nuclear power plant with a capacity of 75 thousand hp. (“Yamal”, “50 Years of Victory”), two icebreakers with a single-reactor installation with a capacity of about 50 thousand hp. (“Taimyr”, “Vaigach”), nuclear-powered lighter-container carrier “Sevmorput” with a reactor plant with a capacity of 40 thousand hp. and 5 technical service vessels. The nuclear icebreaker Sovetsky Soyuz is in operational reserve.

The history of the domestic nuclear icebreaker fleet dates back to December 3, 1959. On this day, the world's first nuclear-powered icebreaker, Lenin, was put into operation. Only with the advent of the nuclear icebreaker fleet in the 70s of the 20th century did the Northern Sea Route begin to take shape as a national transport artery in the Arctic. The commissioning of the nuclear icebreaker Arktika (1975) opened up year-round navigation in the western sector of the Arctic. At this stage of development of the Northern Sea Route, a key role was played by the formation of the Norilsk industrial region and the appearance of the year-round port of Dudinka on the route. Then the icebreakers “Sibir”, “Russia”, “Soviet Union”, “Taimyr”, “Vaigach”, “Yamal”, “50 Let Pobedy” were built. Their construction and operation for decades predetermined the technological advantages of our country in nuclear shipbuilding.

Today, the main work of Rosatomflot is related to ensuring the safety of navigation and stable navigation, including transit, along the Northern Sea Route. Transportation of hydrocarbon and other products to the markets of Asia and Europe along the NSR route can serve as a real alternative to existing transport links between the countries of the Atlantic and Pacific basins through the Suez and Panama Canals. It provides time savings: for example, the distance from the port of Murmansk to the ports of Japan via the Northern Sea Route is about 6 thousand miles, and through the Suez Canal - more than 12 thousand miles, respectively, the transit duration is, depending on weather conditions and ice conditions , approximately 18 and 37 days.

Largely thanks to the nuclear icebreaker fleet, significant cargo flow is recorded on the NSR route. In 2015, about 4 million tons of cargo were transported along the NSR. Thus, the volume of transportation increased by 2.7 times compared to 1998, when transportation reached its minimum (1.46 million tons). Gradually, the postings become more significant, and more work with specific, key customers and projects to be served until 2040. In 2016, the volume of cargo transportation along the Northern Sea Route amounted to more than 7.3 million tons, which is 35% more than in 2015. In 2017, 492 vessels with a total gross tonnage of 7,175,704 tons were escorted by nuclear icebreakers in the waters of the Northern Sea Route (for comparison, in 2016 - 410 vessels with a total gross tonnage of 5,288,284 tons).

Rosatomflot provides work to study the hydrometeorological regime of the seas and mineral resources of the Arctic shelf adjacent to the northern coast of the Russian Federation. Main customers: OJSC State Scientific Research Navigation and Hydrographic Institute; FSBI "Arctic and Antarctic research Institute", OJSC Sevmorneftegeofizika, OJSC Arktikmorneftegazrazvedka, OJSC Marine Arctic Geological Exploration Expedition. Nuclear-powered ships of Rosatomflot participate in supporting expeditions to the drifting polar station “North Pole”.

Nuclear icebreakers can stay on the Northern Sea Route for a long time without needing refueling. Currently, the operating fleet includes the nuclear-powered ships Rossiya, Sovetsky Soyuz, Yamal, 50 Let Pobedy, Taimyr and Vaygach, as well as the nuclear-powered lighter-container carrier Sevmorput. Their operation and maintenance is carried out by Rosatomflot, located in Murmansk.

1. Nuclear icebreaker - a sea 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-container ship were built.
In Russia, from 1991 to the present, two more nuclear icebreakers were built: Yamal (1993) and 50 Let Pobeda (2007). Construction is currently underway on three more nuclear icebreakers with a displacement of more than 33 thousand tons, ice-breaking capacity of almost three meters. The first of them will be ready by 2017.

3. Total on Russian nuclear icebreakers, as well as ships located at the base nuclear fleet Atomflot employs more than 1,100 people.

