chernobyl accident 1986 vlad english

8/13/2019 Chernobyl Accident 1986 Vlad English

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Chernobyl Accident 1986(Updated June 2013)

The Chernobyl accident in 1986 was the result of a flawed reactor design that was

operated with inadequately trained personnel.

The resulting steam explosion and fires released at least ! of the radioacti"e reactorcore into the atmosphere and downwind # some $%% &'q ()*1+1 eq,.

Two Chernobyl plant wor-ers died on the night of the accident and a further $8 people

died within a few wee-s as a result of acute radiation poisoning.

/0C2A3 says that apart from increased thyroid cancers 4there is no e"idence of a

ma5or public health impact attributable to radiation exposure $% years after the accident.4

3esettlement of areas from which people were relocated is ongoing.

The April 1986 disaster at the Chernobylanuclear power plant inUkraine was the product of a flawed Soiet

reactor desi!n coupled with serious "istakes "ade by the plant operatorsb# $t was a direct conse%uence of

Cold &ar isolation and the resultin! lack of any safety culture#

The accident destroyed the Chernobyl 'reactor killin! * operators and fire"en within three "onths and

seeral further deaths later# +ne person was killed i""ediately and a second died in hospital soon after as

a result of in,uries receied# Another person is reported to hae died at the ti"e fro" a coronary

thro"bosisc# Acute radiation syndro"e (A-S) was ori!inally dia!nosed in ./ people on0site and inoled

with the clean0up and it was later confir"ed in 1' cases# +f these .8 people died as a result of A-S within

a few weeks of the accident# ineteen "ore subse%uently died between 198/ and .**' but their deaths

cannot necessarily be attributed to radiation e2posured#obody off0site suffered fro" acute radiation effects
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althou!h a lar!e proportion of childhood thyroid cancers dia!nosed since the accident is likely to be due to

intake of radioactie iodine falloutd# 3urther"ore lar!e areas of 4elarus Ukraine -ussia and beyond were

conta"inated in aryin! de!rees# See also sections below and Chernobyl Accident Appendi2 .5 ealth

$"pacts#

The Chernobyl disaster was a uni%ue eent and the only accident in the history of co""ercial nuclear powerwhere radiation0related fatalities occurrede# oweer the desi!n of the reactor is uni%ue and in that respect

the accident is thus of little releance to the rest of the nuclear industry outside the then 7astern

4loc# oweer it led to "a,or chan!es in safety culture and in industry cooperation particularly between

7ast and &est before the end of the Soiet Union#

The Chernobyl site and plant

The Chernobyl ower Co"ple2 lyin! about 1* k" north of ie Ukraine and about .* k" south of the

border with 4elarus consisted of four nuclear reactors of the -4:01*** desi!n (see infor"ation pa!e

on-4: -eactors) units 1 and . bein! constructed between 19/* and 19// while units and ' of the

sa"e desi!n were co"pleted in 198# Two "ore -4: reactors were under construction at the site at the

ti"e of the accident# To the southeast of the plant an artificial lake of so"e .. s%uare kilo"etres situated

beside the rier ripyat a tributary of the ;niepr was constructed to proide coolin! water for the reactors#

This area of Ukraine is described as 4elarussian0type woodland with a low population density# About k"

away fro" the reactor in the new city ripyat there were '9*** inhabitants# The old town of Chornobyl

which had a population of 1.


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The -4:01*** is a Soiet0desi!ned and built !raphite "oderated pressure tube type reactor usin! sli!htly

enriched (.= U0.irconiu" alloy clad uraniu" dio2ide fuel around which the coolin! water flows# The

e2tensions of the fuel channels penetrate the lower plate and the coer plate of the core and are welded to

each# A specially desi!ned refuellin! "achine allows fuel bundles to be chan!ed without shuttin! down the

reactor#

The "oderator whose function is to slow down neutrons to "ake the" "ore efficient in producin! fission in

the fuel is !raphite surroundin! the pressure tubes# A "i2ture of nitro!en and heliu" is circulated between

the !raphite blocks to preent o2idation of the !raphite and to i"proe the trans"ission of the heat produced

by neutron interactions in the !raphite to the fuel channel# The core itself is about / " hi!h and about 1. "

in dia"eter# $n each of the two loops there are four "ain coolant circulatin! pu"ps one of which is alwayson standby# The reactiity or power of the reactor is controlled by raisin! or lowerin! .11 control rods which

when lowered into the "oderator absorb neutrons and reduce the fission rate# The power output of this

reactor is .** :& ther"al or 1*** :&e# ?arious safety syste"s such as an e"er!ency core coolin!

