Chernobyl Disaster

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