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    R U S S I A N R E S E A R C H C E N T R E

    "KURCHATOV INSTITUTE"

    Chernobyl Accident

    Technical Lessons

    Moscow,1996

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    The report represents the opinion of RRC KI

    Russian Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute"

    Kurchatov Square, 1

    123182 Moscow

    Russia

    CopyrightRRC KI 1996

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    Contents

    1 Causes of the accident 1

    2 Safety improvement of NPPs with the RBMK reactors after the

    Chernobyl accident

    5

    2.1 Reduction of the reactivity void effect 5

    2.2 Improvement of the control and protection system efficiency 5

    2.3 Metal inspection of headers and large diameter pipes 7

    2.4 Capacity improvement of steam discharge pipes 7

    2.5 Correction of the design documentation 8

    3 Chernobyl "Sarcophagus" or "Shelter" 10

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    1 Causes of the Accident

    10 years have passed since the Chernobyl NPP Unit No. 4 accident. During that time

    many specialists in Russia and abroad studied the causes of the accident.

    The accident occurred when rundown tests of the Chernobyl NPP Unit No. 4

    turbogenerator at auxiliary power were being performed. The objective of the tests

    was to check for the opportunity to extend the reactor forced cooldown upon NPP

    blackout.

    Peculiar features of the test mode included low power level, increased coolant flow

    through the reactor, and insignificant core inlet subcooling up to the boiling

    temperature. It turned out that these factors had a direct bearing on the scale of the

    emerged effects.

    The first discussion of the accident data reported at the meeting of the Expert

    Commission of the USSR Minenergo and the Minsredmash set up on April 27, 1986

    can be considered as the initial investigation of causes resulted in the Chernobyl NPP

    Unit No. 4 accident (04.26.86) and a detailed study of individual factors and their

    different combinations that led to destruction of a large nuclear reactor.

    An accurate determination of the accident causes was very important for deciding on

    the possibility of further operating other units with the RBMK reactors. Apart from the

    Chernobyl NPP Unit No. 4, fourteen similar units with a total power of 14.5 GW were

    in operation at that time.

    The conclusions of the Commission were used to formulate the first list of urgent

    measures to be undertaken unconditionally at the existing NPPs with the RBMK

    reactors. On May 5, 1986 this instruction was circulated to all NPPs in operation

    demanding strict observance of technological regulations. Each director of the

    respective NPP has been personally responsible.

    The Commissions Conclusions were formulated in the early May. They served as the

    basis for development of a large complex of measures to improve safety of the

    existing NPPs with the RBMK reactors.

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    Late May - early June, 1986 the Kurchatov Institute obtained new results on the

    reactivity void effect for the RBMK reactors. They confirmed the assumption at which

    many specialists had arrived on a large positive void effect that, in its turn, always

    gave rise to a fast positive power effect of reactivity under a varying coolant density ata low power level. The danger of further operation of the RBMK reactors featuring

    those neutronics characteristics became obvious.

    A special test program was developed to verify the actual quantitative value of the

    reactivity void effect by measuring reactivity during the reactor core drainage that was

    in operation long enough and had a core isotope composition close to that of the

    reactor operated in the mode of continuous refuelling overloads. The first experiment

    was conducted at the Chernobyl NPP Unit No. 1 during the period of its start-up

    preparation in September 1986. In the fall of that year, similar programs were realized

    in other power units. The results of these experiments put an end to all doubts

    concerning the sign and magnitude of the reactor reactivity void effect. Thus, by using

    in investigations the most high-performance computers available in the USSR at that

    time and conducting a series of experiments on drainage of the cooled-down reactor

    cores with full-scale loads, the value of the reactivity void coefficient was found to be

    not less than "plus" 4

    .

    The second problem of the RBMK type reactor safety providing that was in the focus

    of attention after the Chernobyl accident is associated with the necessity to make the

    control and protection systems (CPS) much more efficient both in normal operation

    and under the conditions of those violated regulations that provided for the adequacy

    of the reactor shutdown systems efficiency and the reactor neutronics state. Still

    before the accident during some RBMK reactors start-ups, a strong dependence ofefficiency of a CPS actuator (CPSA) single control rod or a small group of control rods

    (up to five in number) on the particular initial point of its movement, on the ad hoc

    reactivity margin, and neutron field distribution along the height.