syste" were incorporated into the reactor desi!n#

+ne of the "ost i"portant characteristics of the -4: reactor is that it it can possess a @positie oid

coefficient@ where an increase in stea" bubbles (@oids@) is acco"panied by an increase in core reactiity

(see infor"ation pa!e on -4: -eactors)# As stea" production in the fuel channels increases the

neutrons that would hae been absorbed by the denser water now produce increased fission in the fuel#

There are other co"ponents that contribute to the oerall power coefficient of reactiity but the oid

coefficient is the do"inant one in -4: reactors# The oid coefficient depends on the co"position of the

core a new -4: core will hae a ne!atie oid coefficient# oweer at the ti"e of the accident at

Chernobyl ' the reactor@s fuel burn0up control rod confi!uration and power leel led to a positie oid

coefficient lar!e enou!h to oerwhel" all other influences on the power coefficient#

The 1986 Chernobyl accident

+n .< April prior to a routine shutdown the reactor crew at Chernobyl ' be!an preparin! for a test to

deter"ine how lon! turbines would spin and supply power to the "ain circulatin! pu"ps followin! a loss of

"ain electrical power supply# This test had been carried out at Chernobyl the preious year but the power

fro" the turbine ran down too rapidly so new olta!e re!ulator desi!ns were to be tested#

A series of operator actions includin! the disablin! of auto"atic shutdown "echanis"s preceded the

atte"pted test early on .6 April# 4y the ti"e that the operator "oed to shut down the reactor the reactor

was in an e2tre"ely unstable condition# A peculiarity of the desi!n of the control rods caused a dra"atic

power sur!e as they were inserted into the reactor (see Chernobyl Accident Appendi2 15 Se%uence of

7ents)#
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The interaction of ery hot fuel with the coolin! water led to fuel fra!"entation alon! with rapid stea"

production and an increase in pressure# The desi!n characteristics of the reactor were such that substantial

da"a!e to een three or four fuel asse"blies can and did result in the destruction of the reactor# The

oerpressure caused the 1*** t coer plate of the reactor to beco"e partially detached rupturin! the fuel

channels and ,a""in! all the control rods which by that ti"e were only halfway down# $ntense stea"!eneration then spread throu!hout the whole core (fed by water du"ped into the core due to the rupture of

the e"er!ency coolin! circuit) causin! a stea" e2plosion and releasin! fission products to the at"osphere#

About two to three seconds later a second e2plosion threw out fra!"ents fro" the fuel channels and hot

!raphite# There is so"e dispute a"on! e2perts about the character of this second e2plosion but it is likely

to hae been caused by the production of hydro!en fro" >irconiu"0stea" reactions#

Two workers died as a result of these e2plosions# The !raphite (about a %uarter of the 1.** tonnes of it was

esti"ated to hae been e,ected) and fuel beca"e incandescent and started a nu"ber of fires f causin! the

"ain release of radioactiity into the eniron"ent# A total of about 1' 74% (1' 2 1* 184%) of radioactiity was

released oer half of it bein! fro" biolo!ically0inert noble !ases#BBThe fi!ure of


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The da"a!ed Chernobyl unit ' reactor buildin!

)mmediate impact of the Chernobyl accident

The accident caused the lar!est uncontrolled radioactie release into the eniron"ent eer recorded for any

ciilian operation and lar!e %uantities of radioactie substances were released into the air for about 1*

days# This caused serious social and econo"ic disruption for lar!e populations in 4elarus -ussia andUkraine# Two radionuclides the short0lied iodine011 and the lon!0lied caesiu"01/ were particularly

si!nificant for the radiation dose they deliered to "e"bers of the public#

$t is esti"ated that all of the 2enon !as about half of the iodine and caesiu" and at least


