CV-18 Fujian/003 CATOBAR carrier thread

[VESSEL]

Do you have the source for this? Please do share

It's classified, I can't talk too much.

 

[sinophilia]

It's classified, I can't talk too much.

Do you have any estimates on the output for the actual reactor on the eventual carrier? Just any numbers people are throwing around?

 

[gelgoog]

Do you have any estimates on the output for the actual reactor on the eventual carrier? Just any numbers people are throwing around?

You do not need to guess that much. The French Charles de Gaulle carrier with 42 500 tonnes displacement (kind of on the small side) uses two K15 150MWt nuclear reactors. This is the same reactor type used in their strategic submarines. It has the advantage it does not require high enriched uranium fuel but the disadvantage it requires refueling more often. The Nimitz class carrier has 100 020 long tons displacement and two A4W nuclear reactors at 550 MWt total (275 MWt per reactor). The Gerald Ford class carrier has two A1B nuclear reactors at 700 MWt total (350 MWt per reactor). It uses high enriched uranium fuel so it is more compact and can last longer between refueling periods. But you need the capacity to process high enriched fuel. The Russian RITM-400 nuclear reactor in design for use on the Leader class icebreaker of 69 700 tonnes displacement (uses two reactors) can output 315 MWt per reactor. The Chinese civilian ACP100 land based reactor will output 385 MWt.

The outlier is the original US Enterprise class carrier which had eight small nuclear reactors in pairs powering four shafts. This was both expensive and maintenance intensive so it wasn't used in any future carriers.

So the Chinese naval reactor should be on that ballpark. 300 MWt power or more. Having two reactors mean you can have different layout on the ship and it also means you have some redundancy in case one breaks down.

 

[hkvaryag]

SMR is not small at all, one of China's SMR is 180MWe. Nimitz' two A4W reactors provides total 194MW shaft.

But that floating reactor can only produce about 50MWe.........

 

[VESSEL]

Do you have any estimates on the output for the actual reactor on the eventual carrier? Just any numbers people are throwing around?

该试验台主动力设备装置空负荷试验系统主要用于国防重点工程主汽轮机组出厂前的空负荷试验。新建试验台包括三个主机试验台位，用于5万马力机组空负荷试验，同时具备扩展为7万马力机组空负荷试验的条件。辅助跨建一个辅机部套试验台，同时配置以上各项试验所需要的辅助配套系统。
汽轮机组试验台的设计体现了安全性、可靠性、灵活性、自动化程度高，人员配备少，布局合理的原则；辅助配套系统的设计体现了安全可靠，操作方便灵活，布局紧凑合理的原则；辅机自动控制系统及测试系统的设计体现了系统可靠性、抗干扰能力强，具备自动化、综合化、模块化、智能化的特点。

In 2015, China built the 50,000 HP steam power plant no-load test bench project (5万马力蒸汽动力装置空负荷试验台工程) for 002.
The new test bench includes three main engine test benches, which are used for the no-load test of 50,000 HP unit, and have the conditions to be expanded to the no-load test of 70,000 HP unit.(新建试验台包括三个主机试验台位，用于5万马力机组空负荷试验，同时具备扩展为7万马力机组空负荷试验的条件。)
So I estimate that the reactor of 004 will be close to A1B in many aspects.

 

[broadsword]

The land-based prototype reactor for 004 is still under construction.

When will it be completed?

 

[papyrus]

Any update on the launch yesterday? Which vessel/modules launched?

 

[VESSEL]

When will it be completed?

Around 2025.

 

[Jingle Bells]

Around 2025.

This pretty much means that if China wants to build up her catapult-capable naval aviation capabilities before the 2030s, she will have to rely on conventional-powered carriers. In this sense, most likely we will see a couple or more new conventional carriers before the 2030s

 

[Intrepid]

This pretty much means that if China wants to build up her catapult-capable naval aviation capabilities before the 2030s, she will have to rely on conventional-powered carriers. In this sense, most likely we will see a couple or more new conventional carriers before the 2030s

If China is convinced that it will absolutely have to have aircraft carriers as early as 2030 and not at a later point in time, then yes.