    Computation studies showed a sharp reduction of the reactor protection system

    efficiency and even the opportunity of positive reactivity insertion by CPS rods under

    conditions arose at the Chernobyl NPP Unit No. 4 by the moment of the emergency

    protection system actuation. Distinctions in the results obtained by various specialists

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    lay in determination of the quantitative value of positive reactivity released during

    control rods downward movement. In this case, the very potentiality of such

    phenomenon must be of course eliminated proceeding from neutronics calculations

    and experimental tests.

    Besides, it was assumed necessary to increase CPSA rods rate in the modes of the

    reactor emergency shutdown and to equip reactors with an advanced system of the

    reactor scram.

    It should be noted that in 1986, at the first stage, the accident analysis was performed

    on the base of rather simple reactor models in the point and one dimensional

    approximations of reactor kinetics. The core thermohydraulics was based on

    single-channel models.

    Nevertheless, the principal causes of the accident were clear. It was the reactor power

    excursion caused by a positive power coefficient of reactivity. Insertion of rods by a

    signal from the emergency protection system could lead to reactivity growth at the

    initial stage of their movement. Both factors can be attributed to the reactor state

    characterized by the following:

    - Low ad hoc reactivity margin;

    - Low power level;

    - Low subcooling with at a high coolant rate.

    At the second stage of the accident investigations, say up to 1991, three-dimensional

    models were used. That enabled a more detailed analysis of the CPS rods function.

    Three independent sets of codes were used in the accident analysis allowing the

    non-steady-state integral calculation of a three-dimensional neutron field and

    channel-by-channel distribution of the RBMK reactor thermohydraulic parameters.

    These programs were developed in the RRC "Kurchatov Institute", Research and

    Design Institute of Power Engineering (RDIPE), Research Institute of Nuclear Power

    Engineering (VNIIAES) jointly with the Institute of Nuclear Research of the Ukrainian

    Academy of Sciences (Kiev).

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    The second stage investigations showed that quantitatively the accident process was

    described correctly but quantitative results were far from being in agreement with the

    factual evidence.

    Among recommendations made at the second stage of investigations there were the

    following ones:

    - Necessity of model upgrading;

    - More detailed analysis of the pre-accident reactor facility operation.

    The works along these lines were continued at the third stage, conventionally up to

    late 1995.

    Despite differences in the models and some results, the investigations at the third

    stageproved that the major factors contributing to the accident development were a

    great positive steam effect of reactivity and positive reactivity insertion during insertion

    of control rods.

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    2 Safety Improvement of NPPs with the RBMK Reactors after

    the Chernobyl Accident

    2.1 Reduction of the reactivity void effect

    Development of measures on reduction of the reactivity void effect was initiated

    practically immediately after obtaining new data on its magnitude. Now, it is assumed

    permissible if the reactivity void coefficient measured at regular intervals does not

    exceed 1.0.

    For the operational RBMK reactors, the following two compromise ways of the

    reactivity void effect reduction were validated.

    The first one is to increase the amount of additional absorbing materials in the core

    and the operative reactivity margin determined by computation in the number of

    manual control rods with regard to actual height fields of energy release.

    The second one is to vary the uranium fuel to moderator ratio in the core, thus,

    increasing uranium-235 enrichment of fuel.

    For loading the RBMK-1000 reactors, 2.4% U-235 enrichment of fuel was used. These

    measures were realized in all 15 operating RBMK units.

    Further investigations showed that application of new fuel with the erbium burnt-out

    absorber allowed to eliminate additional absorbing materials and to make the NPP

    operation more economically efficient. These works are now at the stage of pilot -

    full-scale introduction at the existing NPP.

    2.2 Improvement of the control and protection system efficiency

    Design and manufacture of new control and protection system actuators eliminating

    water columns under supplanters and simultaneously ensuring high rate of absorber

    rods insertion into the core. Therefore, the options were initially computed of such

    rods arrangement where up to 50% of manually controlled rods were set 1.2 - 1.4 m

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    lower than the core upper level. Besides, shortened absorber rods were left in the

    core lower part. This solution was not the optimum one for maintaining uniform power

    density height fields. Besides, the prerequisites were produced of positive reactivity

    release in the core upper part in the considered situations of the emergency protectionsystem actuation.

