Valentin Pashin: We Created Precedent of Innovation Chain

14.09.2011 Press conference on Arctic shelf exploration and development of the Stockman gas condensate field was held on Sept 13 at ITAR-TASS press center. Among participants was Valentin M. Pashin, research manager and director of FSUE Krylov Scientific and Research Institute, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Valentin Pashin informed the participants on current condition and activities of the institute he heads. According to Pashin, the Krylov Institute was previously entirely a defense research centre, but in post-Soviet period its activity was diversified. "First, we reoriented at civilian production, and second, we are transforming from scientific research institute into research and development centre, i.e. for the first time we're going to deal with certain projects of ships", said the academician. It should be mentioned that Baltsudoproject design bureau joined the Krylov Institute in mid-90's, and the institute began to develop ship projects on the ground of available shipbuilding database.

"As of today, ships and platforms designed by the institute have been already built. This doesn't mean that we ignore science and fundamental shipbuilding problems. But in fact, we have created a precedent of innovative chain from research of physics to designing of final production demanded at market", Pashin said.

He also mentioned the institute's activity in "Arctic issues" which is aimed at creation of equipment for mineral exploration at polar regions, and resolving of applied scientific problems.

According to the institute director, the staff has executed experimental works to calculate global ice loads, designed particular functional modules for oil platforms Prirazlomnaya, Aurora Borealis, and North Star. For one, the Krylov Institute designed living quarters for Prirazlomnaya platform. As a result, the institute shifted from simple taking of Western companies' ready-made solutions to independent creation of ocean-going hardware for Arctic shelf.

Under projects of the Krylov Institute, Admiralteyskie Verfi shipyard builds research vessel Akademik Treshnikov, Baltiysky Zavod shipyard builds floating nuclear power plant Akademik Lomonosov, Amur Shipyard laid down an oil platform supply ship for Gazflot.

Icebreakers St. Petersburg and Moskva designed by the institute are presently in service and have gained pretty good feedbacks from sailors. Those icebreakers are a basis of modernized project which is going to be used for several ice-class ships specially for the Baltic Sea. The project of 60-MW nuclear-powered lead icebreaker is ready at the moment, and what remained is to decide who and when will construct it. "We're developing a crucially new non-traditional shape of icebreaker. Finnish project of asymmetrically shaped icebreaker is an analog of what we do", said Valentin Pashin. "We plan to file application for patent of icebreaker's innovative hull in the current year".

Answering the question about construction of a large-size nuclear icebreaker, Pashin said he saw no technical problems unsolvable for the institute. "It'd be a mistake to give this job to foreign shipbuilders", said the scientist.

High emphasis is placed on development of technical facilities for the institute's fundamental researches. For instance, it was decided to build new up-to-date ice basin in order to test prospective Arctic equipment; by the way, the funds have been already allocated under federal target program. "In institute, we have an old 30-meter ice basin with kind of obsolete facilities. Basically, it is quite enough to perform works with needed accuracy, but it is achieved by more advanced algorithms and special methods. This needs additional cost and time", Pashin said. As for him, one of available assets will be used for construction of a new ice basin. Length of the new basin will be 80 meters. Estimated completion date is 2012.

After that, the scientist talked on hardware needed for the Stockman gas condensate field and touched upon a rising tide of interest to the Northern Sea Route.