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$nitial radiation e2posure in conta"inated areas

was due to short0lied iodine011F later caesiu"0

1/ was the "ain ha>ard# (4oth are fission

products dispersed fro" the reactor core with half

lies of 8 days and * years respectiely# 1#8 74%of $011 and *#*8< 74% of Cs01/ were released#)

About fie "illion people lied in areas of 4elarus

-ussia and Ukraine conta"inated (aboe /

k4%G".Cs01/ in soil) and about '***** lied in

"ore conta"inated areas of strict control by

authorities (aboe one# :ost of those eacuated

receied radiation doses of less than


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control population with those e2posed to radiation# Si!nificant health disorders were eident in both control

and e2posed !roups but at that sta!e none was radiation related#

aths of radiation e2posureh

Subse%uent studies in the Ukraine -ussia and 4elarus were based on national re!isters of oer one "illion

people possibly affected by radiation# 4y .*** about '*** cases of thyroid cancer had been dia!nosed in

e2posed children# oweer the rapid increase in thyroid cancers detected su!!ests that so"e of it at least

is an artifact of the screenin! process# Thyroid cancer is usually not fatal if dia!nosed and treated early#

$n 3ebruary .** the $A7A established the Chernobyl 3oru" in cooperation with seen other U

or!anisations as well as the co"petent authorities of 4elarus the -ussian 3ederation and Ukraine# $n April

.**


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e2pert studies notably the USC7A- .*** report,which said that apart fro" this Ithyroid cancerJ increase

there is no eidence of a "a,or public health i"pact attributable to radiation e2posure 1' years after the

accident# There is no scientific eidence of increases in oerall cancer incidence or "ortality or in non0

"ali!nant disorders that could be related to radiation e2posure# As yet there is little eidence of any

increase in leukae"ia een a"on! clean0up workers where it "i!ht be "ost e2pected# oweer theseworkers where hi!h doses "ay hae been receied re"ain at increased risk of cancer in the lon! ter"#

Apart fro" these the United ations Scientific Co""ittee on the 7ffects of Ato"ic -adiation

(USC7A-) says that the !reat "a,ority of the population is not likely to e2perience serious health

conse%uences as a result of radiation fro" the Chernobyl accident# :any other health proble"s hae been

noted in the populations that are not related to radiation e2posure#

The Chernobyl 3oru" report says that people in the area hae suffered a paralysin! fatalis" due to "yths

and "isperceptions about the threat of radiation which has contributed to a culture of chronic dependency#

So"e took on the role of inalids# :ental health coupled with s"okin! and alcohol abuse is a ery "uch

!reater proble" than radiation but worst of all at the ti"e was the underlyin! leel of health and nutrition#Apart fro" the initial 116*** relocations of people were ery trau"atic and did little to reduce radiation

e2posure which was low anyway# sycho0social effects a"on! those affected by the accident are si"ilar to

those arisin! fro" other "a,or disasters such as earth%uakes floods and fires#

Accordin! to the "ost up0to0date esti"ate of USC7A- the aera!e radiation dose due to the accident

receied by inhabitants of @strict radiation control@ areas (population .16***) in the years 1986 to .**< was

1 "S (oer the .*0year period) and in the @conta"inated@ areas (population 6#' "illion) it aera!ed 9

"S a "inor increase oer the dose due to back!round radiation oer the sa"e period (about


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conditions# $t is necessary to ealuate carefully each specific condition and the surroundin! circu"stances

before attributin! a cause#ard at the site 0 and the real start of

deco""issionin!# The SC will facilitate re"ote handlin! of these dan!erous "aterials usin! as few

personnel as possible#The Chernobyl Shelter 3und set up in 199/ had receied M86' "illion fro" international donors by early

.*11 towards this pro,ect and preious work# $t and the uclear Safety Account set up in 199 are

"ana!ed by the 7uropean 4ank for -econstruction and ;eelop"ent (74-;)# The SA had receied M.1

"illion by early .*11 for Chernobyl deco""issionin! and also for pro,ects in other e20Soiet countries# The

total cost of the new shelter is esti"ated by the Ukraine !oern"ent to be M9< "illion# $n April .*11 an

e2tra M


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processed in three steps# 3irst the solid radioactie wastes te"porarily stored in bunkers is re"oed for

treat"ent# $n the ne2t step these wastes as well as those fro" deco""issionin! reactor blocks 10 are

processed into a for" suitable for per"anent safe disposal# Eow0 and inter"ediate0leel wastes are

separated into co"bustible co"pactable and non0co"pactable cate!ories# These are then sub,ect to

incineration hi!h0force co"paction and ce"entation respectiely# $n addition hi!hly radioactie and lon!0lied solid waste is sorted out for te"porary separate stora!e# $n the third step the conditioned solid waste

