Russia’s Urals ElectroChemical Combine (UECC) has implemented a proprietary system for automatic control of centrifuge energy consumption, Strana Rosatom said on 19 April. The automated system, Yantar, makes it possible, in case of an emergency shutdown, to transfer the load of the technological unit of centrifuges to the standby without participation of an electrician. Yantar was developed by the specialists of the metrological service of the plant.

The system is based on modern electronics and is highly reliable with a minimum number of failures. Flexible software enables quick changes to be made. “We have formulated an algorithm for the new programme and determined the criteria for load management,” said Konstantin Zaitsev, UECC chief metrologist. “A reliable system is a prerequisite for the operation of power equipment that supplies power to a core technology. This is a guarantee of safety and quality for UECC’s main product”.

UECC began enrichment using gaseous diffusion in 1949 but has been using centrifuge technology since 1962. Today, UECC accounts for 48% of Russian and 20% of world industrial capacities for the separation of uranium isotopes, which makes it possible to fulfil more than 80% of export orders for uranium enrichment placed in Russia.