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Chernobyl Disaster: Nathan Watson Shadow Berg
Chernobyl Disaster: Nathan Watson Shadow Berg
Nathan Watson
Shadow Berg
Background Information
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant
Located in Prypiat, Ukraine
Construction began in 1970
Reactor 1 activated in 1977
4 reactors at 1 GW electrical each (3.2 GW thermal)
Reactors 5, 6 under construction
Partial meltdown of reactor 1 in 1982
1986 Accident
Accident Timeline
April 25, 1986 – Reactor 4 begins scheduled
shutdown – brought to 50%
Failure of regional power station delays further
shutdown
23:00 - Uninformed night crew continue shutdown
too quickly
Reactor produces too much Xe-135, further
decreases output
Accident Timeline
Misdiagnosing decreased output, operators pull out
control rods beyond safety limits
April 26, 1986 – 01:19- Water flow to reactor is
increased as part of scheduled test, requiring further
removal of control rods
01:23:04 – Water turbines shut down for test –
steam pockets created in coolant lines, Xe-135 burns
up, already unstable reactor becomes supercritical
Accident Timeline
01:23:40 – Operators initiate emergency shutdown
of reactor (full insertion of all control rods)
Bad control rod design increases reaction rate
Reaction damages control rods
01:23:47 – Reactor at 30 GW thermal, fuel rods
melt, steam explosion destroys reactor lid and blows
through roof
Added oxygen causes graphite fire
Accident Timeline
Reactor crew pumps water into the reactor until
morning under the assumption that it is still intact
April 27 – Reactor damage acknowledged,
evacuation begins
“Liquidators” sent in to clean up and prevent second
explosion
December 1986 – Concrete sarcophagus built
around reactor 4
Effects
Red Forest
Immediate vicinity at
approximately 4.81
GBq/m2 by 1990
Red Forest is one of the
most contaminated
areas in the world
Fallout (Europe)
Statistics
> 300,000 relocated
~ 50 directly related deaths
???,000 deaths due to cancer from radiation
1986 – Future
1986 - Future
Fall 1986 – Reactors 1 and 2 restarted
1987 – Reactor 3 restarted
1991 – Fire in reactor 2, permanently shut down,
decision to decommission entire facility
1996 – Reactor 1 shut down
2000 – Reactor 3 shut down
1986 - Future
Cs-137 is primary source of gamma radiation
Area will remain radioactive for 300+ years
Staff remains to monitor radioactive material
“New Safe Confinement” expected to be completed
in February 2008