The Ling Ao Nuclear Power Station second phase unit one reached criticality for the first time at 3:03 p.m. on June 10, marking the official launch of the CPR1000, China's first independently-developed-and-owned nuclear reactor.



The reactor was put into operation and laid a solid foundation for electricity generation and full power operations.



The supercritical nuclear process of nuclear power stations is similar to the ignition process of boilers from regular thermal power stations. Reaching a critical state, the nuclear reaction of the reactor core will enter into the self-sustaining phase, providing conditions for further electricity generation and full power operation.



After the first critical state, the unit will carry out a zero-power physical experiment to test the function of the reactor core, the availability of the nuclear instrumentation system and the accuracy of the reactor core loading, in order to ensure that the unit can rise to the power operation state.



The nuclear reactor of the Ling Ao Nuclear Power Station second phase unit one is a prototype reactor of China's independently-developed CPR1000 advanced pressurized water reactor nuclear power technology. All design work for the nuclear reactor was completed by domestic design organizations independently.



Compared with the Daya Bay Nuclear Power Station and the first phase of the Ling Ao Nuclear Power Station, the second phase nuclear reactor has improved nuclear reactor core design and computing software, a higher number of absorption rods when first loaded and the fuel assembly hasbetter mechanical properties.



By People's Daily Online