As part of the contracts, components that were not previously produced in Russia will be manufactured and delivered, for example, a propeller shaft 18 m long with a propeller 7.5 m in diameter and weighing 107.5 tons, a plunger-type steering engine with improved performance and a rudder stock 9 m long

Atomenergomash (AEM, the engineering division of Rosatom) will manufacture unique equipment for the most powerful icebreaker in the world, the Leader. As the AEM press service reported on Thursday, a corresponding agreement was concluded with the Zvezda shipbuilding complex (Bolshoy Kamen, Primorsky Krai), where the icebreaker is being built.

As part of the contracts, components that were not previously produced in Russia will be manufactured and delivered, for example, a propeller shaft 18 m long with a propeller 7.5 m in diameter and weighing 107.5 tons, a plunger-type steering engine with improved performance and a rudder stock 9 m long. Equipment will be manufactured at the specialized enterprise "AEM-propulsion" (a branch of Atomenergomash), engaged in the production and supply of elements of the propulsion system for ships of various purposes and classes.

"Due to the unique weight, size and power characteristics of the new most powerful in the world - Russian icebreaker "Leader", "AEM-Propulsion" will have to develop a chain of work for the manufacture of individual components of the equipment supplied, as well as master the production of elements of the shaft line and steering gear, according to their dimensions and technical characteristics that have no analogues in the world," said Vladimir Aptekarev, shipbuilding director of Atomenergomash.

The propulsion system of a ship is a hydraulic-mechanical system that includes a ship's hull and a propulsion unit that converts engine energy into hull movement. The propulsion plant is the executive part of the main power plant. In the most general case, it consists of propellers, shaft lines, main ship gears and main engines.

The Leader (project 10510) nuclear icebreaker will become the most powerful icebreaker in the world. The length of the future nuclear-powered ship is 209.2 m with a maximum width of 48 m. The total draught is more than 71 thousand tons. The power on the shafts is 120 MW. In accordance with the terms of reference, the icebreakers of this project will overcome ice at least 4 m thick while constantly moving at a minimum speed, respectively, the steering engine shall have a high torque.

The Leader will be equipped with two RITM-400 reactors with a capacity of 315 MW. The complete supplier of the ship's nuclear power plant is OKBM Afrikantov (an enterprise of Rosatom, Nizhny Novgorod). The main task of the Leader-class icebreakers will be to ensure year-round navigation along the Northern Sea Route and conduct expeditions to the Arctic. Due to the increased width of the hull, it is planned to pilot large-capacity vessels.

The lead nuclear-powered icebreaker of Project 10510 was named Rossiya (Russia).

Source: TASS