Journey to Murmansk. Nuclear icebreaker "Lenin"

Nuclear icebreakers are a unique phenomenon. They were built only in the USSR and the Russian Federation. Other major powers do not have such large territories in the Arctic. "Lenin" - the first nuclear-powered icebreaker - was a real breakthrough in the scientific and technical field. It has become a symbol of the Soviet era. To see it with your own eyes, and even more so to be on board, is the dream of many sailors, historians, and admirers of the Russian fleet. How did the atomic icebreaker "Lenin" appear? About this - further.

Construction history

The creation of the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" began in the year of Stalin's death, namely in 1953. Neganov was appointed chief designer. Afrikantov supervised the design, and Alexandrov was the supervisor.

When designing, specialists encountered difficulties in the layout of the engine room. This was due to the novelty of the equipment. The creators decided to make a model of the desired compartment out of wood. It was on it that the designers worked out layout options. At any time, everything could be redone without significant costs.

The nuclear-powered ship was laid down on August 25, 1956 in Leningrad. Chervyakov was appointed chief builder.

Various plants of the USSR took part in the creation of the nuclear-powered ship:

• Kirovsky produced ship turbines.
• Kharkov Electromechanical - main turbogenerators.
• Leningradsky - propeller motors.

Scientists from LIPAN were involved in the project. They not only dealt with the scientific side of the issue, but also had experience in engineering and manufacturing. LIPAN employees performed the most complex computational tasks.

The OK-150 installation began to be manufactured in 1955. Its creation has received the status of paramount importance. Supervised the work of the Africans. Everyone was working hard. Plant No. 92 switched to work in three shifts, no one took into account the personal time of workers. If the deadlines of the schedule were broken, penalties were imposed on those responsible. All arising errors were promptly eliminated. The price of such titanic work was "Lenin".

Main settings

The nuclear-powered ship "Lenin" was the first of its kind. Its displacement was sixteen thousand tons, excluding ballast. The longest dimension is one hundred and thirty-four meters, and the width is almost twenty-eight meters. The height of the ship is sixteen meters ten centimeters. In clear water, the ship reached a speed of nineteen and a half knots. The ship's draft was a little over ten meters.

Fleet of nuclear ships

Soviet minds quite successfully chose the field of application of the energy of the split nucleus. Icebreakers with nuclear power plants were safe and economical. However, the USSR was not the only one who decided on such experiments.

The USA was another state that was engaged in the construction of a vessel operating on the “peaceful atom”. Only they decided to create a passenger ship. Savannah served only seven years in the sixties of the last century. The Americans did not set a goal to achieve economic benefits from their creation. They just wanted to prove that they could build a ship with a nuclear power plant. They succeeded, but they did not develop the atomic program further.

The Soviet Union, on the contrary, did not stop at the construction of Lenin. Subsequently, a whole fleet of nuclear-powered ships was created. Vessels are divided into several classes:

• "Lenin";
• "Arctic";
• "Taimyr";
• LK-60Ya;
• LK-110Ya.

In winter, in the waters of the Arctic, the thickness of the ice reaches two and a half meters. Nuclear-powered ships can move through such water at a speed of eleven knots, or twenty kilometers per hour. A total of ten ships were built. Five of them are still in service.

The modern Russian Federation continues the construction of new icebreakers operating on the “peaceful atom”. In addition to their direct purpose, they carry out excursions. So, for several tens of thousands of US dollars, a person can take a cruise to the North Pole. He will spend about five days on the "top" of the planet. Then it will be delivered to Murmansk. Over the past twenty years, there have been about nine thousand such tourists. However, let's get back to the first icebreaker that brought the Arctic closer.

Design features

Many technical solutions of the first nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" were innovative at that time:

• Fuel economy. Instead of the huge amount of oil that was spent by other icebreakers per day, the nuclear-powered ship consumed only forty-five grams of nuclear fuel. This mass fit in a matchbox. In one voyage, the ship could go from the Arctic to Antarctica.
• Horsepower. There were three reactors on board, each more than three times the size of the world's first power plant. By the way, it was also built in the USSR. The total power of the installation reached forty-four horsepower.
• Ice system. The nuclear-powered ship had a special design of ballast tanks. They did not allow the nuclear-powered ship to get stuck in the ice. It worked in such a way that pumping water from one tank to another caused the vessel to rock. So the ice broke and moved apart. The same system was installed on the bow, in the stern.
• Radiation protection. There is a lot of controversy about the fact that the crew was exposed to severe radiation. In fact, he was protected from the effects of radiation by steel plates, a thick layer of water, concrete.

Launching

Despite the fact that the nuclear power plant was installed only in 1959, the launch of the Lenin nuclear icebreaker took place earlier, namely in 1957. The nuclear reactor was launched only two years after the descent.

The nuclear-powered ship set off for sea trials in 1959. In the same year, it was handed over to the Ministry of the Navy, and the following year it became part of the Murmansk Shipping Company.

Years of operation

After the descent of the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin", its operation began. In the first years, he showed excellent performance. The nuclear-powered ship had good ice-breaking ability. During the first six years of service, he traveled more than 80,000 nautical miles. He led more than 400 ships behind him. For the entire period of service, he passed in the ice more than 500 thousand miles.

In 1971, the Lenin nuclear icebreaker passed from Murmansk to Pevek north of Severnaya Zemlya. He worked for thirty years. It was taken out of service in 1989.

Serious accidents

During the long years of service on the 1st nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" there were two serious accidents:

• 1965 - partial damage to the reactor core. The fuel was partially placed at the Lepse floating technical base. The rest of the fuel was unloaded and placed in a container. Two years later, the fuel container was flooded in Tsivolki, a bay to the east of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.
• 1967 - a leak in one of the pipelines of the reactor. During the liquidation of the leak, the equipment of the installation was seriously damaged. The entire reactor compartment was replaced. The fuel was partially placed on the same floating technical base. The Tsivolki Bay was replenished with a reactor plant that was flooded, like the fuel.

It is hardly possible to call the flooding of nuclear waste a concern for the environment. The installation of a new reactor plant on the Lenin nuclear icebreaker was completed only in 1970.

Place of eternal parking

The ship, which the Soviet Union was proud of, was not decommissioned for metal, despite the fact that it has not been operating since 1989. Where is the Lenin nuclear icebreaker located? Murmansk accepted him for eternal parking. It can be found at the pier of the maritime station.

Captains

During the period of operation, the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" had two captains. The first was Pavel Ponomarev, who took part in the development of the nuclear-powered ship. He was born back in 1896, lived for seventy-seven years. He was a famous navigator, captain of the Yermak icebreaker. During World War II, he conducted ice operations in the Baltic. He was appointed captain in 1957. He remained in office only until 1961. He was suspended for health reasons. At least that's the official version.

Boris Sokolov became the second captain of the Lenin nuclear icebreaker. He was born in 1927 and lived for seventy-three years. His father was a carpenter. Boris Sokolov studied in Leningrad, at the Higher Arctic Naval School. During his practice, he sailed on many ships, including icebreakers. Since 1959, he became the understudy of the captain of the Lenin, and two years later he was appointed a full captain.

During his command, the crew of the nuclear-powered ship completed all of its most important missions:

• Passed into the Chukchi Sea, an area of ​​heavy ice.
• He built the North Pole station, which could drift.
• He placed sixteen radio meteorological stations near the multi-year ice, which functioned automatically. One of the drifting radio meteorological stations was installed beyond the eightieth parallel, when the polar night reigned.
• Carried out an experimental voyage for the export of ore from the port of Dudinka.

On the captain's bridge, Boris Makarovich led many ships through the ice. Thanks to his efforts, the nuclear-powered ship was preserved for posterity. Under him, it was transformed into a museum.

Since 2001, Alexander Barinov has been the captain of the no longer floating nuclear-powered ship.

Museum opening

The world's first nuclear-powered icebreaker "Lenin" has been preserved for posterity in the form of a museum. It has been welcoming visitors since 2009. In order to visit it, it is enough to come to the pier and wait for a group of people to gather. On weekends, this takes about thirty minutes.

Unforgettable excursion

The ship, which most Soviet schoolchildren heard about, settled down for eternal rest in the Kola Bay. It is not loaded, so the waterline is visible high above the water.

You can read about the history of the atomic icebreaker "Lenin" at the museum on the stand, which is on the pier. There is also a photograph of the first captain on it.

To get on the nuclear-powered ship itself, you need to go to the floating pier. From it, along the ladder, people go to the ship. A symbol is visible on the hull, which makes it clear what fuel the icebreaker ran on. It can be called a symbol of "peaceful atom".

If you climb aboard, you can see the Kola Bay. Abram-Cape is located on the other side. After entering the ship, there is a museum ticket office and a souvenir shop. Among other things, you can buy a book on navigation and the Soviet era. For example, they sell Soviet primers and models of an icebreaker.

From the main hall there are two ladders built symmetrically. On them you can climb to the upper tier. Opposite them is a bronze bas-relief depicting a map of the Soviet Arctic. You can estimate what places the ship sailed for three decades.

The interior of the nuclear-powered ship is impressive. In the corridors, cabins - wood trim well done. If you lag behind the tour, you can get lost in a large number of similar corridors. That is why single visitors are not allowed into the museum, but they are led in small groups with escort. The downside is that the guide shows a small part of the nuclear-powered ship.

In the dining room, all chairs are well-attached to the floor. And this is not surprising, since the icebreaker could get into a storm. Then all loose furniture would fly around the hall, hitting the crew members. There is a piano in the dining room. In addition, it served as a cinema hall, as a white screen hangs on the wall.

The tour also visits the nuclear reactor compartment. Lead protects him. However, now this is not required, since the equipment was dismantled before the nuclear-powered ship was withdrawn from the fleet. For entourage, there are mannequins in chemical protection suits near the compartment. You can look at the nuclear reactor on the layout.

There is a beautiful view from the wheelhouse. You can see Murmansk, and once from the window of the ship you could see completely different landscapes. This arctic ice, the North Pole, northern lights, the coast of Chukotka and much more. Unforgettable must be the spectacle of a searchlight that cut through the darkness of the polar night.

On the table in the wheelhouse lies a ship's log dated 1986. For some, this is a long history. No wonder, since more than thirty years have passed since then. There is a radio room next door. It is she who is responsible for external communication. "Lenin" kept in touch with ports and other ships.

In the wardroom, a carved wooden panel hangs on the wall. It depicts the Arctic. Perhaps it hung here when Yuri Gagarin, Fidel Castro and others visited the nuclear-powered ship famous people. The icebreaker itself is also depicted on the panel. Next is the captain's mate's cabin. It contains a bust of Lenin, whose name the nuclear-powered ship bears. There is a chessboard and a piano in the leisure room.

After walking through the compartments, cabins and intricate corridors, it's nice to go outside again. If there is time left, you can take another look at the ship and make sure that it is not in vain that it is considered the most striking symbol of the development of the Arctic.