"aterials are transferred to containers suitable for per"anent safe stora!e#

As part of this pro,ect at the end of .**/ uke" handed oer an 7n!ineered ear Surface ;isposal

3acility for stora!e of short0lied radioactie waste after prior conditionin!# $t is 1/ k" away fro" the power

plant at the ?ektor co"ple2 within the *0k" >one# The stora!e area is desi!ned to hold


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The feasibility of a!riculture will be e2a"ined in areas where the presence of caesiu"01/ and strontiu"09*

is low to ac%uire new knowled!e in the fields of radiobiolo!y and radioecolo!y in order to clarify the

principles of safe life in the conta"inated territories# Eand found to hae too hi!h a concentration of

radionuclides will be reforested and "ana!ed# A suite of protectie "easures is to be set up to allow a new

forestry industry whose products would "eet national and international safety standards# $n April .**9specialists in 4elarus stressed that it is safe to eat all foods cultiated in the conta"inated territories thou!h

intake of so"e wild food was restricted#

rotectie "easures will be put in place for '98 settle"ents in the conta"inated areas where aera!e

radiation dose "ay e2ceed 1 "S per year# There are also 19*' illa!es with annual aera!e effectie

doses fro" the pollution between *#1 "S and 1 "S# The !oal for these areas is to allow their re0use with

"ini"al restrictions althou!h already radiation doses there fro" the caesiu" are lower than back!round

leels anywhere in the world# The "ost affected settle"ents are to be tackled first around .*110 .*1 with

the rest co"in! back in around .*1'0.*1


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:any other international pro!ra""es were initiated followin! Chernobyl# The $nternational Ato"ic 7ner!y

A!ency ($A7A) safety reiew pro,ects for each particular type of Soiet reactor are noteworthy brin!in!

to!ether operators and &estern en!ineers to focus on safety i"proe"ents# These initiaties are backed by

fundin! arran!e"ents# The uclear Safety Assistance Coordination Centre database lists &estern aid

totallin! al"ost USL1 billion for "ore than /** safety0related pro,ects in for"er 7astern 4loc countries# TheConention on uclear Safety adopted in ?ienna in Dune 199' is another outco"e#

The Chernobyl 3oru" report said that so"e seen "illion people are now receiin! or eli!ible for benefits as

@Chernobyl icti"s@ which "eans that resources are not tar!etin! the needy few percent of the"#

-e"edyin! this presents dauntin! political proble"s howeer#

urther )nformation

otes

a# Chernobylis the well0known -ussian na"e for the siteF Chornobylis preferred by Ukraine# I4ackJ

b# :uch has been "ade of the role of the operators in the Chernobyl accident# The 1986 Su!!ary Report

on the &o't.Acc(dent Re)(e/ ,eet(n* on the Chernobyl Acc(dent($SAH01) of the $nternational Ato"ic7ner!y A!ency@s ($A7A@s) $nternational uclear Safety Adisory Hroup accepted the iew of the Soiet

e2perts that the accident was caused by a re"arkable ran!e of hu"an errors and iolations of operatin!

rules in co"bination with specific reactor features which co"pounded and a"plified the effects of the errors

and led to the reactiity e2cursion# $n particular accordin! to the $SAH01 report5 The operators

deliberately and in iolation of rules withdrew "ost control and safety rods fro" the core and switched off

so"e i"portant safety syste"s#

oweer the $A7A@s 199. $SAH0/ report he Chernobyl Acc(dent: Updat(n* of NSA#.1 was less critical

of the operators with the e"phasis shifted towards the contributions of particular desi!n features includin!

the desi!n of the control rods and safety syste"s and arran!e"ents for presentin! i"portant safetyinfor"ation to the operators# The accident is now seen to hae been the result of the concurrence of the

followin! "a,or factors5 specific physical characteristics of the reactorF specific desi!n features of the reactor

control ele"entsF and the fact that the reactor was brou!ht to a state not specified by procedures or

inesti!ated by an independent safety body# :ost i"portantly the physical characteristics of the reactor

