The Future of Nuclear Energy: A Young Engineer's View
In Kazakhstan, Nuclear Industry Workers' Day is celebrated annually on September 28. The subject of this article is Yermukan Rakhmetov, a 5th-grade fuel rod operator at Ulba-FA LLC.
Yermukan has been working at the company for two years and has a bachelor's degree in metallurgy and a master's degree.
Yermukan Rakhmetov's begins his workday with the verification of parameters and launching the technological process, compliance with standards and cycle accuracy. The fuel rod production process consists of several stages. Welding of the cladding and lower end cap, measuring the weld height and width, loading of pellets, measuring the length of the compensation space, installing the spring, filling with helium, welding of the upper end cap, measuring the weld height and width. Then comes the length and weight measurement, and a leak test. Following this, the internal characteristics of the fuel rods are measured using high-precision equipment-a gamma scanner. Next, visual inspection and testing of the welds takes place. At each stage of the process, the operator monitors the process.
The fuel element is the heart of the nuclear reactor. Tell us why your work is critical to the safety and efficiency of the entire nuclear power plant.
– Because the stable and safe operation of the reactor depends on the quality of fuel assembly. Our task is to ensure smooth technological processes. The responsibility is high, but this only increases our focus and serious approach.
– What does Nuclear Industry Workers’ Day mean to you?
– It's a day when you feel proud of your profession and your colleagues. It's a pleasure to know you're a part of a large and important industry.
– How do you see the future of nuclear energy in Kazakhstan?
– We have great potential. Nuclear energy can become a reliable source of clear energy for the country. I think its development is inevitable.