Although the first nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" (launched in 1957) was withdrawn from the fleet back in 1989, there is a crew on board. It is no longer as numerous as before.

In the old days, the crew consisted of two hundred and forty-three people. They could sail for a full calendar year in the Arctic without touching the shore. It was a real city on the water. The ship even provided for a hospital. The doctors had an X-ray machine and an operating room at their disposal. In the middle of the last century, this applied to advanced technologies.

The nuclear-powered ship's chief mechanic, Vladimir Kondratiev, was fond of photography. During the years of sailing, he took many pictures. You can see them at the exhibition of photographs of the Arctic.

During construction and immediately after the descent of the Lenin nuclear icebreaker, many famous people visited it. Among them, one can single out Harold Macmillan, Richard Nixon. One of the photos shows Fidel Castro, who visited Murmansk. He examines the model ship with interest.

The ship was used for filming the disaster film Icebreaker, released in 2016. The plot tells about real events. Only they happened with the ship "Mikhail Somov". The crew spent one hundred and thirty-three days among the ice in anticipation of rescue. This story took place in 1985.

On November 20, 1953, the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted Resolution No. 2840-1203 on the development of the world's first nuclear-powered icebreaker designed for use in the Arctic. The Decree of August 18, 1954 specified the task of creating an atomic icebreaker in terms of terms, stages and main performers of the work. The organizers of the creation of the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" were the Minister of the shipbuilding industry of the USSR V.A. Malyshev, Deputy Minister of the Shipbuilding Industry of the USSR A.M. Fokin, Deputy Minister of the Navy of the USSR A.S. Kolesnichenko, chiefs of the Main Northern Sea Route V.F. Burkhanov, A.A. Afanasiev.

The general scientific management of the project for the creation of the atomic icebreaker "Lenin" was carried out by the outstanding nuclear physicist Academician Anatoly Petrovich Alexandrov. The initiators of the creation of a ship nuclear power plant were the founders of the national nuclear energy Academicians Igor Vasilievich Kurchatov and Anatoly Petrovich Alexandrov. Under their leadership, young scientists N.S. Khlopkin, B.G. Pologih, Yu.V. Sivintsev and others performed theoretical calculations for a nuclear reactor.

The nuclear power plant was developed by the OKBM (Experimental Design Bureau of Mechanical Engineering), headed by a prominent domestic scientist Igor Ivanovich Afrikantov, the Central Design Bureau, in its modern name, the Iceberg Central Design Bureau, was appointed the general designer of the nuclear-powered ship. Vasily Ivanovich Neganov became the chief designer.

Leading industry experts B.Ya. Gnesin, A.I. Brandaus, N.K. Gorbatenko, N.A. Agafonov, P.P. Berezin, N.M. Tsarev, A.M. Shamatov, V.I. Shiryaev, G.A. Gladkov, D.V. Kaganov, Yu.N. Koshkin and others. The designers and builders of the icebreaker were assisted by Academician Yu.A. Shimansky, professor A.A. Kudyumov, N.E. Putov, Yu.G. Derevianko, G.I. Kopyrin, E.V. Tovstykh, N.G. Bykov, A.M. Zagyu etc.

The nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" was laid down on July 17, 1956 at the Southern slipway of the Admiralty Shipyard in Leningrad.

The employees of the Admiralty Plant also made a great contribution to the implementation of the project. Under the leadership of chief engineer N.I. Pirogov, a group of leading designers and technologists worked: A.A. Gaisenok, V.V. Malenkov, B.I. Stepanov, Yu.A. Petrov, N.S. Drozdovskaya and others.

The team of icebreaker builders was headed by V.I. Chervyakov. Construction engineers E.N. worked with him. Pitonov, V.N. Barabanov, K.V. Verakso, V.L. Gurevich, B.A. Nemchonok, I.S. Drabkin and others.

Only at the stages of design and construction of the vessel, about 500 rationalization proposals were introduced, 76 new types of mechanisms were developed and over 150 new types of ship equipment were tested. More than 500 enterprises of the USSR took part in the construction of the icebreaker.

The architectural and layout solutions and design of the premises of the atomic icebreaker "Lenin" were made on the basis of a thorough functional, ergonomic and aesthetic analysis by the creative team of the Architectural and Art Bureau of the Ministry of Transport Engineering of the USSR, created in 1946, the head and chief architect of which until 1956 was Yuri Borisovich Solovyov .

On December 5, 1957, the Lenin nuclear icebreaker was launched. The start date for state tests is November 26, 1959. Upon completion of state tests - on December 3, 1959 - an act of the State Commission on the commissioning of a new ship was signed. Now this day is annually celebrated as a professional holiday for nuclear fleet members, the starting point for the development of Russia's nuclear icebreaker fleet.

The nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" became part of the Murmansk State Arctic Shipping Company (after a series of reorganizations, since 1967 - the Murmansk Shipping Company), which was subordinate to the Ministry of the Sea and River Fleet of the USSR.

On May 6, 1960, the Lenin nuclear icebreaker arrived at its home port of Murmansk. Since that time, his labor watch began. For thirty years of work in the Arctic, the Lenin nuclear icebreaker has piloted 3,741 ships, traveled 654,400 nautical miles, 560,600 of them in ice, which is comparable in distance to thirty round-the-world voyages along the equator.

During the entire period of operation in 1959-1989, the Lenin nuclear icebreaker participated in 26 navigations.

Main achievements and records of the period of operation:

• October 17, 1961 - for the first time a drifting research station was landed on an ice floe from a ship. A team of winterers and expeditionary equipment of the drifting research station "North Pole-10" delivered the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" to an ice floe in the Chukchi Sea. The station was opened on October 17, 1961 - the day the XXII Congress of the CPSU began. Sailors and polar explorers reported this in a welcoming telegram sent to the delegates of the party congress.

A scientific expedition of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute also worked on this voyage on the icebreaker. On the way back, the course was laid at high latitudes, north of the New Siberian Islands, and the crew completed another important task: from the nuclear-powered ship, along the entire boundary of multi-year ice, DARMS were placed - drifting automatic radio meteorological stations.

Previous polar stations were landed only with the help of aircraft, which was much more difficult and expensive. The nuclear-powered ship with its high ice-breaking ability and autonomy offered perfect solution tasks. It is much easier to find a suitable ice floe from a ship, you can get close to it, unload a huge amount of cargo, any equipment, including road vehicles, onto the ice. From now on, getting to the landing site, polar explorers could live in comfortable conditions on board a large ship, use powerful equipment and practically unlimited energy reserves. And, most importantly, it became possible to equip polar stations for safe long wintering and efficient work, not limited to the most necessary.

In the following decades, the practice of landing on ice floes and evacuating drifting research stations using nuclear-powered icebreakers became regular. The nuclear-powered icebreakers Arktika, Sibir, Rossiya, and Yamal took over from the Lenin nuclear-powered icebreaker.

• November 14 - December 1, 1970 - the first extended for winter period navigation in the Arctic. An outstanding voyage of the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" took place, which provided escort in the ice for the diesel-electric ship "Gizhiga" on the route Murmansk - Dudinka - Murmansk on the sea section of the Northern Sea Route.

The first voyage extended for the winter period was aimed at determining the conditions and prospects for piloting transport ships in the western region of the Arctic in late autumn and early winter. The urgency of solving this problem was due to the development of the industrial activities of the Norilsk Mining and Metallurgical Combine and, as a result, the rapid growth in freight turnover.

This flight marked new stage in the history of polar navigation. The number of vessels on the route was steadily increasing, navigations were gradually getting longer. After that, in the 1970s, a number of voyages of transport ships, accompanied by nuclear-powered ships, were undertaken with the aim of maximizing the duration of navigation in the western region of the Northern Sea Route, up to the year-round, which was first carried out in 1978 and was provided by nuclear-powered icebreakers. "Lenin", "Arktika" and "Siberia".

• May 26 - June 22, 1971 - the first ultra-early high-latitude through voyage along the Northern Sea Route - the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" and the diesel-electric icebreaker "Vladivostok" passed from Murmansk to the Far Eastern port of Pevek.

The participants of the voyage were tasked to lead a diesel-electric icebreaker to the eastern region of the Arctic in the shortest possible time, which was extremely necessary to ensure summer navigation on this section of the Northern Sea Route. After the arrival of the icebreaking caravan to its destination, the Lenin nuclear-powered icebreaker also took an active part in escorting Far Eastern ships through the ice. During the through navigation, the features of the high-latitude routes of the Northern Sea Route were studied. The icebreakers passed north of Novaya Zemlya, left Severnaya Zemlya and the New Siberian Islands to the south, descended to Cape Shelagsky, and, having broken the fast ice of the Chaun Bay, arrived in Pevek.

This was the beginning of the transit transportation of goods along the entire route of the Northern Sea Route with the provision of escort of transport ships in high latitudes by nuclear-powered ships.

• The nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" has become a kind of laboratory for testing new scientific ideas and technologies in the field of marine nuclear energy. A unique experience in the use of a nuclear power plant was accumulated and personnel were trained for its operation on new ships of the nuclear icebreaker fleet. On April 10, 1974, for a great contribution to the Arctic transportation of national economic cargo and the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, the Lenin nuclear icebreaker was awarded the highest award of the USSR - the Order of Lenin.
• March 1976 - the voyage of the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" with the diesel-electric ship "Pavel Ponomarev", which delivered cargo for gas producers to Cape Kharasavey of the Yamal Peninsula, went down in history as "the first Yamal experimental" and marked the beginning of winter-spring postings on the Yamal Peninsula, which carried out with the provision of nuclear icebreakers to this day.

It was in the 1970s, with the active participation of the nuclear icebreaker fleet, that unique transport and logistics schemes for the sea delivery of supplies were formed to ensure the exploration, development and operation of oil and gas fields.

Special attention deserves the technology of performing cargo operations on ice for further delivery of cargo to the shore by land transport. Fast ice is relatively even and completely motionless ice, firmly soldered into a solid shore. It is formed on rivers, and on lakes, and on the seas, starting to grow in autumn and reaching its greatest thickness and strength by spring.

Thus, a unique experience was gained in the delivery of goods to the Arctic coast that was not equipped with berths, and a reduction in the dependence of the delivery of supply goods on seasonality was achieved, which reduced the costs of performing various works directly in the places of exploration and development of deposits. These operations are an important achievement of our country in the field of shipping in the Arctic.

• The first among the nuclear icebreakers reached the annual limit of continuous operation: the voyage to navigation lasted 390 days in 1977-1978.

During the operation from 1959 to 1989. the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" was repeatedly modernized, and the most ambitious was the reconstruction associated with the complete replacement of the nuclear power plant (hereinafter referred to as the nuclear power plant).

Initially, the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" was equipped with a nuclear power plant of the OK-150 type, which included three nuclear reactors, four turbogenerator units, each turbine of which was connected to two double-anchor generators direct current. A fairly complex nuclear power plant was adopted so that if one or two elements of the installation failed, the icebreaker would not lose speed.