"ade possible its unstable behaiour# 4ut the report !oes on to say that the $nternational uclear Safety

Adisory Hroup re"ains of the opinion that critical actions of the operators were "ost ill ,ud!ed# As pointed

out in $SAH01 the hu"an factor has still to be considered as a "a,or ele"ent in causin! the accident#

$t is certainly true that the operators placed the reactor in a dan!erous condition in particular by re"oin!

too "any of the control rods resultin! in the lowerin! of the reactor@s operatin! reactiity "ar!in (+-: see

infor"ation pa!e on -4: -eactors)# oweer the operatin! procedures did not e"phasise the ital safety

si!nificance of the +-: but rather treated the +-: as a way of controllin! reactor power# $t could therefore

be ar!ued that the actions of the operators were "ore a sy"pto" of the preailin! safety culture of the

Soiet era rather than the result of recklessness or a lack of co"petence on the part of the operators (see

Appendi2 to infor"ation pa!e onNuclear &o/er (n Ru''(aSoiet uclear Culture)#
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$n what is referred to as his e'ta!ent which was published soon after his suicide two years after the

accident ?alery Ee!aso who had led the Soiet dele!ation to the $A7A ost0Accident -eiew :eetin!

wrote5 After $ had isited Chernobyl $ ca"e to the conclusion that the accident was the ineitable

apotheosis of the econo"ic syste" which had been deeloped in the USS- oer "any decades# e!lect by

the scientific "ana!e"ent and the desi!ners was eerywhere with no attention bein! paid to the condition ofinstru"ents or of e%uip"ent### &hen one considers the chain of eents leadin! up to the Chernobyl

accident why one person behaed in such a way and why another person behaed in another etc it is

i"possible to find a sin!le culprit a sin!le initiator of eents because it was like a closed circle# I4ackJ

c# The initial death toll was officially !ien as two initial deaths plus .8 fro" acute radiation syndro"e# +ne

further icti" due to coronary thro"bosis is widely reported but does not appear on official lists of the

initial deaths# The .**6 report of the U Chernobyl 3oru" 72pert Hroup ealth %ealth Effect' of the

Chernobyl Acc(dent and Spec(al %ealth Care &ro*ra!!e'states5 The Chernobyl accident caused the

deaths of * power plant e"ployees and fire"en within a few days or weeks (includin! .8 deaths that were

due to radiation e2posure)# I4ackJd# Apart fro" the initial 1 deaths (two fro" the e2plosions one reportedly fro" coronary thro"bosis see

ote c aboe and .8 fire"en and plant personnel fro" acute radiation syndro"e) the nu"ber of deaths

resultin! fro" the accident is unclear and a sub,ect of considerable controersy# Accordin! to the .**6

report of the U Chernobyl 3oru"@s @ealth@ 72pert Hroup15The actual nu"ber of deaths caused by this

accident is unlikely eer to be precisely known#

+n the nu"ber of deaths due to acute radiation syndro"e (A-S) the 72pert Hroup report states5 A"on!

the 1' e"er!ency workers inoled in the i""ediate "iti!ation of the Chernobyl accident seerely

e2posed workers and fire"an durin! the first days .8 persons died in 1986 due to A-S and 19 "ore

persons died in 198/0.**' fro" different causes# A"on! the !eneral population affected by the Chernobyl

radioactie fallout the "uch lower e2posures "eant that A-S cases did not occur#

Accordin! to the report5 &ith the e2ception of thyroid cancer direct radiation0epide"iolo!ical studies

perfor"ed in 4elarus -ussia and Ukraine since 1986 hae not reealed any statistically si!nificant increase

in either cancer "orbidity or "ortality induced by radiation# The report does howeer attribute a lar!e

proportion of child thyroid cancer fatalities to radiation with nine deaths bein! recorded durin! 19860.**. as

a result of pro!ression of thyroid cancer#

A su""ary of the esti"ates by the 72pert Hroup of the total nu"ber of deaths can be found inChernobyl

