Training of Rooppur NPP experts on nuclear fuel management

A team of experts from Rooppur Nuclear Power Project received a three-week training on nuclear fuel management through the use of computer analysis tools at the VVER reactor.
The training course organized by the Rosatom Energy Department at the Rosatom Research Institute in Troitsk, Russia, was conducted by leading experts in the fields of theoretical physics, computational mathematics and modern engineering, the project's contractor, Russia's Rosatom, said in a press release on Tuesday (October 8) afternoon.
Bangladeshi engineers are specifically trained in the Reactor Fuel-Coolant Activity (RTOP-CA) code. This code enables the integrity of the nuclear fuel rods and the release of various substances resulting from the fission of uranium in the primary circuit of the VVER reactor. Through this training, experts gain detailed knowledge about the behavior of nuclear fuel under unusual conditions.

Director General of Rosatom Research Institute Kirill Ilin said, “One of the important issues for international nuclear power plants is the training of officials and experts. The use of computer stimulation tools is a part of modern training programs. This topic is seriously presented in our program. The training included lectures, review of technical documents and practical activities on fuel rod integrity monitoring”.
Mohammad Sharifuddin, Head of Fuel Rod Jacket Spectrometry and Monitoring Department, Rooppur NPP said, “The training was a great opportunity to improve our skills. All lectures, assignments, tutorials in the program were relevant, easy to understand and relevant to our work”.
At the end of the training, the Bangladeshi engineers take an exam and after successfully passing, they are awarded the RTOP-CA user certificate.
RTOP-CA code is introduced for in-process monitoring of fuel rod jackets. With this, it is possible to predict the behavior of fuel rods due to fission reactions and the behavior of various substances released into the coolant (cooling medium) of the primary circuit of the VVER nuclear reactor.
Rosatom has been regularly providing training to Rooppur Nuclear Power Project experts. According to the agreement, 1,500 Bangladeshi engineers will get the opportunity to complete training and internship at various facilities of Rosatom in Russia. Already, about 800 people have received such training under Rosatom Technical Academy.
It should be noted that Bangladesh's first nuclear power plant is being built in Rooppur with the technical and financial support of Russia. The project will have two power units and have a total generating capacity of 2,400 MW. Each unit will be equipped with 3+ generation Russian VVER-1200 reactors capable of meeting all international safety requirements. Rosatom Engineering Wing is executing the project as General Designer and Contractor.