In the process of trial operation of the nuclear power plant of the Lenin icebreaker, its design flaws, problems in the configuration and layout of equipment were revealed. In addition, cases of equipment failure were noted. During trial operation, it also turned out that the steam turbine plant of the icebreaker was oversaturated with steam-driven mechanisms, which were located in two engine rooms, two power plants, two feed pump rooms and in the auxiliary boiler room - a total of 37 units. The practice of pilot operation of the icebreaker showed that with such a layout of the nuclear power plant, work in echelon mode is impossible due to the imbalance of working media between the echelons, which deprived the nuclear power plant of maneuverability.

The experimental nuclear power plant of the icebreaker corresponded to the technical capabilities of the domestic industry and the level of scientific knowledge of the 1950s. Over the ten years that have elapsed since the construction of the Lenin nuclear icebreaker, experience has been accumulated in the design and operation of nuclear power plants, nuclear submarine installations and land-based nuclear power plants. Therefore, on the proposal of the Ministries of Medium Machine Building, Shipbuilding Industry and the Navy of the USSR, the Council of Ministers of the USSR, by Decree No. 148-62 of February 18, 1967, decided to completely replace the OK-150 nuclear plant with an OK-900 type plant, technical project which was developed for the new linear icebreakers of project 1052 (Arktika type).

The replacement of the nuclear power plant of the atomic icebreaker "Lenin" took place in 1967-1970 at the Zvyozdochka enterprise in Severodvinsk. The development of the project was entrusted to the Iceberg Central Design Bureau, the execution of the work was entrusted to the Admiralty Plant. The leadership of the Minsudprom proposed to develop a method for the aggregate removal of the entire nuclear plant assembly without violating its tightness.

After studying several options for unloading the reactor compartment, two of the most realistic ones were worked out: aggregate dismantling using a pontoon with a carrying capacity of 4,000-4,500 tons or a method of free discharge at a disposal site using shaped charges. The first option made it possible to reduce costs compared to dismantling by detail. However, to use it, the cost of money and time could be significant, so the second option was adopted - discharge through the bottom. At the same time, the desirability of unloading, together with the compartment, those structures and equipment that had radioactive operational contamination and could not be used in a new nuclear installation was taken into account. CPS rooms were added to the compartment of the nuclear steam generating plant - the reactor control and protection system, thermal control sensors, helical pumps, part of the double bottom with active water waste tanks located here. The weight of the unloaded complex was 3,700 tons, dimensions 22.5 x 13 x 12 m. This option was approved by the USSR Ministry of Health by decision No. U-4856s of November 24, 1966.

The main problem for the implementation of the free discharge of the compartment was the task of almost instantaneous disconnection of it from the retaining hull structures. The removal of the compartment with a nuclear power plant was preceded by research and design solutions for a complex of unusual tasks for shipbuilding. In 1967, a team of developers received an author's certificate for the method of unloading the reactor compartment of a ship's nuclear steam-producing installation.

Dismantling work in the compartment unloading area continued from 8 to 19 September 1967. At the same time, the icebreaker was located above the burial site of the reactor compartment. Disconnection from the hull of the icebreaker of the part of the bottom to be removed together with the nuclear plant was carried out by divers using a gazebo, wound under the hull of the vessel. Underwater electric cutting of the bottom plating with a perimeter of about 60 m was completed in two days. Then the cut was sealed with foam rubber with a tarpaulin, which made it possible to pump out water from the central compartment and start cutting power bulkheads. The middle part of the power longitudinal bulkheads was cut manually, the lower part was cut using a remotely controlled device. Cutting the lower part of the power bulkhead was the most crucial moment preceding the detonation of the charges, since the compartment was held in the hull by the upper sections of four bulkheads, each about 2.3 m high, designed to be detonated by shaped charges. If there were internal cracks in at least one of the jumpers, its strength could be violated, and the compartment with a mass of 3,700 tons would have wedged into the icebreaker's hull due to skew. Therefore, upper and lower stops were installed to prevent the compartment from skewing, a special trigger device that guides the compartment when it exits the housing, and for the simultaneous operation of all shaped charges, several power supply circuits were connected to each fuse. At the time of the explosion of the shaped charges, only the rescue parties and the commission that led the unloading of the compartment remained on the icebreaker.

The kinematics of the compartment movement as it left the icebreaker's hull was studied on a 1:50 scale model in the basin of the Central Research Institute. Academician A.N. Krylov. The action of shaped charges was tested at the Military Engineering Academy. F.E. Dzerzhinsky and at the Central Research Institute of Metallurgy and Welding of SMEs on natural samples of steel 36 mm thick and on mock-ups in 1:5 of natural thickness.

After the explosion of the charges, the compartment left the hull of the icebreaker, the ship floated smoothly, the splash of water on the deck was insignificant. During the entire operation, a backup diesel generator (RDG) was operating, providing consumers with electricity.

The compartment was unloaded on September 19, 1967. During unloading, the strength and water tightness of the main longitudinal and transverse bulkheads of the icebreaker's hull were not violated. The trigger guide remained in good condition. Such an aggregate unloading of the icebreaker's reactor compartment made it possible to reduce the time for dismantling the installation and the costs for it, to eliminate the inevitability of radiation exposure of personnel. The economic effect of the introduction of this original way amounted to more than 2 million rubles. Before removing the reactor compartment, the cores were unloaded from all reactors, and their remaining volumes were filled with furfural; the remaining equipment is deactivated, the removable compartment is sealed.

After unloading the compartment, the Lenin nuclear icebreaker was towed to Murmansk. Towing was carried out with a carved bottom at a speed of no more than 9 knots, since the outboard water, which was in the central compartment of the icebreaker, had a strong hydrodynamic effect on the watertight bulkheads.

On September 26, 1967, the icebreaker arrived at the port, on October 5 it was docked in the village of Roslyakovo, the nearest suburb of Murmansk. On November 16, 1967, the bottom of the icebreaker in the dock was restored, and on November 20, all work related to the installation of outboard reinforcement under the new project was completed.

The nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" after preparation for the sea passage was towed to the shipyard "Zvezdochka" in Severodvinsk and placed at the wall of the enterprise for the installation of a new reactor plant of the OK-900 type and its servicing systems.

It was necessary to complete the work by the centenary of the birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin. As this date approached, the pace of work became faster, since 1969 they have been carried out around the clock, in three shifts, and the daily number of specialists involved exceeded 1,000 people. And on the very eve of the holiday date - April 21, 1970, at 23:30 - the first test launch of the new nuclear power plant of the Lenin icebreaker was carried out.

April 22, 1970 both reactors new installation were brought to the energy level of power. Comprehensive tests of the OK-900 nuclear power plant began with the icebreaker moored at the plant wall. In May, the icebreaker passed sea trials. On June 20, 1970, an acceptance certificate was signed, and on June 21, 1970, the Lenin nuclear icebreaker again entered the Arctic navigation.

In the process of improvement, the installation became not only more powerful, but also more compact and maintainable, it became possible to abolish the constant maintenance of a number of watches. The crew size has decreased by 30%, and the cost of consumed energy has been reduced by almost half. The project of the modernized nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" received the number 92M.

In total, during the modernization, 6,200 units of new mechanisms and equipment were installed, of which more than 30 head samples of the main equipment. As a result of complex installation work on fitting and docking a new reactor plant into the icebreaker's hull, a little less than a third of 675 technical rooms - 204 - were re-formed or completely re-equipped.

Over the years of operation, due to objective necessity, the Lenin nuclear icebreaker regularly upgraded safety and life support systems - ventilation, radiation monitoring, fire extinguishing, and many others. Rescue equipment, communication equipment, dosimetric control equipment, equipment for the catering unit, medical unit, sanitary facilities, etc. were repeatedly updated.

The nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" was decommissioned in 1989, at the same time nuclear reactors were mothballed, propellers were dismantled and an ice reconnaissance helicopter was removed.

The decision to terminate the operation of the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" was made at the end of 1989 as a result of an assessment of the total state of the hull and ship structures after 26 navigations worked out. And although the OK-900 nuclear power plant continued to operate flawlessly, it was taken into account that 25 years of the design life of the icebreaker hull had been exhausted. In accordance with the decision of the State Commission of the Council of Ministers of the USSR adopted in April of the same year, comprehensive tests and studies of the reactor pressure vessel and other equipment were planned in order to identify their maximum resource capabilities. Thus, the navigation operation of the icebreaker ceased, and the pilot operation, related to the study of the resource of equipment in the interests of the future nuclear fleet, was developed.

Experiments and research have played a positive role in preserving the unique vessel, temporarily suspending the decision to decommission it from the fleet. But there were no guarantees for the complete preservation of the vessel, despite its uniqueness. The maintenance of a ship, even frozen at the quay wall, is expensive, which became a heavy financial burden for the Murmansk Shipping Company during the crisis period of the early 1990s.

The nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" was saved from the inglorious fate of being scrapped - or, as they say in the Navy, "on pins and needles" - only thanks to a wide public campaign to preserve the legendary ship. Its initiators were, first of all, the captain of the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" Boris Makarovich Sokolov and the head of the radio station of the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin", the then well-known writer Vitaly Semenovich Maslov in the Kola North.

A letter with a call to preserve the historic ship was sent to the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and a problem group was created at the regional Cultural Fund to study the prospects for a nuclear icebreaker after the cessation of its active operation. It included sailors, technical specialists, and journalists.

In late 1989 - early 1990s, the country's leadership received a number of appeals from prominent scientists and public figures, united by the idea of ​​the need to preserve the Lenin nuclear icebreaker: a letter from academicians G.I. Marchuk, E.P. Velikhov and A.P. Alexandrov to the President of the USSR M.S. Gorbachev; the petition of the workers of the Admiralty Plant; collective appeal of a representative group of public figures, including not only academicians, but also major organizers of science - presidents of scientific and engineering societies that are members of a single Union, deputies of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and heads of the Academies of Sciences of the Byelorussian and Ukrainian SSR, to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR N.I. . Ryzhkov dated February 5, 1990 and many others.

On February 29, 2000, on the initiative of Boris Makarovich Sokolov and under the leadership of Anatoly Vasilievich Aleksandrovich, the Lenin Nuclear Icebreaker Support Fund was established. This non-profit association managed to coordinate the actions of people who saw the nuclear ship as a unique museum. The Foundation continues to work actively today.

Professional museum activity on board the nuclear-powered ship began after the transfer of the nuclear icebreaker fleet to the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom.

On May 5, 2009, the icebreaker was brought to the seaport of the city of Murmansk and began its transformation into a modern exhibition center.