Accident Appendi2 .5 ealth $"pacts# I4ackJ

e# There hae been fatalities in "ilitary and research reactor conte2ts e*Tokai0"ura# I4ackJ

f# Althou!h "ost reports on the Chernobyl accident refer to a nu"ber of !raphite fires it is hi!hly unlikely

that the !raphite itself burned# Accordin! to the Heneral Ato"ics website (http5GG!t0"hr#!a#co"Gsafety#php)5

$t is often incorrectly assu"ed that the co"bustion behaior of !raphite is si"ilar to that of charcoal and

coal# u"erous tests and calculations hae shown that it is irtually i"possible to burn hi!h0purity nuclear0

!rade !raphites# +n Chernobyl the sa"e source states5 Hraphite played little or no role in the pro!ression

or conse%uences of the accident# The red !low obsered durin! the Chernobyl accident was the e2pected
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#bhttp://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/chernobyl/WHO%20Report%20on%20Chernobyl%20Health%20Effects%20July%2006.pdfhttp://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/chernobyl/WHO%20Report%20on%20Chernobyl%20Health%20Effects%20July%2006.pdfhttp://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/chernobyl/WHO%20Report%20on%20Chernobyl%20Health%20Effects%20July%2006.pdfhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#chttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#chttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#chttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#Referenceshttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#Referenceshttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/health_impacts.htmlhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/health_impacts.htmlhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/health_impacts.htmlhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#dhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#dhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#dhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ehttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ehttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ehttp://gt-mhr.ga.com/safety.phphttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#bhttp://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/chernobyl/WHO%20Report%20on%20Chernobyl%20Health%20Effects%20July%2006.pdfhttp://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/chernobyl/WHO%20Report%20on%20Chernobyl%20Health%20Effects%20July%2006.pdfhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#chttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#Referenceshttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/health_impacts.htmlhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/chernobyl/health_impacts.htmlhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#dhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ehttp://gt-mhr.ga.com/safety.php


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color of lu"inescence for !raphite at /**PC and not a lar!e0scale !raphite fire as so"e hae incorrectly

assu"ed#

A .**6 7lectric ower -esearch $nstitute Technical -eport.states that the $nternational Ato"ic 7ner!y

A!ency@s $SAH01 report is

potent(ally !('lead(n* throu*h the u'e of (!prec('e /ord' (n relat(on to *raph(te beha)(our he report d('cu''e' the f(re.f(*ht(n*

act()(t(e' and repeatedly refer' to burn(n* *raph(te bloc4'5 and the *raph(te f(re5 ,o't of the actual f(re' (n)ol)(n* *raph(te /h(ch

/ere approached by f(re.f(*hter' (n)ol)ed e6ected !ater(al on b(tu!en.co)ered roof'7 and the f(re' al'o (n)ol)ed the b(tu!en t ('

'tated: he f(re tea!' e"per(enced no unu'ual proble!' (n u'(n* the(r f(re.f(*ht(n* techn(8ue'7 e"cept that (t too4 a con'(derable

t(!e to e"t(n*u('h the *raph(te f (re5 he'e de'cr(pt(on' are not con'('tent /(th the later con'(dered op(n(on' of 'en(or Ru''(an

'pec(al('t' here (' ho/e)er no 8ue't(on that e"tre!ely hot *raph(te /a' e6ected fro! the core and at a te!perature 'uff(c(ent

to (*n(te ad6acent co!bu't(ble !ater(al'

There are also seeral referrals to a !raphite fire occurrin! durin! the +ctober 19in! radiation#72posures and effects of the Chernobyl accidentAnne2 D to ?olu"e $$ of the .*** United