"Soviet Union" (nuclear-powered icebreaker of the "Arktika" class)

4. Icebreakers of the “Arctic” class are the basis of the Russian nuclear icebreaker fleet: 6 out of 10 nuclear icebreakers belong to this class. The ships have a double hull and can break ice, moving both forward and backward. These ships are designed to operate in cold Arctic waters, which makes operation difficult nuclear installation V 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 progress 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. While making a transpolar cruise, it was possible to install meteorological ice stations operating in automatic mode, as well as the American weather buoy.

6. Department of GTG (main turbogenerators). A nuclear reactor heats water, which turns into steam, which spins turbines, which energize generators, which generate electricity, which feeds 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 power plant control post (CPC). From the wheelhouse the general management of the icebreaker's work is carried out, and from the central control room the work is controlled power plant, mechanisms and systems and monitoring their operation.

9. The reliability of nuclear-powered ships of the Arctic 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. Wardroom for meals for command personnel. The enlisted mess is located one deck below. The diet consists of four full meals a day.

11. "Soviet Union" was put into operation in 1989, with a specified service life of 25 years. In 2008, the Baltic Shipyard supplied equipment for the icebreaker that allows it to extend the life of the vessel. Currently, the icebreaker is planned for restoration, but only after a specific customer has been 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 to allow the flight crew and helicopter to be based. "Arktika" was capable of breaking through ice, the thickness of which was five meters, and also moving at a speed of 18 knots. The unusual coloring of the vessel (bright red), which personified a new maritime era, was also considered a clear difference.

13. The nuclear icebreaker "Arktika" became famous for being the first ship that managed to reach the North Pole. It is currently decommissioned and a decision on its disposal is awaiting.

"Vaigach"

14. Shallow-draft nuclear icebreaker of the Taimyr project. Distinctive feature of this project icebreakers - reduced draft, allowing to serve ships traveling along 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 a tug surveillance camera, log indicators, echo sounders, a gyrocompass repeater, VHF radio stations, a control panel for windshield wipers, etc., a joystick for controlling a 6 kW xenon spotlight.

16. Machine telegraphs.

17. The main use of “Vaigach” is escorting 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 hp on the shafts. s., which will make it possible to force ice up to two meters thick. With an ice thickness of 1.77 meters, the icebreaker's speed is 2 knots.

19. Middle propeller shaft room.

20. The direction of movement of the icebreaker is controlled using 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. The cinema hall is used for general meetings and cultural events.

22. The office of the block cabin of the second first mate. The duration of stay of nuclear-powered ships at sea depends on the amount of planned work, 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. Marine Technology") in Helsinki commissioned by the Soviet Union. However, the equipment (power plant, etc.) on the ship was Soviet, and Soviet-made steel was used. The installation of nuclear equipment was carried out in Leningrad, where the icebreaker 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 of frozen water, destroying it with its own weight. A channel is formed behind the icebreaker through which ordinary sea vessels can move.

27. To improve ice-breaking capacity, the Taimyr is equipped with a pneumatic washing system that prevents the hull from sticking broken ice and snow. If the laying of a channel is slowed down due to thick ice, the trim and roll systems, which consist of tanks and pumps, come into play. Thanks to these systems, the icebreaker can tilt to one side or the other, lift the bow or stern higher. Such movements of the hull break up the ice field surrounding the icebreaker, allowing it to move on.

28. For painting external structures, decks and bulkheads, imported two-component acrylic-based enamels with increased resistance to weathering, resistant to abrasion and impact loads 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-rudder complex.

31. Installation of the blade.

32. Bolts securing the blade to the propeller hub; each of the four blades is secured with nine bolts.

33. Almost all vessels of the Russian icebreaker fleet are equipped with propellers manufactured at the Zvezdochka plant.

Nuclear icebreaker "Lenin"

34. This icebreaker, launched on December 5, 1957, became the world's first ship equipped with a nuclear power plant. Its most important differences were high level autonomy and power. During the first six years of use, the nuclear icebreaker covered more than 82,000 nautical miles, conducting over 400 vessels. 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 taken out of service and placed in permanent berth in Murmansk. Now there is a museum on the icebreaker, and work is underway to expand the exhibition.

36. The compartment in which there were two nuclear installations. Two dosimetrists went inside to measure the radiation level and monitor the operation of the reactor.

There is an opinion that it was thanks to “Lenin” that the expression “peaceful atom” was established. 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 passage of civilian ships.