Permanent exposition: includes 17 ship premises - a wardroom with a display of music and smoking salons; crew canteen; nasal turbogenerator (engine) compartment; PEZh (energy and survivability post) - nuclear power plant control center; the medical unit, which includes a demonstration of the operating room, laboratory, X-ray and dental rooms; a post for monitoring and repair management, through the viewing windows of which visitors can see the hardware enclosure - the upper parts of the structure of nuclear reactors and the “planned bypass”, recreated with the help of mannequins; standard cabin for officers on the boat deck; captain's cabin; navigation bridge, where sightseers are shown the wheelhouse, as well as the radio and navigational cabin.

The room of the party committee, the pantry and the standard double cabin for sailors on the living deck are being prepared for display.

The title exhibit is the Lenin nuclear icebreaker itself.

Simultaneously with the development of new expositions on board the a/l "Lenin", work is underway to animate the historical ship premises - to recreate the atmosphere of an operating nuclear-powered icebreaker using modern technical means and software.

To date:

Done Interactive workplace operating engineer of the reactor plant at the post of energy and survivability;

Provided authentic sound design in the radio room;

In the forward turbogenerator room, the rotation of one of the turbines is complemented by the realistic sound of the engine room on the move;

Work has been completed on the installation on the navigation bridge of equipment for sound recording of radio communications and commands given when the ship leaves the berth.

The plans include the “revitalization” of radar stations, a cinema in the crew canteen, a party committee and a whole range of equipment and premises.

Since the foundation of the FSUE Atomflot Arctic Exhibition Center "Nuclear icebreaker" Lenin ", systematic work has been carried out to collect, store, study and publicly present the historical and cultural heritage of the nuclear icebreaker fleet of Russia. Relations with educational, scientific institutions and museums are successfully developing.

Since 2011, the Arctic Exhibition Center has been an associate member of the International Council of Museums and actively cooperates with the Russian Committee of this organization (ICOM Russia).

Russia is a country with vast territories in the Arctic. However, their development is impossible without a powerful fleet, which makes it possible to ensure navigation in extreme conditions. For these purposes, even during the existence Russian Empire several icebreakers were built. With the development of technology, they were equipped with more and more modern engines. Finally, in 1959, the Lenin nuclear icebreaker was built. At the time of its creation, it was the only civilian vessel in the world with a nuclear reactor, which, moreover, could sail without refueling for 12 months. Its appearance in the expanses of the Arctic made it possible to significantly increase the duration of navigation through

background

The world's first icebreaker was built in 1837 in the American city of Philadelphia and was intended to destroy the ice cover in the local harbor. After 27 years, the ship "Pilot" was created in the Russian Empire, which was also used to navigate ships through the ice in the conditions of the port area. The place of its operation was the St. Petersburg sea harbor. Somewhat later, in 1896, the first river icebreaker was created in England. It was ordered by the Ryazan-Ural Railway Company and was used at the Saratov ferry. Around the same time, it became necessary to transport goods to remote areas of the Russian north, so at the end of the 19th century, the world's first ship for operation in the Arctic was built at the Armstrong Whitworth shipyard, called the Yermak. It was acquired by our country and was part of the Baltic fleet until 1964. Another well-known ship, the Krasin icebreaker (before 1927, it bore the name Svyatogor), took part in the Northern convoys during the Great Patriotic War. In addition, in the period from 1921 to 1941, the Baltic Shipyard built eight more ships intended for operation in the Arctic.

The first nuclear icebreaker: characteristics and description

The nuclear-powered ship "Lenin", which was sent to a well-deserved rest in 1985, has now been turned into a museum. Its length is 134 m, width - 27.6 m, and height - 16.1 m with a displacement of 16 thousand tons. The ship was equipped with two nuclear reactors and four turbines with a total capacity of 32.4 MW, thanks to which it was able to move at a speed of 18 knots. In addition, the first nuclear-powered icebreaker was equipped with two autonomous power plants. Also on board were created all the conditions for a comfortable stay for the crew during many months of Arctic expeditions.

Who created the first nuclear icebreaker of the USSR

Work on a civilian ship equipped with a nuclear engine was recognized as a particularly responsible business. After all, the Soviet Union, among other things, was in dire need of another example confirming the assertion that the "socialist atom" is peaceful and creative. At the same time, no one doubted that the future chief designer of a nuclear-powered icebreaker should have extensive experience in building ships capable of operating in the Arctic. Taking into account these circumstances, it was decided to appoint V. I. Neganov to this responsible post. Even before the war, this well-known designer received the Stalin Prize for designing the first Soviet Arctic linear icebreaker. In 1954, he was appointed to the post of chief designer of the Lenin nuclear-powered ship and began to work together with I. I. Afrikantov, who was instructed to create an atomic engine for this ship. It must be said that both design scientists brilliantly coped with the tasks assigned to them, for which they were awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor.

The decision to start work on the creation of the first Soviet nuclear-powered ship for operation in the Arctic was taken by the Council of Ministers of the USSR in November 1953. In view of the eccentricity of the tasks set, it was decided to build a model of the engine room of the future ship in real size in order to work out the layout decisions of the designers on it. Thus, the need for any alterations or shortcomings during construction works directly on the ship. In addition, the designers who designed the first Soviet nuclear icebreaker were tasked with eliminating any possibility of damage to the ship's hull by ice, so a special heavy-duty steel was created at the famous Prometheus Institute.

The history of the construction of the icebreaker "Lenin"

Direct work on the creation of the ship began in 1956 at the Leningrad Shipbuilding Plant. Andre Marty (in 1957 it was renamed the Admiralty Plant). At the same time, some of its important systems and parts were designed and assembled in other factories. Thus, the turbines were produced by the Kirov Plant, the propulsion motors were produced by the Leningrad Electrosila Plant, and the main turbogenerators were the result of the work of the workers of the Kharkov Electromechanical Plant. Although the launch of the vessel took place already at the beginning of the winter of 1957, the nuclear installation was installed only in 1959, after which the Lenin nuclear icebreaker was sent for sea trials.

Since the ship was unique at that time, it was the pride of the country. Therefore, during construction and subsequent testing, it was repeatedly shown to high-ranking foreign guests, such as members of the Chinese government, as well as politicians who at that time held the posts of British Prime Minister and US Vice President.

Operation history

During the debut navigation, the first Soviet nuclear-powered icebreaker proved to be excellent, showing excellent performance, and most importantly, the presence of such a vessel in the Soviet fleet made it possible to extend the navigation period by several weeks.

Seven years after the start of operation, it was decided to replace the outdated three-reactor nuclear plant with a two-reactor one. After the modernization, the ship returned to work again, and in the summer of 1971, this nuclear-powered ship became the first surface ship that could pass Severnaya Zemlya from the Pole. By the way, the polar bear cub, donated by the team to the Leningrad Zoo, became the trophy of this expedition.

As already mentioned, in 1989 the operation of Lenin was completed. However, the firstborn of the Soviet nuclear icebreaker fleet was not threatened with oblivion. The fact is that it was put on eternal parking in Murmansk, having organized a museum on board, where you can see interesting exhibits telling about the creation of the USSR nuclear icebreaker fleet.

Accidents on "Lenin"

For 32 years, while the first nuclear-powered icebreaker of the USSR was in service, two accidents occurred on it. The first one happened in 1965. As a result, the reactor core was partially damaged. To eliminate the consequences of the accident, part of the fuel was placed on a floating technical base, and the rest was unloaded and placed in a container.

As for the second case, in 1967 the ship's technical staff recorded a leak in the pipeline of the third circuit of the reactor. As a result, the entire nuclear compartment of the icebreaker had to be replaced, and the damaged equipment was towed and flooded in Tsivolki Bay.

"Arctic"

Over time, for the development of the expanses of the Arctic, a single nuclear-powered icebreaker became not enough. Therefore, in 1971, the construction of the second such vessel was started. It was the "Arktika" - a nuclear-powered icebreaker, which, after the death of Leonid Brezhnev, began to bear his name. However, during the years of Perestroika, the first name was again returned to the ship, and it served under it until 2008.

The Arktika is a nuclear-powered icebreaker that became the first surface vessel to reach the North Pole. In addition, his project initially included the possibility of quickly converting the ship into an auxiliary combat cruiser capable of operating in polar conditions. This became possible largely due to the fact that the designer of the nuclear icebreaker Arktika, together with a team of engineers working on this project, provided the ship with increased power, allowing it to overcome ice up to 2.5 m thick. As for the dimensions of the ship, they are 147.9 m long and 29.9 m wide with a displacement of 23,460 tons. At the same time, at the time when the ship was in operation, the longest duration of its autonomous navigation was 7.5 months.

Icebreakers of the Arktika class

Between 1977 and 2007, five more nuclear-powered ships were built at the Leningrad (later St. Petersburg) Baltic Shipyard. All these ships were designed according to the “Arktika” type, and today two of them – “Yamal” and “50 Years of Victory” continue to pave the way for other ships in the endless ice near the North Pole of the Earth. By the way, the nuclear-powered icebreaker called "50 Years of Victory" was launched in 2007 and is the last icebreaker produced in Russia and the largest of the currently existing icebreakers in the world. As for the other three ships, one of them - the "Soviet Union" - is currently undergoing restoration work. It is planned to return to service in 2017. Thus, the Arktika is a nuclear-powered icebreaker, the creation of which marked the beginning of a whole era. Moreover, the design solutions used in its design are still relevant today, 43 years after its creation.

Icebreakers of the Taimyr class

In addition to nuclear-powered ships, the Soviet Union, and then Russia, needed ships with a shallower draft, which were designed to guide ships to the mouths of Siberian rivers. Nuclear icebreakers of the USSR (later Russia) of this type - "Taimyr" and "Vaigach" - were built at one of the shipyards in Helsinki (Finland). However, most of the equipment placed on them, including power plants, is of domestic production. Since these nuclear-powered ships were intended for operation mainly on rivers, their draft is 8.1 m with a displacement of 20,791 tons. At the moment, the Russian nuclear icebreakers Taimyr and Vaygach continue to work on the ship. However, they will soon need a replacement.

Icebreakers type LK-60 Ya

Ships with a capacity of 60 MW equipped with a nuclear power plant have been developed in our country since the early 2000s, taking into account the results obtained during the operation of ships of the Taimyr and Arktika types. The designers have provided the ability to change the draft of new vessels, which will allow them to work effectively both in shallow water and in deep water. In addition, the new icebreakers are capable of moving even in ice with a thickness of 2.6 to 2.9 m. A total of three such vessels are planned to be built. In 2012, the laying of the first nuclear-powered ship of this series took place at the Baltic Shipyard, which is scheduled to be put into operation in 2018.

A new class of state-of-the-art Russian icebreakers under design

As you know, the development of the Arctic is included in the number of priority tasks facing our country. Therefore, at the moment, development is underway to create new icebreakers of the LK-110Ya class. It is assumed that these super-powerful vessels will receive all their energy from a 110 MW nuclear steam generating plant. In this case, the vessel will be powered by three four-bladed fixed-pitch engines. The main advantage that the new nuclear-powered icebreakers of Russia will have should be their increased ice-breaking capacity, which is expected to be at least 3.5 m, while for ships in operation today, this figure is no more than 2.9 m. Thus, the designers promise ensure year-round navigation in the Arctic along the Northern Sea Route.