ations Scientific Co""ittee on the 7ffects of Ato"ic -adiation -eport to the Heneral Asse"bly is
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#Referenceshttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#fhttp://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/ChernoBook/index.htmlhttp://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/ChernoBook/index.htmlhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ghttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ghttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ghttp://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub885e_web.pdfhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#hhttp://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/Chernobyl/chernobyl.pdfhttp://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/Chernobyl/chernobyl.pdfhttp://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/Chernobyl/chernobyl.pdfhttp://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/Chernobyl/chernobyl.pdfhttp://www-ns.iaea.org/downloads/rw/meetings/environ-consequences-report-wm-08.05.pdfhttp://www-ns.iaea.org/downloads/rw/meetings/environ-consequences-report-wm-08.05.pdfhttp://www-ns.iaea.org/downloads/rw/meetings/environ-consequences-report-wm-08.05.pdfhttp://www.who.int/entity/ionizing_radiation/a_e/chernobyl/EGH_overview.pdfhttp://www.who.int/entity/ionizing_radiation/a_e/chernobyl/EGH_overview.pdfhttp://www-ns.iaea.org/meetings/rw-summaries/chernobyl_forum.htmhttp://www-ns.iaea.org/meetings/rw-summaries/chernobyl_forum.htmhttp://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/a_e/chernobyl/en/index1.htmlhttp://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/a_e/chernobyl/en/index1.htmlhttp://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/a_e/chernobyl/en/index1.htmlhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ihttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ihttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ihttp://www.unscear.org/docs/reports/annexj.pdfhttp://www.unscear.org/docs/reports/annexj.pdfhttp://www.unscear.org/docs/reports/annexj.pdfhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#Referenceshttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#fhttp://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/ChernoBook/index.htmlhttp://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/ChernoBook/index.htmlhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ghttp://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/publications/PDF/Pub885e_web.pdfhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#hhttp://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/Chernobyl/chernobyl.pdfhttp://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/Chernobyl/chernobyl.pdfhttp://www.iaea.org/Publications/Booklets/Chernobyl/chernobyl.pdfhttp://www-ns.iaea.org/downloads/rw/meetings/environ-consequences-report-wm-08.05.pdfhttp://www-ns.iaea.org/downloads/rw/meetings/environ-consequences-report-wm-08.05.pdfhttp://www.who.int/entity/ionizing_radiation/a_e/chernobyl/EGH_overview.pdfhttp://www.who.int/entity/ionizing_radiation/a_e/chernobyl/EGH_overview.pdfhttp://www-ns.iaea.org/meetings/rw-summaries/chernobyl_forum.htmhttp://www-ns.iaea.org/meetings/rw-summaries/chernobyl_forum.htmhttp://www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/a_e/chernobyl/en/index1.htmlhttp://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Safety-and-Security/Safety-of-Plants/Chernobyl-Accident/#ihttp://www.unscear.org/docs/reports/annexj.pdf


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aailable at the USC7A- .*** -eport ?ol# $$webpa!e

(www#unscear#or!GunscearGenGpublicationsG.***.#ht"l)# $t is also aailable (alon! with other reports) on the

webpa!e for USC7A-@s assess"ents of the radiation effects of The Chernobyl

accident(www#unscear#or!GunscearGenGchernobyl#ht"l)# The conclusions fro" Anne2 D of the USC7A-

.*** report are inChernobyl Accident Appendi2 .5 ealth $"pactsI4ackJk# The %uoted co""ent co"es fro" a 6 Dune .***letter fro" Ears07rik ol" Chair"an of USC7A- and

;irector0Heneral of the Swedish -adiation rotection $nstitute to ofi Annan Secretary0Heneral of the

United ations# The letter is aailable on the website of -adiation Science and ealth

(www#radscihealth#or!GrshG) I4ackJ

l# A reinforced concrete casin! was built around the ruined reactor buildin! oer the seen "onths followin!

the accident# This shelter often referred to as the'arcopha*u' was intended to contain the re"ainin! fuel

and act as a radiation shield# As it was desi!ned for a lifeti"e of around .* to * years as well as bein!

hastily constructed a second shelter known as the ew Safe Confine"ent with a 1**0year desi!n

lifeti"e is planned to be placed oer the e2istin! structure# See alsoAS7 keeps the lid on Chernobyl &orlduclear ews (19 Au!ust .**8)# I4ackJ

-eferences

1# ealth 7ffects of the Chernobyl Accident and Special ealth Care ro!ra""es -eport of the U

Chernobyl 3oru" 72pert Hroup ealth &orld ealth +r!ani>ation .**6 ($S45 9/89.'1


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$SAH0/ The Chernobyl Accident5 Updatin! of $SAH01 A report by the $nternational uclear Safety

Adisory Hroup $nternational Ato"ic 7ner!y A!ency Safety Series o# /

chernobyl accident 1986 vlad english

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