37. Wheelhouse.

38. Main 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 Arctic-class icebreaker.

As a bonus, a couple of photos of Murmansk...

40. Murmansk is the world's largest city located beyond the Arctic Circle. It's on a rocky east coast 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 Murmansk port is the home port of the Sedov barque, the largest sailing ship in the world.

The Soviet Union broke the ice with nuclear icebreakers and had no equal. Nowhere in the world were there ships of this type - the USSR had absolute dominance in the ice. 7 Soviet nuclear icebreakers.

"Siberia"

This ship became a direct continuation of the Arctic-type nuclear installations. At the time of commissioning (1977), Sibir had the largest width (29.9 m) and length (147.9 m). The ship had a satellite communications system responsible for fax, telephone communications and navigation. Also present: a sauna, a swimming pool, a training room, a relaxation salon, a library and a huge dining room.
The nuclear-powered icebreaker "Sibir" went down in history as the first ship to carry out year-round navigation in the direction of Murmansk-Dudinka. He also became the second unit to reach the top of the planet, entering the North Pole.

"Lenin"

This icebreaker, launched on December 5, 1957, became the world's first ship equipped with a nuclear power plant. Its most important differences are a high level of autonomy and power. Already during its first use, the vessel demonstrated excellent performance, thanks to which it was possible to significantly increase the navigation period.
During the first six years of use, the nuclear-powered icebreaker covered more than 82,000 nautical miles, carrying over 400 ships. Later, "Lenin" will be the first of all ships to be north of Severnaya Zemlya.

"Arctic"

This nuclear-powered icebreaker (launched in 1975) 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. The unit was equipped with a medical unit, which included an operating room and a dental unit. All conditions were created on the ship to allow the flight crew and helicopter to be based.
"Arktika" was capable of breaking through ice, the thickness of which was five meters, and also moving at a speed of 18 knots. The unusual coloring of the vessel (bright red), which personified a new maritime era, was also considered a clear difference. And the icebreaker was famous for the fact that it was the first ship that managed to reach the North Pole.

"Russia"

This unsinkable icebreaker, launched in 1985), became the first of a series of Arctic nuclear installations, the power of which reaches 55.1 MW (75 thousand horsepower). The crew has at their disposal: the Internet, the Nature salon with an aquarium and living vegetation, a chess room, a cinema room, as well as everything else that was present on the Sibir icebreaker.
Main purpose of the unit: cooling nuclear reactors and use in the Northern Arctic Ocean. Since the ship was forced to constantly be in cold water, it could not cross the tropics to find itself in the Southern Hemisphere.

For the first time, this ship carried out a cruise voyage to the North Pole, specially organized for foreign tourists. And in the 20th century, a nuclear icebreaker was used to study the continental shelf at the North Pole.

The design feature of the Sovetsky Soyuz icebreaker, commissioned in 1990, is that it can be retrofitted into a battle cruiser at any time. Initially, the ship was used for Arctic tourism. While making a transpolar cruise, it was possible to install meteorological ice stations operating in automatic mode, as well as an American meteorological buoy from its board. Later, the icebreaker, stationed near Murmansk, was used to supply electricity to facilities located near the coast. The vessel was also used during research in the Arctic on the effects of global warming.

"Yamal"

The nuclear icebreaker Yamal was laid down in 1986 in the USSR, and it was launched after the death of the Soviet Union - in 1993. Yamal became the twelfth ship to reach the North Pole. In total, he has 46 flights in this direction, including one that was specially initiated to meet the third millennium. Several things happened on the ship emergency situations, including: a fire, the death of a tourist, and a collision with the Indiga tanker. The icebreaker was not damaged during the latest emergency, but a deep crack formed in the tanker. It was Yamal that helped transport the damaged ship for repairs.
Six years ago, the ice drift carried out a rather important mission: it evacuated archaeologists from the archipelago New Earth who reported their own distress.

"50 years of Victory"

This icebreaker is considered the most modern and largest of all existing ones. In 1989, it was founded under the name “Ural”, but since there was not enough funding, for a long time(until 2003) it stood unfinished. Only since 2007 the ship could be used. During the first tests, the nuclear icebreaker demonstrated reliability, maneuverability, and a top speed of 21.4 knots.
The ship's passengers have at their disposal: a music room, a library, a swimming pool, a sauna, a gym, a restaurant, and satellite TV.
The main task assigned to the icebreaker is escorting caravans in the Arctic seas. But the ship was also intended for Arctic cruises.