    In 1986, during zero-power start-ups of the Chernobyl NPP Unit No. 1 and 2,

    numerous measurements were made of the emergency protection system rate

    efficiency vs. the initial depth of rods insertion. These experiments resulted in the

    reduction of the insertion depth up to 0.7 m to ensure acceptable rate characteristics

    of the emergency protection system with negligible variations of power density height

    fields.

    In the first half of 1987, a pilot set of new control and protection systems was

    developed and manufactured. The design of manually operated rods eliminating water

    columns under the supplanter was modified and servodrives were upgraded. Tests of

    new control and protection systems in operating reactors confirmed that time of rod

    movement from the upper terminal to the lower one was reduced from 18 to 12 - 14

    seconds and the rate efficiency of the emergency protection system at first seconds

    was increased up to 0.9 /sec.

    A new independent reactor shutdown system was developed practically

    simultaneously with the regular reactor shutdown system upgrading. Initial

    requirements for providing for 2.5 negative reactivity insertion within 2 second were

    adopted for a new fast-acting emergency protection system. Based on neutronics and

    thermal-hydraulic calculations, a new design of the fast-acting emergency protection

    system, an independent water cooling loop and gas feeding loop were developed.

    After the bench tests at RDIPE, the full-scale fast-acting emergency protection

    systems were first tested at the Leningrad and Ignalina NPPs.

    These tests completed a series of R&D works that were applied at all operating power

    units in 1987 - 1989 with the industry and the NPP operating personnel participation.

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    2.3 Metal inspection of headers and large diameter pipes

    The problem of eliminating large leaks of coolant that resulted in the reactor core

    drainage is not of less importance for the RBMK reactor safety than the problems of

    neutronics characteristics and actuation efficiency of the reactor shutdown system.

    Today, instantaneous full-section rupture of headers and large diameter (900, 800

    mm) pipelines, distributing group headers and steam pipelines are taken as the

    design basis accidents for NPPs of the second generation equipped with the

    emergency cooldown systems, steam release localization systems, including

    reinforced leaktight compartments and pressure suppression pools.

    At the NPPs of the first generation (6 power units) having no safety facilities to cope

    with extensive ruptures of large-sized equipment, safety justification is based on

    extensive control of the equipment metal state. Therefore, after the Chernobyl

    accident, control of metal and, first of all, of welded joints became more strict and

    extensive. Proceeding from the results of determination of the stress-strain metal state

    and experimental studies to determine a critical size of cracks causing extensive

    rupture of headers and pipelines, the frequency of a complete (100%) examination of

    welded joints and water pressure tests was set up to be once every four years.

    During the decade since the Chernobyl accident, practically two cycles of testing were

    accomplished in each power unit.

    2.4 Capacity improvement of the steam discharge systems

    Investigations have shown that the capacity of existed systems for steam discharge

    from the reactor cavity during accidents can ensure the reactor integrity with two

    pressure tubes rupture.

    Despite the low probability of a simultaneous rupture of several pressure tubes, two

    design options were developed to increase the capacity of steam and gas discharge

    systems.

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    The first option provides for the reactor cavity integrity in the case of a simultaneous

    rupture of 4 pressure tubes. If ruptures occur at the interval of several seconds steam

    can be removed with ruptures of a much greater number of tubes. This option does

    not require a large scope of assembly works and can be realized during a unitshutdown for a medium-scale repair. This activity includes laying of an additional

    pipeline of 400 mm diameter. and installation of a protection valve without any

    additional reactor cavity penetrations.

    The second design option ensures the reactor cavity integrity at a simultaneous

    rupture of 9 pressure tubes. The option is more complicated for realization. It

    demands additional vertical laying of a pipeline through the upper biological shield into

    the reactor cavity and as well as laying of new pipelines outside the reactor cavity and

    installation of protection valves.

    This option was realized at the Smolensk NPP Unit No. 3 during its assembling and

    start-up after the Chernobyl accident.

    At the operating NPPs, mounting works are performed during the long idling periods

    associated with the replacement of pressure tubes and other modification works.

    2.5 Correction of the design documentation

    The principal design documents defining the rules and basic procedures of the safe

    NPP operation, a general procedure of the NPP safe operation include the "Standard

    Technological Regulations for the NPP Operation with the RBMK-1000 Reactors" and

    "Technological Regulations for the Ignalina NPP Operation with the RBMK-1500Reactors".

