Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau for Mechanical Engineering (OKBM Afrikantov) is a Nizhny Novgorod nuclear-industry enterprise specializing in the design, testing, and servicing of nuclear steam-generating plants for the fleet, fast reactors, high-temperature reactors, refueling and pumping equipment, heat exchangers, and fuel assemblies for all types of reactors. It was founded in 1951 — when Igor Ivanovich Afrikantov became its head and chief designer. The enterprise was formed by a decree of the USSR Council of People's Commissars of 27 December 1945 on the basis of the design bureau of the Gorky Machine-Building Plant as a Special Design Bureau for creating equipment for the nuclear industry; I. I. Afrikantov became its chief designer in 1951 and its head in 1954.[1] By 2004 the enterprise had received the status of Federal Scientific-Production Center for Nuclear Machine-Building (FNPTs). It is part of the state corporation Rosatom. OKBM Afrikantov is part of the machine-building holding JSC Atomenergomash, a division of the State Corporation Rosatom.[1][2]
History and profile
The bureau grew out of the industrial environment of the Krasnoye Sormovo Plant: a design subdivision that took up the design of small and medium nuclear reactors split off from the Sormovo industrial cluster and over time developed into an independent organization. With OKBM Afrikantov's involvement, more than 500 nuclear reactors and plants have been created and operated. OKBM Afrikantov is the leading developer of reactors for Soviet and Russian nuclear submarines, including the reactor for the world's first nuclear submarine, as well as reactor plants for the nuclear icebreaker fleet and floating nuclear power plants.[3][1] The enterprise's founder, Igor Ivanovich Afrikantov (1916–1969), led it until his death; the bureau has borne his name ever since. In 1960 the enterprise was awarded the Order of Lenin for its part in creating the power plant of the first nuclear icebreaker Lenin, and in 1985 the Order of the October Revolution for its contribution to the development of nuclear technology.[1]
Among the documented developments is an auxiliary nuclear power plant based on a reactor built in 2006 and, according to media reports, intended for trials aboard the experimental submarine Sarov. Two operating highly-enriched-uranium critical assemblies used for research purposes are located on the enterprise's premises.[3]
Leadership
From 2003 the enterprise was headed by Vitaly Ivanovich Kostin (1939–2007), who held the posts of director and chief designer. Later Dmitry Leonidovich Zverev (born 30 August 1961) became director.
Over the years OKBM's staff included Evgeny Naumovich Chernomordik — a designer and deputy chief designer (1964–1981) — as well as metallurgist Garald Konstantinovich Sorokin, who later moved to the Nizhny Novgorod branch of the Institute of Machine Science of the USSR Academy of Sciences (RAN).
Place in the region's nuclear industry
OKBM Afrikantov is one of several Nizhny Novgorod enterprises within Rosatom's perimeter. The enterprise is located at: Nizhny Novgorod, Burnakovsky Prospekt, 15; the workforce numbers about 5,195 people. OKBM Afrikantov cooperates with the China National Nuclear Power Corporation on reactor design and also supplies pumping equipment for nuclear power plants under construction in China. The enterprise has a history of international scientific and technical cooperation, within which it took part in developing nuclear fuel for BN- and VVER-type reactors together with foreign partners.[3][2] Also operating in the region alongside it is the Nizhny Novgorod engineering company "Atomenergoproekt" (NIAEP), which handles general contracting and design for VVER-reactor nuclear power plants.[2]
Links
- Official website (archive) (okbm.nnov.ru)
Sources
- nti.org — OKBM Afrikantov is the leading developer of reactors for Soviet and Russian nuclear submarines, including the reactor for the world's first nuclear sub (archive)
- Wikipedia (ru) — The enterprise was formed in 1945 by a decree of the USSR Council of People's Commissars of 27 December 1945 on the basis of the design bureau of the Gorky Machine (archive)
- manufacturers.ru — The enterprise is located at: Nizhny Novgorod, Burnakovsky Prospekt, 15; the workforce numbers about 5,195 people. (archive)