Nuclear icebreakers are a source of pride for a reason Russian fleet, because we are the only country in the world that owns such unique cars. In total, during the history of Russia and the USSR, 10 nuclear icebreakers were built in our country, 5 of which are now in service, and construction of three more nuclear icebreakers of Project 22220 is also underway.

On the one hand, it may seem that a nuclear icebreaker is too expensive a toy, but the entire course of history shows that the creation of convenient trade routes is a huge incentive for the development of countries and regions. It so happened that the main world trade routes always passed by our country. Of course, we had large trade routes, for example, the famous route “from the Varangians to the Greeks,” but was it really possible to compare it with the “Great Silk Road”, and in modern times, with the development of navigation, when the main trade moved to the world ocean, our country and was completely far from world trade. However, with the development of technology, Russia has the opportunity to realize its full potential as a transit route between Europe and China. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Trans-Siberian Railway was built, which connected Asia and Europe. Goods went from China to Russia and back, but railway quite limited throughput, and the cheapest mode of transportation of goods was sea.

Currently, the volume of trade between Europe and China is so huge that the Northern Sea Route (NSR) is an excellent alternative to traditional routes. If we compare the route through the Suez Canal and the Northern Sea Route, the speed of delivery of goods can decrease from 7 to 22 days, depending on the port of unloading. However, transit transportation of the NSR requires icebreaker support and appropriate infrastructure. And if our infrastructure is not very good yet, then with Icebreakers we would always have complete order, and the state’s attention to the construction of new ships of this type only emphasizes the importance of developing the Northern Sea Route, the main locomotive of which is Nuclear Icebreakers, iron giants capable of guiding merchant ships in the most difficult conditions.

The first nuclear icebreaker - Lenin

Before looking at the nuclear icebreakers currently floating, one cannot help but pay attention to the very first ship of this type, built in the USSR. Not only was it the first Icebreaker with a Nuclear power plant, it was generally the first ship in the world with a Nuclear power plant. The project was developed in 1953-55, it was laid down on August 25, 1956 at the Andre Marty Shipyard (Admiralty Shipyards), construction took 3 years and in December 1959 the Icebreaker Lenin was accepted by the Ministry of the Navy.

Already in the first years, the Icebreaker Lenin showed outstanding results, and its power and nuclear power plant made it possible to significantly extend the navigation period. The navigation autonomy was 12 months, which was also a very high indicator for ships of this class. However, despite the excellent results, the next nuclear icebreaker in the USSR was built almost 20 years later

Nuclear lighter carrier Northern Sea Route

"Sevmorput" is a unique ship. This is not just an icebreaker, but also a transport vessel, capable of independently delivering cargo without any wiring, if conditions permit, and the nuclear power plant provides it with high navigation autonomy. It was put into operation in 1988, but for a long time it did not work for its intended purpose, but transported cargo from Odessa to Vladivostok, and only after several years of such operation it was put on flights from Murmansk to Dudinka. In 2013, the unique ship was almost taken out of service, but a decision was made to restore the vessel. In May 2016, the updated nuclear lighter carrier set out on its next voyage.

Displacement tons - 61880

Length/Width/Height - 260.1 / 32.2 / 18.3

Power power plant mW (hp) - 29.4 (39436)

Taimyr

The very next year after the Northern Sea Route, the nuclear icebreaker Taimyr was put into operation, the main task of which was to guide transport ships to the mouths of Siberian rivers. The ship's hull was built by order of the USSR in Finland, and the power plant was installed in Leningrad and in 1989 the Taimyr was put into operation. In 2018, the initial life of the power plant will be exhausted, the possibility of extending the life will also be considered, and most likely it will be extended.