How is the situation with nuclear icebreakers in the world

As you know, the Arctic is divided into five sectors belonging to Russia, the USA, Norway, Canada and Denmark. These countries, as well as Finland and Sweden, have the largest icebreaking fleets. And this is not surprising, since without such ships it is impossible to carry out economic and research tasks among the polar ice, even despite the consequences of global warming, which are becoming more and more noticeable every year. At the same time, all currently existing nuclear icebreakers in the world belong to our country, and it is one of the leaders in the development of the expanses of the Arctic.

"Lenin" connected the west and east of the country: even heavy Arctic ice could not prevent the ship from following the shortest sea route from the European part to the Far East.

The high power of the power plant made it possible to overcome ice up to 2.5 meters thick from June to October. The event, which took place on December 5, 1957, was preceded by 4 years of hard work by the country's best specialists.

A team of scientists led by physicist Anatoly Petrovich Alexandrov worked on a unique project, and the ship was built at the shipyard of the Admiralty Plant in Leningrad.
Within a short period of time, hundreds of assemblers and welders from different enterprises country.

The builders faced several tasks: firstly, the manufacture of unique power equipment, secondly, the creation of a body of unprecedented strength until now, and, thirdly, the full automation of the energy system management processes.

The nuclear-powered icebreaker "Lenin", the world's first civilian ship with a nuclear power plant, has plied the Arctic ice for 30 years. During this time, the nuclear-powered ship traveled 654.4 thousand nautical miles and steered 3,741 ships through the ice. In 1989, the icebreaker "Lenin" moored at Murmansk, where it was put on eternal parking. At the time of the creation of the icebreaker, many of its technical solutions were absolutely innovative.

1. Nuclear plant

In the central part of the vessel there is a water-to-water type nuclear plant that generates steam for four main turbogenerators. The generators fed three propeller motors with direct current, which, in turn, drove three propellers of a special rugged design.

2. Fuel economy

According to scientists, instead of tens of tons of oil, the icebreaker consumed 45 grams of nuclear fuel per day - i.e. as many as fit in a matchbox.

The new solution to the energy problem allowed the nuclear-powered ship to visit the Arctic and off the coast of Antarctica in one trip. For a nuclear-powered ship, the distance is not an obstacle.

3. 44 thousand horsepower

The power of each of the three reactors was almost 3.5 times greater than the reactor of the world's first nuclear power plant of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The total power of the power plant is 32.4 megawatts. This is 44 thousand horsepower.

The maximum speed in clear water is 18.0 knots (33.3 kilometers per hour).

4. Radiation protection

The presence of a nuclear installation on the ship should not pose a threat to the environment and personnel vessel. For this reason, the icebreaker was designed in such a way that a thick layer of water, steel plates and concrete reliably protected the operating personnel from radiation.

5. Automatic operation

The power plant is comprehensively automated, as are the auxiliary mechanisms on the ship.

6. Feed

Special contours for the bow made it easier for the icebreaker to move apart the ice fields in the Arctic Ocean, thanks to the pressure on the ice. At the same time, the aft end was designed in such a way that flotation in ice was ensured during reverse. At the same time, the propellers and the steering wheel received reliable protection against ice impacts.

7. Ballast system against ice captivity

In some cases, the sides of the ship get stuck in the ice. The designers of the nuclear-powered icebreaker "Lenin" also foresaw this: special systems of ballast tanks were installed on the icebreaker.

The systems operated as follows: when water was pumped from one tank of one side to the tank of the other side, the vessel, swaying from side to side, broke and pushed the ice apart with its sides.

The same system of tanks was installed in the bow and stern. If the bow of the icebreaker still gets stuck, you can pump water from the stern tank to the bow. In this case, the pressure on the ice will increase and it will break.

8. 75 kilometers of pipes

It's hard to imagine, but the nuclear-powered ship required several thousand pipes of various lengths and diameters. If they could be drawn in one line, they total length would be 75 kilometers.

9. Rudder of the nuclear-powered ship

Installing a heavy rudder blade proved to be extremely challenging task for builders. All because of the complex design of the aft end of the nuclear-powered ship.

In order not to take risks in the conditions of the already closed upper deck, the builders decided to first try to install a lighter wooden model of the same dimensions. After the calculations were confirmed, the multi-ton part was hoisted in its place.

10. Runway

The Lenin nuclear-powered icebreaker was designed in such a way that on an area 134 meters long and 27.6 meters wide there was also a place for a runway for ice reconnaissance helicopters. There is a platform in the stern.

The Lenin nuclear-powered icebreaker, the flagship of the Soviet Arctic fleet, the world's first nuclear-powered icebreaker, will forever glorify our great Motherland, the human mind, which harnessed the colossal energy of the atomic nucleus for the sake of peace.

Many of the seas surrounding our country are covered with ice in winter. This complicates, and often completely interrupts navigation. Then powerful icebreakers come to the aid of ships. Through the thickness of the ice, they guide caravans of ships to the ports of destination.

Icebreakers on the Northern Sea Route, linking the west and east of the Soviet Union, acquired particular importance. This difficult track is covered throughout its entire length by heavy polar ice for many months.

Swimming in the Arctic is limited to the short polar summer. It often happens that in summer the ice impedes the movement of ships. You can't do without icebreakers.

Modern icebreakers are mighty steel giants waging a stubborn struggle against ice. But they cannot stay at sea for a long time without calling at ports. Even the best diesel-powered icebreakers have fuel reserves for no more than 30-40 days. In the harsh conditions of the Arctic, this is clearly not enough: after all, the fight against ice requires a large fuel consumption. In an hour, a powerful icebreaker often burns up to three tons of oil. Although the fuel reserves make up almost one third of the weight of the icebreaker, during the Arctic navigation the ship has to call at the bases several times to refuel. There were cases when caravans of ships wintered in the polar ice only because the fuel reserves on the icebreakers ran out ahead of time.

The successes of Soviet scientists in the peaceful use of atomic energy have made it possible to place a new type of fuel at the service of our national economy. The Soviet people have learned to use the energy of the atom in water transport as well. Thus was born the idea of ​​creating an icebreaker moving with the help of atomic energy. This idea was realized only after the world's first nuclear power plant was put into operation in our country and the necessary experience was accumulated for further work on the creation of nuclear power plants.

Communist Party and Soviet government, having appreciated the achievements of our scientists, decided to wide application atomic energy in the national economy.

The 20th Congress of the CPSU aimed at the development of work on the creation of atomic power plants for transport purposes, at the construction of an icebreaker with an atomic engine.

It was about creating a ship that can sail for a very long time without calling at ports for fuel.

Scientists have calculated that a nuclear-powered icebreaker will consume 45 grams of nuclear fuel per day - as much as will fit in a matchbox. That is why the nuclear-powered ship, having a practically unlimited navigation area, will be able to visit both the Arctic and off the coast of Antarctica in one voyage. For a ship with a nuclear power plant, the distance is not an obstacle.

The honorable and responsible task of building the world's first nuclear-powered icebreaker was entrusted to the Admiralty Shipbuilding Plant in Leningrad.

When the news of this came to the plant, the admiralty was overwhelmed with joy and pride for the trust placed in them: after all, they were entrusted with a new unusual task, and it should have been done with honor.

The staff of the Admiralty Plant knew that it would not be easy to cope with this important task of the government. No other country has ever built such a ship. There was no one to learn from. We had to solve a number of complex technical problems in close collaboration with our scientists for the first time.

The Admiralty had considerable experience in the repair and construction of icebreakers. Back in 1928, they overhauled the "grandfather of the icebreaker fleet" - the famous "Ermak". Its repair was a good school for the Admiralty, which allowed them to move on to the construction of icebreakers in the future.

What does it mean to build an icebreaker with such an unusual power plant as a nuclear one? This requires completely new solutions in the design of the hull, mechanisms and all other ship equipment.

First of all, the question arose of how to create a compact nuclear power plant that would have both high power and high survivability in conditions of rolling, shock loads and vibrations.

Further, it was necessary to ensure the safety of the icebreaker crew from the harmful effects of radiation associated with the operation of a nuclear reactor, especially since protection from atomic radiation during the operation of an icebreaker is much more difficult than, for example, at a coastal nuclear power plant. This is understandable - on a sea vessel specifications do not install bulky and heavy protective equipment.

The construction of a nuclear icebreaker required the manufacture of unique power equipment, the creation of a hull of hitherto unprecedented strength, and full automation of the power system control processes.

The authors of the project and the designers of the atomic icebreaker did not hide all these difficulties from the builders. And a lot of complex technical issues had to be solved together with scientists, engineers, technicians and workers during the construction of the nuclear-powered ship.

But even before the factory builders got to work, the creators of the project thought over and discussed it again and again, making the necessary corrections to the calculations and correcting the drawings.

A large scientific team headed by the outstanding Soviet physicist Academician A.P. Aleksandrov worked on the project. Under his leadership, such prominent specialists as I. I. Afrikantov, A. I. Brandaus, G. A. Gladkov, B. Ya. Gnesin, V. I. Neganov, N. S. Khlopkin, A. N. Stefanovich and Other.

Finally, the project was completed. The plant's specialists - designers and technologists - received the project and drawings of the future ship.

The dimensions of the nuclear-powered ship were chosen taking into account the requirements for the operation of icebreakers in the North and ensuring its best seaworthiness: the length of the icebreaker is 134 m, the width is 27.6 m, the shaft power is 44,000 liters. s., displacement 16,000 tons, speed 18 knots in clear water and 2 knots in ice more than 2 m thick.

The designed power of the turboelectric plant is unparalleled. The nuclear-powered icebreaker is twice as powerful as the American icebreaker "Gletcher", which was considered the largest in the world.

When designing the ship's hull, special attention was paid to the shape of the bow, on which the icebreaking qualities of the vessel largely depend. The contours chosen for the nuclear-powered ship, in comparison with existing icebreakers, allow increasing the pressure on the ice. The stern end is designed in such a way that it provides flotation in ice when reversing and reliable protection of propellers and rudder from ice impacts.

In practice, it was observed that icebreakers sometimes got stuck in the ice not only with the bow or stern, but also with the sides. To avoid this, it was decided to arrange special systems of ballast tanks on the nuclear-powered ship. If water is pumped from the tank of one side to the tank of the other side, then the ship, rocking from side to side, will break and push the ice apart with its sides. The same system of tanks is installed in the bow and stern. And if the icebreaker does not break the ice on the move and its nose gets stuck? Then you can pump water from the stern trim tank to the bow. The pressure on the ice will increase, it will break, and the icebreaker will come out of the ice captivity.

In order to ensure the unsinkability of such a large vessel, if the skin is damaged, it was decided to subdivide the hull into compartments by eleven main transverse watertight bulkheads. When calculating the nuclear icebreaker, the designers ensured the unsinkability of the vessel when the two largest compartments were flooded.

