OREANDA-NEWS. October 25, 2010. Web-site of the Ministry of Education of Russia has published the list of winners of the open public competition for selection of organizations for the right to receive grants for implementation of complex projects in hi-tech production. The contest committee has considered more than 300 applications from various enterprises and universities of Russia. As a result, 55 projects were pronounced the winners. One of them is the joint project of Petrozavodskmash and PetrSU Creation of Resource-Saving Production of Ecologically Safe Transportation and Packing Kits for Storage and Transportation of Spent Nuclear Fuel.

This project is one of the major innovative initiatives defined in the concluded this summer agreement on strategic partnership between Petrozavodskmash Joint-Stock Company and PetrSU, and completely corresponds to the new direction of Petrozavodskmash's work – since February the enterprise is a part of JSC AtomEnergoMash, machine-building division of the State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM. Its importance for development of atomic power engineering is doubtless, as it will allow to solve many tasks related to ecological compatibility of nuclear branch's functioning. It is regarded as a priority direction of development, science, technology and engineering in the Russian Federation approved by the President of our country.

Within the scope of the project production of economic transportation and packing kits with cases made of ductile cast iron will be organized at Petrozavodskmash .

It was no coincidence this development issue was chosen. The project implementation is based on Petrozavodskmash's unique scientific and industrial сapacity. In 2001, by results of certification tests of the full-scale 40-ton model of the case of the container for spent nuclear fuel there have been developed and approved specifications for ductile cast iron, the material to make containers of. Even in the XXI century ductile cast iron has no analogues among metal constructional materials both for technical and economic characteristics, and for opportunities of casting high-duty products of any weight and geometrical complexity.

The partner of the project is PetrSU, the largest diversified classical university in the European North of Russia. The university conducts research and development works in 22 branches of science and annually carries out about 300 scientific projects. Experts from PetrSU intend to invest their know-how, methods of research, problem-solving knowledge in development of the project. Besides, it is expected to involve co-authors from the leading organizations of the country – about 40% of the scope of design works will be performed by professionals in the field of atomic power engineering.

The term 'container' in this case means a unique construction comprising talents of designers and creators. It should completely correspond to the most exacting requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency which provide ecological compatibility of its use. Specificity of the project assumes control over all stages: from assessment of documentation to production and tests. As a matter of fact, transportation and packing kit is a complex technical construction. Today Russia does not produce such products, although there's a considerable need for them, which evidence is winning of the competition.

At the stage of the project preparation association of efforts of business and science has already yielded first results. Totally to create the production it will be assigned 250 million roubles of public funds and own means of Petrozavodskmash. At implementation of the project modern innovative decisions will be used, as it is necessary to modernize the technological production cycle, to purchase new equipment. Experts of Petrozavodsk State University engaged in development in their directions of work will pay lots of attention to the tasks faced by nuclear branch of our country.

Within the next three years, thanks to joint efforts of experts of the enterprise and PetrSU, at Petrozavodskmash there will be establieshed new production and, at least, the first product sample will be made. Complex and scale work is expected, however, citizens of Petrozavodsk do not give in to difficulties. In fact, the project is aimed at our common future, at preservation of ecological balance. Implementation of the project will allow the enterprise to create new workplaces, as well as to strengthen its positions in the home and foreign markets. For scientists of the university it is an opportunity to work in close cooperation with industry for real needs of the economy of Russia, for the university graduates its is an opportunity to find a job. Finally, all this will have a beneficial effect on social and economic development of Petrozavodsk, Karelia and the whole Russia.