    After the Chernobyl accident, standard regulations for the RBMK reactors were

    developed by the reactor General Designer enterprise. The last revision of this

    document was approved on December 27, 1991. Using this document, the operational

    personnel works out relevant regulations for each specified power unit.

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    Technological operation regulations for the Ignalina NPP was also developed

    proceeding from the Standard Regulations for the RBMK-1000 but taking into account

    the specific operation modes and equipment composition. The last revision of the

    regulations for the Ignalina NPP was approved on June 13, 1994.

    These regulations and other design documentation introduced after the Chernobyl

    accident include all technical and organizational measures to improve safety of the

    NPP power units with the RBMK reactors.

    Measures realized in the post-accident period to improve safety of NPPs with the

    RBMK reactors eliminated all design drawbacks revealed during the accident.

    Besides, there are still problems of the existing NPPs reconstruction aiming to make

    their technological status meet the requirements of the current normative

    documentation of the RF Gosatomnadzor. All power units of the first generations are

    to be subjected to the reconstruction.

    The developed reconstruction concept provides first of all the following:

    - Updating of control and protection systems aiming to replace the worn out

    equipment, to create the multiregional control and protection systems;

    - Development of fast-acting and long-operating systems of emergency water

    feeding into the reactor ensuring three alternate channels;

    - Creation of new systems for reliable power supply;

    - Creation of new systems for emergency releases localization including additional

    sealing of compartments and bubble condenser systems.

    The most progress has been achieved in the reconstruction of the Leningrad NPP

    Units No. 1 and 2, the first stage of reconstruction is underway at the Kursk NPP Unit

    No.1.

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    3 The Chernobyl "Sarcophagus" or "Shelter"

    The necessity of entombment for the Unit No. 4 became clear in the first days after

    the Chernobyl accident. Among 18 considered proposals, some projects suggested

    the construction of a fully sealed huge building around the Unit, others suggested the

    maximum use of the remained walls and other elements of the destroyed Unit to

    construct a protection containment.

    The second approach was selected. It gave essential saving of money and time for

    the construction (design and construction were completed within 6 months that is an

    unparalleled case in the world practice). However, there were still some negative

    aspects: lack of full information on strength of the existing frames supporting the new

    ones, the necessity to apply remote methods of concrete placement, impossibility, in

    some cases, to use welding, etc. These difficulties arose due to the extensive

    radiation fields nearby the destructed unit. In the final run, they led to two significant

    drawbacks of the design:

    - Uncertain strength of supports on which the main "Shelter" beams were laid;

    - Inadequate sealing (the overall area of slots in the roof and walls is 1000 sq. m).

    In November 1986, the "Shelter" above the destructed Unit No. 4 was constructed. It

    marked a completion of the essential stage of works on elimination of the accident

    consequences that prevented the propagation of radioactive products and enabled

    the protection of the environment from a direct exposure to ionizing radiation.

    Behaviour of nuclear fuel contained in the "Shelter" caused no apprehensions.

    However, more information was required to ensure its long-term safe staying under

    the conditions of the damaged unit and to work out plans of its ultimate storage.

    By the moment of the "Shelter" construction completion, the information on the

    location and state of nuclear fuel was limited by data that were obtained mostly while

    investigating peripheral rooms of the Unit No. 4. The access to those rooms close to

    the damaged reactor was impeded due to huge radiation fields, ruined structures and

    concrete that got inside the buildings in the course of the "Shelter" construction (the

    so-called "fresh concrete").

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    Meanwhile, fuel in the "Shelter" could be a source of hazards of several types.

    The nuclear hazard represents the occurrence of self-sustaining chain reaction as a

    result of nuclear materials relocations inside the objective. According to the estimates,

    the parts of the core survived after the accident and uranium-graphite assemblies

    were especially hazardous. Self-sustaining chain reactions would result in additional

    activity releases into the environment.

    The thermal hazards lies in the fact that heated fuel can gradually melt through the

    concrete roofing in the building, move down, and finally, land into the environment.

    Finally, the radiation hazardrepresents radioactive dust release through the "Shelter"

    slots formed after the collapse of internal destructed and displaced frames.

