China sets ‘super module’ at Lufeng-1, keeping nuclear build on track

China has taken a significant step towards revolutionising the nuclear sector by constructing a ‘super module’ at its Lufeng-1 site in the Guangdong province. The Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute made the announcement recently, and the world is still in shock over the innovative engineering progress that the Chinese have made. China is universally recognised as one of the world’s best in constructing massive projects that serve the needs of one of the fastest-growing countries in the world.

The CA01 ‘super module’ is a revolutionary construction project for the Chinese

The concrete and steel CA01 module, which is composed of 47 sub-modules, weighs an incredible 990 tonnes and measures more than 26 metres long, 29 metres wide and 23 metres high. The module will sit inside the unit’s containment module, where it will house the plant’s reactor pressure vessel, as well as steam generators and other components.

The Shanghai Nuclear Engineering Research and Design Institute (SNERDI) stated that the 16 September installation marks “the entry of the unit into a new stage of structural construction and equipment installation”. The CA01 module is known as a ‘super module’ because it is too large to be transported by traditional methods and was constructed on site. A truly revolutionary construction process.

A subsidiary of State Power Investment Corporation, SNERDI, describes the CA01 module as “the largest, heaviest, and most complex structural module in the nuclear island”. It also noted the complex challenges that the project faced, which include:

• The complex structure – the module is unlike anything previously seen in the sector and, as such, required an innovative construction process.
• The weight – Such a massive module required it to be built on site instead of being transported by traditional methods like road and rail.
• Centre of gravity deviation – the inconceivable size means that the centre of gravity is constantly shifting.
• Millimetre-level positioning accuracy – In order to position the module correctly, incredible positioning accuracy was required.

The first safety-related concrete was poured in February of this year

Following an extensive approval process that took several years to navigate, the nuclear island of Unit 1 at the Lufeng plant saw the first safety-related concrete being poured this year. The site will eventually house six reactors, and this is the third unit to begin construction at the site. SNERDI released a statement outlining the project’s process.

“The project team achieved these breakthroughs through technological innovation and refined control. Using laser scanning technology, the team created a full-scale digital replica of the module, accurately calculating the actual centre of gravity coordinates. Based on this information, they designed a dedicated multi-point hoisting system, equipped with a three-stage balance beam, to address the centre of gravity deviation caused by the module’s T-shaped structure. By combining traditional contour line layout checks with 3D scanning collision checks, they were able to overcome the challenges of a confined installation area and minimal clearance from surrounding embedded components.”

For any projects this size, investment and subsidies from the government are seen as a necessity to get the project off the ground, and the Chinese government has a vested interest in the success of the project.

China continues to lead the way in the nuclear sector globally

It is universally known that China consumes incomprehensible amounts of energy, and as such, needs to develop massive projects that provide the Chinese citizens with the energy needed for everyday life. The proclivity for hydrogen is not limited to the Asian giant; South Africa has announced that it will also be investing heavily in a massive nuclear project. So, considering the news coming out of China and the rest of the world, it would appear that nuclear energy is on an upward trajectory.