Displacement tons - 20,000

Length/Width/Height - 151.8 / 29.2 / 15.2

Power plant power mW (hp) - 18.4x2 (2x25000)

Each of the nuclear icebreakers of Russia has its own peculiarity, and the icebreaker "Soviet Union" has one very interesting point - it can be converted into a combat ship in the shortest possible time, and even it always has some part of the combat equipment on board in a mothballed state. Accepted for operation" Soviet Union"also in 1989. Since 2010, the icebreaker has been in storage; repairs and re-equipment required serious expenses and funding could only be obtained for serious purposes. In 2017, the Sovetsky Soyuz will resume voyages and its main task will be to supply the construction of Yamal The ship's lifespan has been extended to 150 thousand hours and this will at least ensure its operation until 2025.

Displacement tons - 22920

Draft - 11m

Maximum speed of knots - 20.8

Vaygach

The nuclear icebreaker "Vaigach" also has its own unique feature- thanks to its low landing, it can navigate not only on the open sea, but also enter the mouths of Siberian rivers. The ship's hull was built at the Finnish shipyard Holstrom Histalahti in 1989, after which it was towed to the Baltic Shipyard. Sergo Ordzhonikidze (No. 189), where the installation of the power plant was carried out and already in June 1990 the icebreaker was put into operation. Currently, Vaygach is in service at least until 2020.

Displacement tons - 20,700

Length/Width/Height - 152 / 29.2 / 15.2 m

Draft - 8.1 m

Power plant power mW (hp) - 18.4x2 (50000) hp.

Maximum speed of knots - 18.5

Yamal

The nuclear icebreaker "Yamal" was put into operation already in modern Russia in 1993. Its original name was " October Revolution", however, after the collapse of the union, they considered it inappropriate to give such a name to the ship and chose a more neutral option. At the moment, Yamal is not only engaged in escorting ships, but is also used as cruise ship To north pole, which is why a shark’s mouth is drawn on the front of the hull. Yamal will be in the fleet until 2022, and most likely its service life will be extended after the corresponding mechanisms are replaced.

Displacement tons - 23460

Length/Width/Height - 150 / 30 / 17.2

Draft - 11m

Power plant power mW (hp) - 27.6x2 (75000)

Maximum speed of knots - 21

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50 years of victory

"50 Years of Victory" is the newest Russian icebreaker, commissioned in 2007. It was 12 years late with its delivery date, and this is even evident from the name. The icebreaker was launched back in 1993, but there was simply no money for its completion and construction was frozen. Construction of the ship was resumed only in 2003 and it took 4 years to complete it. In 2016, “50 Years of Victory” set a kind of record by conducting a very late transit flight, which took place from December 21 to January 3, 2017. Just like the icebreaker Yamal, it makes cruise voyages to the North Pole and has already been there more than a hundred times.

Displacement tons - 23440

Length/Width/Height - 159.6 / 30 / 17.2

Draft - 11m

Power plant power mW (hp) - 27.6x2 (75000)

Maximum speed of knots - 20.8

Icebreakers of project 22220

Despite the presence of nuclear icebreakers in the Russian fleet, modern realities require an increase in the speed of transportation and it is for this purpose that Project 22220 LK-60Ya was developed from scratch, which has more high power turbines and also a modified and improved hull, which will allow navigation to more high speed, and also break through thicker ice cover than previous generation icebreakers did. The first icebreaker of the Arktika project has already been launched, commissioning is scheduled for 2019. In total, it is planned to build three icebreakers of the LK-60Ya project.

Displacement tons - 33540

Length/Width/Height - 173.3 / 34 / 15.2

Draft - 10.5 / 8.5

Power plant power mW (hp) - 35.4x2 (96000)

Maximum speed of knots - 22

Promising project - 10510 “Leader”

LK-110Ya is an extremely ambitious project that is gradually gaining momentum and taking shape. Several options have already been presented to the public appearance, and possible technical specifications, which seem simply fantastic. However, if you try to navigate along the Northern Sea Route for as long as possible, and the speed of transportation is made as fast as possible, then a vessel of this class is simply necessary. "Leader" will be able to break through ice up to 4 meters thick, and the maximum value of other icebreakers is at the moment this is 3m, and the speed will be no more than 2 knots with such ice thickness. It is expected that technical part The project will be completed in 2018.

Displacement tons - 71380

Length/Width/Height - 209 / 47.7 / 20.3

Draft - 13 m

Power plant power mW (hp) - 62.5x2 (170000)

Maximum speed of knots - 20.8