These are, in brief, the main features of the icebreaker, which was to be built by the team of the Admiralty Plant.

ON THE STAPEL

In July 1956, the first section of the nuclear icebreaker's hull was laid down. The laying was preceded by extensive preparatory work in the shops and on the slipway. The markers were the first to get down to business. Markers from the teams of N. Orlov and G. Kashinov proved to be real innovators. They marked the hull according to a new, photo-optical method.

To lay out the theoretical drawing of the building on the plaza, a huge area was required - about 2500 square meters. Instead, the breakdown was made on a special shield using a special tool. This allowed to reduce the area for marking. Then template drawings were made, which were photographed on photographic plates. The projection apparatus, in which the negative was placed, reproduced the light contour of the part on the metal. The photo-optical method of marking made it possible to reduce the labor intensity of plaza and marking work by 40%.

The builders of the building met with considerable difficulties. It was not easy, for example, to process stainless steel. Machining used to predominate. It took a long time.

Engineers B. Smirnov, G. Schneider, foreman A. Golubtsov and gas cutter A. Makarov designed and manufactured an original gas-flux cutter. In this way, it was possible to process a significant part of stainless steel parts with high quality in a short time. These days, the engineer of the welding bureau B. Smirnov and the gas cutter A. Makarov became famous at the plant for their labor community. It is about them in the factory large-circulation newspaper that verses appeared:

Mastered the cutting of steel thickness,

Invented the machine

Engineer and worker - each hero,

The inquisitive has no barriers!

The first difficulties were stubbornly overcome. But the main difficulties were yet to come; especially a lot of them met at the slipway work and the completion of the icebreaker.

The nuclear-powered icebreaker, as the most powerful vessel in the entire icebreaking fleet, is designed to deal with ice in the most difficult conditions; therefore, its body must be especially strong. High strength it was decided to provide the case with the use of steel of a new brand. This steel has high impact strength. It welds well and has great resistance to crack propagation at low temperatures.

The design of the hull of the nuclear-powered ship, the system of its set also differed from other icebreakers. The bottom, sides, inner decks, platforms and the upper deck at the extremities were recruited according to the transverse framing system, and the upper deck in the middle part of the icebreaker - along the longitudinal system.

The building, as high as a good five-story house, consisted of sections weighing up to 75 tons. There were about two hundred such large sections.

The assembly and welding of such sections was carried out by the pre-assembly section of the hull shop.

Even before the start of work, communists gathered in the office of the masters of this section. Everyone was worried about one question: how best and faster to build a nuclear icebreaker? Opening the meeting, the party group organizer I. Tumin said:

The whole country, the whole world is following our work. The task of the party must be fulfilled by all means on time. We Communists have a special responsibility for the construction of the icebreaker. Each of us is at a combat post, at the forefront.

Nuclear-powered icebreaker LeninThe speeches were businesslike and brief. The communists advised the head of the section to prepare workers for welding thick steel, to organize a combination of professions. Our assemblers, the communists said, must master the professions of a gas cutter and electric tack.

It was also decided to produce three experimental-regular sections in order to finally resolve all issues related to new technology. These sections, the most complex in design - one bottom and two side bow ends - were assembled by the team of Pavel Pimenov, one of the best assemblers of the plant. The assembly of experimental sections made it possible to determine how to assemble and weld sections weighing up to 75 tons.

From the pre-assembly section, the finished sections were delivered directly to the slipway. Assemblers and checkers installed them without delay.

During the manufacture of units for the first experimental standard sections, it turned out that steel sheets, from which they should be made, weigh 7 tons, and the cranes available at the procurement site had a lifting capacity of only up to 6 tons.

The nuclear icebreaker LeninPress was also underpowered. There seemed to be an insoluble problem.

When discussing this issue, it was proposed to install more powerful cranes. Some, referring to the insufficient capacity of the crane facilities and the lack of the necessary presses, suggested that the processing of thick large-sized sheet parts of the body of complex design be transferred to another plant. The latter path was simple and easy, but associated with the waste of public funds. To accept such an offer would mean to transport the metal and templates to the side, and then transport the parts back; would have to waste a lot of time and money.

We will not go down this path, - said the workers of the corps-co-processing shop. - Let's find another way!

And, indeed, a solution was found. The senior technologist of the shop B. Fedorov, the head of the technological preparation bureau I. Mikhailov, the deputy head of the shop M. Leonov, the foreman A. Makarov, the benders-innovators I. Rogalev, V. Ivanov, A. Gvozdev suggested processing and bending the sheets of the outer skin of the icebreaker , without resorting to either increasing the capacity of crane equipment or replacing bending presses. Experimental work has shown that the equipment available at the plant is quite suitable for metal processing. Thus, about 200 thousand rubles were saved.

The large thicknesses of the icebreaker's plating required special skills from the workers when bending parts, since on the presses available at the plant, metal of such a thickness cold bending not previously subjected. On the initiative of engineers V. Gurevich and N. Martynov, the processing of the ice belt sheathing sheets was mastered in the hull-processing shop, and heavy manual operations were completely excluded.

The volume of welding work on the slipway was very large: the icebreaker's hull was all-welded. Someone made a curious calculation: how many seams will have to be welded by the workers of the slipway section? They figured it out. It turned out to be a considerable figure: if all the welds are pulled out in one line, then it will stretch from Leningrad to Vladivostok!

The amount of welding work made me seriously think about how to speed up the welding of structures. It was decided to introduce automatic and semi-automatic welding more widely. Welders started to work on a new method.

The names of the best workers and masters N. Nevsky, I. Saminsky, A. Komarov, S. Fedorenko, the deputy of the Regional Council A. Andronova, N. Shikarev appeared on the factory Board of Honor. A. Kalashnikov and others, who perfectly mastered a new type of welding.

One more instructive example of the close community of workers, engineers and scientists should be mentioned.

According to the approved technology, stainless steel structures were welded manually. True, highly qualified welders worked here, but the work was extremely slow. How to speed up welding? Only by replacing manual labor automatic welding! But automatic welding of stainless steel has not been used before. However, the workers believed that it was possible to cook "stainless steel" with an automatic machine. Scientists came to the rescue. An employee of the research institute K. Mladzievsky, together with the specialists of the plant K. Zhiltsova, A. Shvedchikov, M. Matsov, N. Stoma and others, selected the necessary operating modes on experimental steel bars. More than 200 experiments have been carried out; finally, the welding modes were worked out. The senior foreman of the site, communist D. Karmanov, sent the best welders of the plant A. Kolosov, M. Kanevsky, V. Dahlev, N. Emelyanov, F. Kazyuk to work with the "stainless steel"; gradually accumulating experience, they began to fulfill the norms by 115-120%. Five automatic welders replaced 20 manual welders who were transferred to work in other areas. Another victory was won by the admiralty.

Almost daily, the corpsmen held a serious production exam. And the construction time was short. The period of launching the icebreaker into the water depended on how the corpsmen coped with their tasks.

While the building was being erected on the slipway, parts, pipelines, and devices were manufactured and assembled in various workshops of the plant. Many of them came from other companies. The whole country generously sent its gifts to the admiralty - products for the icebreaker. The main turbine generators were built at the Kharkov Electromechanical Plant, propeller motors - at the Leningrad Electrosila Plant named after S. M. Kirov, where a team of engineers and technicians, led by the oldest designer of the plant, Kashin, worked on the creation of unique mechanisms. Such electric motors were created in the USSR for the first time.

Steam turbines were assembled in the workshops of the famous Kirov Plant. A large team of designers headed by M. Kozak worked here on the order for the nuclear-powered ship. In the course of the work, the Kirov team made many improvements that ensured a reduction in the weight and dimensions of the turbines. The Kirovites successfully coped with the responsible order.

Time flew by quickly. And now the words have already sounded: "Installers, now it's up to you!"

Now, when the hull of the icebreaker was already proudly standing on the slipway, the planning engineers of the assembly shop M. Nikitin, E. Kanimchenko, technician S. Kravtsova organized an uninterrupted supply of all the parts and blanks needed for the assembly work. Down, into the huge compartments of the icebreaker, portal cranes continually lowered generators, auxiliary diesel engines, pumps, and numerous mechanisms. Installers, led by the head of the shop N. Dvornikov and senior foreman V. Luchko, installed them on the foundations. Mechanic E. Makhonin, installing pipeline systems and handing them over for hydraulic testing, achieved the development of one and a half norms per shift.

Ten enlarged brigades of fitters carried out work, competing with one another. Ahead was the team of A. Belyakov, who handed over work only ahead of schedule and of excellent quality.

The use of new materials required a change in many of the established technological processes. Pipelines were mounted on the nuclear-powered ship, which were previously connected by soldering. At the same time, labor productivity was low, expensive solder and acetylene were consumed, and the volume of work increased every day.

New searches, new experiences, failures and successes... In collaboration with the specialists of the welding bureau of the plant, the workers of the pipe-cutting section of the assembly shop P. Khailov, I. Yakushin and L. Zarakovskaya developed and introduced electric arc welding of pipes. The effect was exceptionally high. The work was significantly accelerated, the consumption of expensive solder decreased.

The nuclear-powered ship required several thousand pipes of various lengths and diameters. Experts have calculated that if the pipes are pulled out in one line, their length will be 75 kilometers. Pipe bending was carried out by one of the best youth brigades, led by Evgeny Efimov. This is a wonderful, friendly team. In 1958, he was the first at the plant to be awarded the honorary title of the brigade of communist labor. The brigade worked selflessly and creatively. In a short time, the workers perfectly mastered a completely new business - bending pipes on electric forges. Labor productivity has risen sharply. The team turned to the administration of the workshop with a request to revise the production standards, to increase them.

Finally, the time arrived for the completion of the slipway work.

The pace, the intensity of the work captured and pulled people up. Before the descent, one difficulty arose, then another, but no one gave up.

So, it was not easy to install a heavy rudder blade. Putting it in place in the usual way did not allow the complex design of the aft end of the nuclear-powered ship. In addition, by the time the huge part was installed, the upper deck had already been closed. Under these conditions, it was impossible to take risks. We decided to hold a "general rehearsal" - first we put not a real baller, but its "double" - a wooden model of the same dimensions. The "rehearsal" was a success, the calculations were confirmed. Soon, the multi-ton part was quickly brought into place.

Assembly work was intensively carried out in the atomic compartment, where a team of checkers I. Smirnov worked together with the assemblers. On the advice of master M. Belov, this team also mastered assembly work. High production figures, fast pace, ingenuity and skill - that's specific traits brigade workers. In the autumn of 1959, she won the high title of a collective of communist labor.

High performance in the work of the hull builders, installers, and then the icebreaker finishers depended to a large extent on the work of the training plant. Here, under the leadership of N. Makarova, there was an intense study of young workers, many of whom were sent to the icebreaker.

