Lenin (nuclear icebreaker)

IMO: 5206087

The nuclear-powered icebreaker Lenin (Russian Ленин ) is the first nuclear-powered icebreaker in the world, named after Lenin, one of the founders of the USSR.

The launch of the Lenin took place on December 5, 1957, the end of 1959, the ship was put into service. It was equipped with three nuclear reactors that drive the three propellers on four steam turbines, generators and electric motors.

The Lenin in 1989, decommissioned, because their outer shell was worn too thin Eisabrieb, and has since been in the port of Atomflot for nuclear-powered icebreaker in Murmansk. It is converted into a museum ship, whose first part was opened in May 2009 in Murmansk.

Current Exhibition

The Lenin houses (as of September 18, 2013 ) in the context of the fifth Moscow Biennale to confront an exhibition of Russian and Austrian artists who have been invited by the Austrian Embassy in Moscow and the Lentos with the nuclear-powered icebreaker.

Nuclear accidents

In February 1965, there was a LOCA (loss of coolant accident). After the switch-off to fuel swap was, probably by an oversight of the operator, the coolant of the second reactor removed before the fuel elements were removed. As a result some of the fuel rods are melted or deformed by the heat decomposition and loss of cooling.

After this accident, only 94 of the fuel could be removed and transferred to the nuclear service ship Lepse. The remaining 125 remain together with the control rods in the reactor vessel. This was developed as a unit, placed in a special container, solidified and initially stored for two years. The vessel in 1967 in the Tsivolki Bay (near Novaya Zemlya ) was sunk in the sea.

The second accident on board the nuclear icebreaker Lenin occurred in 1967, when the pipe system of the third reactor occurred a leak after it had been filled with new fuel rods. For the localization of the damage it was necessary to the biological shield of the reactor, consisting of concrete that was mixed with metal chips, to open with sledgehammers. This led to further damage to the reactor installation. After further examination, it was found that it was thus impossible to repair the damage.

After the accident until 1970, the three OK -150 reactors, each with 90 MW were replaced by two OK -900 reactors with 171 MW capacity. The first reactor OK -900 adopted on 22 April 1970 on the operation, the second reactor a day later. The repair and preparation for the operation lasted until 20 June. The OK -900 reactor plant remained in operation until the icebreaker was decommissioned in 1989. The spent nuclear fuel in 1990 removed from the reactors.