But there were still not enough workers. V. Goremykin, assistant director of the plant, took urgent measures to recruit new workers to the plant, to prepare them for work on the icebreaker. New workers were sent to those workshops where the shortage of workers - the builders of the icebreaker - was felt especially acutely.

On pre-launch days, as usual, chasers have a lot of trouble. They test the case for water tightness. On the icebreaker, the minters under the guidance of senior master P. Burmistrov and foreman I. Alexandrov did their best, far exceeding the task and successfully completing serious tests.

The descent of the icebreaker into the water was just around the corner. The large launch weight of the vessel (11,000 tons) made it difficult to design a launching device, although specialists have been engaged in this device almost from the moment the first sections were laid on the slipway.

According to the calculations of the design organization, in order to launch the Lenin icebreaker into the water, it was necessary to lengthen the underwater part of the launch tracks and deepen the bottom behind the slipway pit. This required additional capital expenditures.

For the first time in the practice of domestic shipbuilding, a spherical wooden rotary device and a number of other new design solutions were used.

The implementation of such a trigger device - says A. Gaisenok - made it possible to avoid capital work and save more than a million rubles.

The construction of the device, which required high technical accuracy, was carried out under the guidance of the senior foreman of the verification section S. Yakovlev. The drawings were carefully studied in advance, prepared required amount timber. Wooden parts and assemblies were produced with millimeter accuracy. Brigadiers A. Kudryavtsev and A. Tomilin, members of their teams G. Tsvetkov, V. Zhukov, V. Tumanov, P. Vakhtomin and others proved themselves to be real carpentry virtuosos.

Winter has come. Snow covered the streets, squares, squares, houses with a fluffy carpet ... By this time, the builders reported:

The way from the slipway to the water is open!

The icebreaker's hull was freed from scaffolding. Surrounded by portal cranes, sparkling with fresh paint, he was ready to set off on his first short journey - to the water surface of the Neva.

The assemblers of the Komsomol youth brigade, Nikolai Morshin, came to the stern of the icebreaker. They had to put up a flagpole. On it, on the day of the descent, the scarlet banner of the country of the Soviets will rise.

Here's one more detail installed, - smiling, the brigadier said to his friends. - Now everything is as it should be! But remember, friends, we came here, to the slipway, when there was no stern, no bow.

All night before the descent, work was in full swing. By the light of the spotlights, the last preparations were made.

It was December 5, 1957. In the morning it was continuously drizzling, and at times sleet was falling. A sharp, gusty wind blew from the bay. But people did not seem to notice the gloomy Leningrad weather. Long before the icebreaker was launched, the platforms around the slipway were filled with people. Many boarded a tanker under construction next door.

Shipbuilders with their families came to the plant, numerous guests - representatives of the Leningrad plants of Kirov, Baltiysky, "Electrosila" and others. There were also employees of research institutes, party and Soviet workers, guests from the countries of people's democracy, cameramen, radio and television correspondents, and numerous journalists.

11 hours 30 minutes. The rally begins. Opening it, the director of the plant, Boris Evgenievich Klopotov, said:

The construction of the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" should be the milestone, after which the Leningrad shipbuilders will create dozens of new ships that are the pride of the Russian fleet.

On behalf of the Regional and City Committees of the CPSU, the Secretary of the Regional Committee, S.P. Mitrofanov, cordially congratulated the plant staff on a great production victory - the completion of the first stage of the construction of the icebreaker. The staff of the plant was also congratulated by the Deputy Minister of the Marine Fleet of the USSR and the Chairman of the Lensovnarkhoz. Polar explorers, members of the future icebreaker crew, who had already arrived at the shipyard, addressed the shipbuilders with warm words of greeting.

The hands of the clock are approaching twelve. Once again, the readiness of the icebreaker for descent is carefully checked: the descent paths, fastenings, stretch marks are inspected.

An order is given from the command post:

Report readiness for descent!

Ready! Ready! - answers come from everywhere.

Comrade plant manager! - A. Gorbushin, commander of the descent, reports. - Descending team in place, descenders checked. I ask permission to launch the world's first nuclear-powered icebreaker "Lenin".

I allow you to descend. Good!

Nose arrows! - Gorbushin's team sounds. A second passes, then another, and two signal lamps light up on the console: the bow arrows are given away.

Down with the stern arrows! - Two lights on the remote control flash again.

Now the ship is held on the slipway by only one device - triggers. In tense silence, a shot from the signal cannon of the Peter and Paul Fortress is heard: noon.

Give away the chickens!

The best rigger of the plant, Stepan Kuzmich Lobyntsev, a member of the descent of many ships, cuts the rope that delays the triggers. The steel mass of the icebreaker shudders. She starts off slowly at first, and then, picking up speed, she slides faster and faster along the slipway.

There are enthusiastic exclamations, cries of "Hurrah", applause. Caps fly into the air. When the ship's stern crashes into the Neva waters with noise, dozens of pigeons rush into the air.

Softly settling down, the nose of the nuclear-powered ship slides off the threshold of the descent paths, and at the same moment a red flag hovers on the flagpole. The State Anthem of the USSR is solemnly played. With joyful beeps they greet their mighty fellow ships lined up at the mouth of the Neva.

Anchor chains rattle, the icebreaker slows down, stops. At the command of the foreman I. Nikitin, tugboats take the icebreaker to the outfitting pier of the plant.

Excited and joyful, exchanging impressions and congratulations, the builders of the icebreaker dispersed.

I am happy, - the Komsomol assembler Albert Chertovsky told the correspondent of the Smena newspaper, - that I am building a nuclear icebreaker. Here I learned the real romance of work and met real heroes - selfless and persistent. They taught me a lot.

And I had a great honor to work on a wonderful ship, - shipbuilder Viktor Arkhipov shared his thoughts. - You try to work in such a way that everything is beautiful and durable. After all, millions of people in the world will look at the creation of our hands.

Nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" launched! This message has spread all over the world. Newspaper pages in all languages ​​informed readers of the new success Soviet people.

AT THE FACTORY PIER

The construction of the nuclear-powered ship entered a new period - its completion afloat began. Even before the descent of the icebreaker part! The factory committee discussed the issue of carrying out further work. It was noted, in particular, that the shops do not always clearly interact, and the necessary parts are not delivered on time. Often slowed down work and alterations. Of course, during the construction of such a vessel, some alterations are inevitable, but the communists sought to reduce them to a minimum.

builders and installers unfolded socialist competition. The installers, together with the corpsmen, had to complete the installation of the "heart" of the icebreaker - nuclear reactors.

The nuclear power plant is the most important section of the icebreaker. The most prominent scientists worked on the design of the reactor. Factory engineers, technicians, workers had to embody the ideas of scientists in metal. Admiralty M. Timofeev, S. Vaulin, E. Kalinichev, K. Stayunin, P. Kiselev, S. Petrov and others showed remarkable examples of labor prowess. They, under the guidance of masters B. Romanov, P. Borchenko, N. Koloskov, successfully completed a huge job of assembling a nuclear plant.

Everyone who participated in the installation of the nuclear plant had to perform a large complex of complex work. After all, it was a matter of an energy source of unprecedented power. Each of the three reactors is almost 3.5 times more powerful than the reactor of the world's first nuclear power plant of the USSR Academy of Sciences.

How does an icebreaker's nuclear power plant work?

In the reactor, uranium rods are placed in a special order. The system of uranium rods is penetrated by a swarm of neutrons, a kind of "fuse", causing the decay of uranium atoms with the release of a huge amount of thermal energy. The rapid motion of neutrons is tamed by the moderator. Myriads of controlled atomic explosions, caused by a stream of neutrons, occur in the thickness of uranium rods. As a result, a so-called chain reaction is formed.

A feature of the icebreaker's nuclear reactors is that not graphite was used as a neutron moderator, as at the first Soviet nuclear power plant, but distilled water. The uranium rods placed in the reactor are surrounded by the purest water (twice distilled). If you fill a bottle with it to the neck, then it will be absolutely impossible to notice whether water is poured into the bottle or not: the water is so transparent!

In the reactor, water is heated above the melting point of lead - more than 300 degrees. Water at this temperature does not boil because it is under a pressure of 100 atmospheres.

The water in the reactor is radioactive. With the help of pumps, it is driven through a special apparatus-steam generator, where it turns non-radioactive water into steam with its heat. The steam enters a turbine that drives a DC generator. The generator supplies current to the propulsion motors. The exhaust steam is sent to the condenser, where it turns back into water, which is again pumped into the steam generator by a pump. So way-in the system the most complex mechanisms there is a kind of water cycle.

The reactors are installed in special metal drums welded into a stainless steel tank. From above, the reactors are closed with lids, under which there are various devices for automatically lifting and moving uranium rods. The entire operation of the reactor is controlled by instruments, and if necessary, "mechanical arms"-manipulators come into action, which can be controlled from afar, being outside the compartment. The reactor can be viewed on TV at any time.

Everything that poses a danger with its radioactivity is carefully isolated and located in a special compartment.

The drainage system diverts dangerous liquids to a special tank. There is also a system for trapping air with traces of radioactivity. The air flow from the central compartment is thrown through the main mast to a height of 20 m.

In all corners of the ship, you can see special dosimeters, ready at any time to notify of increased radioactivity. In addition, each crew member is equipped with an individual pocket-type dosimeter. The safe operation of the icebreaker is fully ensured.

The designers of the nuclear-powered ship provided for all sorts of accidents. If one reactor fails, another one will replace it. The same work on the ship can be performed by several groups of identical mechanisms.

This is the basic principle of operation of the entire system of a nuclear power plant.

In the compartment where the reactors are placed, there is a huge number of pipes of complex configurations and large sizes. The pipes had to be connected not as usual, with the help of flanges, but butt-welded with an accuracy of one millimeter. N. Matveychuk's team was engaged in the fitting and installation of pipelines of the nuclear power system. She ensured that this critical task was completed on time.

Simultaneously with the installation of nuclear reactors, the main mechanisms of the engine room were installed at a rapid pace. Steam turbines rotating generators were mounted here. Innovators - turbine assemblers significantly reduced the time for completion of this work.

It is interesting to note that the nuclear-powered ship has two power plants capable of providing energy to a city with a population of 300,000. The ship does not need any machinists or stokers: all the work of power plants is automated.

It should be said about the latest propeller motors. These are unique machines made in the USSR for the first time, especially for the nuclear-powered ship. The numbers speak for themselves: the weight of an average engine is 185 tons, the power is almost 20,000 hp. With. The engine had to be delivered to the icebreaker disassembled, in parts. Loading the engine onto the ship presented great difficulties, but the rigger Khokhlov did an excellent job with this work, offering to load the engine armature on a special device with a skid in order not to damage the winding or collector. Electricians N. Potekhin, B. Barnnov, N. Portnykh, P. Ushakov, Yu. Mironov, V. Pirogov and others worked hard to install electric motors and lay hundreds of kilometers of cable.

All three engines were assembled experienced master M. Smirnov and a team of fitters V. Volkov. Mounting the shaft of one of the engines, Volkov was faced with the need to bore the bearing cover, but for this the part had to be sent to the shop, which would delay the assembly. Then the foreman decided to make a bore on the machine that was available on the ship.

Volkov's proposal, tested by engineers, was approved. Volkov did all the work himself and saved 34 hours by completing two weekly quotas in six days.

While the installation of power systems was underway, engineers worked on how to better and faster mount and put into operation the ship's machinery control system.

All management of the complex economy of the icebreaker is carried out automatically, directly from the wheelhouse. From here, the captain can change the operating mode of the propeller engines. The wheelhouse is equipped with control devices for the steering machine, a gyrocompass, magnetic compasses, radio equipment, a switch for signal lights, a button for giving horns and many other devices.

PJ. To an uninitiated person, these three letters do not say anything. PEV - post of energy and survivability - the brain of icebreaker control. From here, with the help of automatic devices, operating engineers - people of a new profession in the fleet - can remotely control the operation of the steam generator plant. From here, the necessary mode of operation of the "heart" of the nuclear-powered ship - the reactors - is maintained.

When sightseers come to the PJ of the icebreaker, they stop in amazement: no one has seen so many devices in one room as here! Experienced sailors who have been sailing on ships for many years various types, they are also surprised by something else: PJ specialists wear snow-white robes over the usual marine uniform.

THE MECHANISMS OF THE NUCLEAR CRAFTER HAVE WORKED

Mooring trials are the third stage (after the slipway period and completion afloat) of the construction of each vessel. This is a responsible exam for builders, installers, mechanics. Only during mooring tests it becomes clear how the machines, instruments, systems installed on the ship will behave.

The tests of the atomic icebreaker were tense and interesting. Tried, tested, carefully tested hundreds of various mechanisms- the whole complex complex of nuclear power, diesel generator sets, systems and devices.

Prior to the launch of the steam generator plant of the icebreaker, steam had to be supplied from the shore. The device of the steam pipeline was complicated by the lack of special flexible hoses of large cross section. It was not possible to use a steam pipeline from ordinary metal pipes, tightly fixed. Then, at the suggestion of a group of innovators, a special articulated device was used, which ensured a reliable supply of steam on board the nuclear-powered ship.

Even before the start of the tests, a lot of preparatory work was carried out: the test program was refined and supplemented, tables were created to record measurements when checking instruments.

It was October 20, 1958. Builders have long been preparing for this day - the day the mooring trials begin. Naturally, they were worried about the questions: what mechanism would be prepared earlier and be the first to "come to life" on the icebreaker, who would be honored to be the first to take watch at the working machines?

We consulted and singled out the best of the best. Installers R. Evelit, Yu. Khoromansky, G. Gutovsky, E. Makhonin were awarded this right.

The electric fire pumps were launched and tested first, and then the entire fire system. Then, at the direction of the chief builder V. Chervyakov, tests of the auxiliary boiler plant began. The installers were still worried, although they were confident in their work. Master V. Shchedrin squinted good-naturedly and encouraged the workers:

Everything will go well. Sure. The mechanisms will work like clockwork. However, perhaps even better, more precisely: after all, the units were mounted by high-class specialists!

The first tests gave excellent results.

On the same day, tests of the diesel generator of the stern power plant began. In the morning, watchmen warmed up the oil and water. By noon, the installers gathered in the compartment.

Exciting minutes. Small droplets of sweat covered the face of a young installer, Yuri Khoromansky. Grigory Filippovich Studenko, one of the oldest shipbuilders of the plant, was also excited.

But now the testing has begun.

Prepare to start the diesel! Give oil to the engine!

Blow out the cylinders! - Commands are issued.

Minutes pass.

Everything is ready, reports Horomansky.

Start the engine! - gives the command to G. Studenko.

The engine started up. The instrument needles flickered. To the shield

diesel generator riveted on the eyes of builders. One minute, five, ten. . . The engine works great! And after a while, the installers began to adjust the devices that control the temperature of water and oil.

A great merit belongs to the brigade of the communist N. Ivanov, who most carefully carried out the installation of all the mechanisms of the diesel generator.

When testing auxiliary turbogenerators and diesel generators, special devices were needed to allow loading two parallel turbogenerators. The creation of these new devices was successfully carried out by designer V. Obrant, senior electrical builder I. Drabkin, chief electrician of the icebreaker S. Chernyak. The savings obtained from the use of a special stand for testing auxiliary turbogenerators amounted to 253 thousand rubles.

How was the test of turbogenerators? Installers, engineers, scientists gathered on board the nuclear-powered ship. From the central control panel, where the chief engineer of the plant N.I. Pirogov, the captain of the icebreaker P.A. Ponomarev and a group of designers were, the command followed:

Give steam to the generator!

Everyone's eyes turned to the gauges. Everything is fine. The generator increased the number of revolutions.

Installers have invested a lot of work to adjust and adjust the turbogenerators. The main difficulty was that during the work the voltage regulators had to be replaced with new, more advanced ones, which provide automatic voltage maintenance even under conditions of high overload. But this difficulty was also overcome.

Mooring tests continued. In January 1959, turbogenerators with all the mechanisms and automatic machines serving them were adjusted and tested. Engineers I. Drabkin and B. Nemchenko worked hard on this, installers G. Studenko, N. Ivanov, electricians G. Zotkin, Yu. Mironov, testers V. Tarasov, V. Novikov, V. Zenov, master A. Tarasenkov and others . Simultaneously with the testing of auxiliary turbogenerators, electric pumps, ventilation systems and other equipment were tested.

Successfully fulfilling their obligations, the Admiralty in April completed the testing of all the main turbogenerators and propulsion motors. The test results were excellent. All calculated data made by scientists, designers, designers were confirmed. The first stage of testing the nuclear-powered ship was completed. And finished successfully!

ICEBREAKER GOING TO THE SEA

In April 1959, the party committee of the plant considered the issue of completing fitting-out work on the icebreaker. The secretary of the party committee, N.K. Krylov, having told about the results of the tests, called on the party activists and all the admiralties to take measures to speed up the outfitting, installation and finishing works. The party organizations of the workshops, noted in the decision of the party committee, must constantly monitor the progress of work at the final stage of construction.

A lot of important "little things" had to be foreseen for the future, since the time for the ship to go to sea was approaching every day.

Many specialists of leading professions, having finished their work, left the icebreaker, others were preparing to work on it during sea trials.

The installers of the hold department entered the case. The bilge brigade was led by Pavel Emelyanovich Samarin. An old cadre worker who participated in the construction of many ships, he liked to work with young people. In his brigade - only young workers. Grisha Nikiforov worked at a factory before being drafted into the army. Then he returned to Leningrad again, became a participant in the construction of a nuclear-powered ship, perfectly coping with the difficult task of maintaining the feed water system.

The young master communist Boris Malinovsky was engaged in the installation, adjustment and testing of household systems and installations. Boiler engineer Raymond Evelit, the Komsomol organizer of the construction of the icebreaker, was the first at the plant to obtain demineralized water using special filters. When his team began the installation of a water treatment plant, he expressed a desire to take part in the installation. Laboratory assistant Nina Lyalina worked on the completion of many ships. Now she seriously helped the installers to set up a water treatment plant. Strict control over the quality of water, the correct operation of the installation - that's what Nina did, right up to the departure of the icebreaker to the Baltic.

Nuclear-powered icebreaker LeninThe Lenin icebreaker, the firstborn of the Soviet nuclear fleet, is a vessel perfectly equipped with all means of modern radio communication, radar installations, and the latest navigation equipment. The icebreaker is equipped with two radars - short-range and long-range. The first is designed to solve operational navigation problems, the second - to monitor the environment and the helicopter. In addition, it must duplicate the short-range locator in conditions of snowfall or rain.

The equipment located in the bow and stern radio rooms will ensure reliable communication with the shore, with other ships and aircraft. Internal communication is carried out by an automatic telephone exchange for 100 numbers, separate telephones in various premises, as well as a powerful general ship radio broadcasting network.

Whoever visited the icebreaker, whether it be the President of the Republic of Finland Urho Kekkonen or the Prime Minister of England Harold Macmillan, US Vice President Richard Nixon or representatives of the business circles of the capitalist countries, all agreed on one thing: the Soviet Union is leading the way in the field of peaceful use of nuclear power. energy!

Together with the Admiralty, the entire country built the nuclear icebreaker. More than 500 enterprises located on the territory of 48 economic regions fulfilled orders for the nuclear-powered ship. And that is why the Admiralty members so heartily thank, along with the scientists who helped them in their work, the many thousands of workers, technicians, engineers of all plants and factories who participated in the construction of the nuclear-powered ship. This construction was the work of all Soviet people. Their thoughts were reflected in inspired poems written by the builders of the icebreaker themselves. Here, for example, as mechanic I. Aleksakhin wrote about the nuclear-powered ship: We are people of great aspirations, Our motto is: bolder forward! Our flagship named "Lenin" will go on a polar expedition.

And winds, and storms, and storms,

And the ice of the Arctic, like granite,

Under the flag of the beloved Fatherland

The giant icebreaker will win...

Good path to you, our handsome man,

Fulfillment of bold ideas!

And the atom serves us for the world,

For the happiness of the Soviet people!

The admiralty and many Leningraders will remember for many years the exciting day of September 12, 1959. In the morning, hundreds of people gathered at the factory outfitting pier on the Neva embankment.

And on board the nuclear-powered ship, meanwhile, were the last preparations for sailing. Captain Pavel Akimovich Ponomarev gave the necessary orders. Side by side with the nuclear-powered ship, powerful tugboats swayed measuredly on the Neva wave, seeming dwarfs in comparison with the polar colossus. Finally, the command was given:

Give away the moorings!

The tugboats took the nuclear-powered ship, decorated with flags of coloring, from the quay wall of the plant to the middle of the Neva. There was a traditional farewell beep. Unforgettable, long-awaited, exciting minute!..

The events of this historic moment were in a hurry to capture on; for many years, photojournalists of central and Leningrad newspapers and magazines, newsreel and television cameramen.

Happy sailing! - wished the admiralty to the outgoing icebreaker.

thanks for great job! Captain P. A. Ponomarev answered excitedly. His voice, amplified by powerful loudspeakers, resounded over the Neva expanses.

Everyone who was on board the nuclear-powered ship invariably expressed their admiration for the wonderful creation of the Soviet people.

The nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" has been built! After he left Leningrad, the icebreaker was successfully tested in the harsh autumn waters of the Baltic. The sailors received from the hands of the Admiralty a wonderful vessel - the flagship of the Soviet icebreaking fleet.

Now serve him and serve in the North, for the benefit of the people who created him!

The Lenin nuclear-powered icebreaker will glorify our great Motherland, the human mind, which harnessed the colossal energy of the atomic nucleus for the sake of peace, forever.

How the nuclear icebreaker "Lenin" was built. State Union Publishing House of the Shipbuilding Industry. Leningrad 1959