    At the end of 1987 in order to conduct works that would ensure safety of the "Shelter",

    the Complex Expedition of the Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy was set up in

    Chernobyl by the Minsredmash. It consisted of a relatively small division of scientists

    (30 to 50 persons), an efficient supplying and constructing-mounting subdivisions.

    During the "peak" periods, the Expedition numbered 3,000 members.

    Though the "Shelter" still remained an element of the Chernobyl NPP, principal works

    on safety improvement in 1988-1991 were carried out by the above mentioned

    Complex Expedition.

    Following the Kurchatov Institute program, western and southern compartments of the

    unit were cleaned and decontaminated. Drilling rigs were installed there to sink

    boreholes through the concrete to the assumed places of nuclear fuel buildup.

    Extensive investigations were performed by visual observations (periscopes, TV

    cameras) and specially developed thermal and radiation detectors. At the same time,

    selected samples of materials were analyzed. In the course of those works, the nature

    of destructions inside the Unit No. 4 was realized and a series of structures being in a

    menacing state was reinforced.

    The above investigations showed that irradiated fuel inside the "Shelter" was of the

    following modifications:

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    - The core fragments a large part of which is supposed to be thrown up by the

    explosion to the upper stories of the unit, in particular, into the central hall and is

    still there under ruins of materials disposed there in 1986. High radiation fields still

    prevent investigations in the central hall and adjacent compartments.

    - The fine-dispersed fuel (dust) represents hot fuel particles. The sizes of those

    particles vary from fractions to hundreds of microns. They are observed practically

    in all compartments and soil samples taken in the near and far regions. The total

    amount of fuel dust in the plant is estimated at 10 t and the amount of dust under

    the entombment roofing - at 1 t (both amounts are known not better than to an

    order of magnitude).

    - The solidified lava-like fuel-containing masses. These masses were formed in the

    active stage of the accident (04.26.86 - 05.06.86) in the course of

    high-temperature interaction of fuel and the unit structural materials and spread

    over subreactor compartments. Much information was acquired about lava

    accumulations in the unit lower storages including their location and

    physics-chemical properties. Accurate determination of the overall amount of fuel

    on these storages presents difficulty due to intensive fields and concrete that filled

    many compartments of the unit in the course of the "Shelter" construction. Present

    estimations put it at 70 - 150 t. Affected by external factors, especially water, the

    lava is subjected to rapid destruction.

    - The last modification represents water soluble forms of uranium, plutonium,

    americium (mostly in trace amounts, uranium of about 1 mg per liter).

    Starting from 1991, the Chernobyl NPP and the "Shelter" were turned over under the

    Ukraine jurisdiction. Now, the "Shelter" is a structural subdivision of the Chernobyl

    NPP that is responsible for its safety as an operating organization.

    On February 4, 1992 the Cabinet of Ministers of the Ukraine issued the Decree on the

    establishment of the Institute of Nuclear Research of the Ukrainian Academy of

    Sciences and the All-Russian Research and Design Institute of Complex Energy

    Technology (VNIPIET) of the Interdisciplinary Scientific and Technical Center "Shelter"

    (ISTC) on the base of the Complex Expedition the main task of which was to conductscientific and design works to transform the "Shelter" into the ecologically safe system.

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    The above Center incorporated the Department of Nuclear and Radiation Safety

    under scientific supervision of the Russian Research Center "Kurchatov Institute".

    What are potential menaces of the "Shelter" ?

    Radioactive dust release after collapse of building frames, release of radioactive water

    from the "Shelter" into the natural environment; initiation of a self-sustaining chain

    reaction in one of the fuel-containing accumulations and radioactivity release through

    the slots.

    What is the probability of these processes and what are their consequences?

    The upper estimated level of radioactivity release through the object slots was 0.03 Ci

    in 1990, 0.08 Ci in 1991, 0.09 Ci in 1992, 0.04 Ci in 1993, 0,03 Ci in 1994, and 0.03

    Ci in 1995. The share of Pu in the total activity is within 0.4 to 1.2%.

    The works conducted in 1987 - 1989 to strengthen accessible inner structures that

    were severely damaged during the accident prevented so far further destruction.

    No anomalies were observed in buildings subsidence. The seismic waves of 3.5 - 4

    magnitude that arrived to the Chernobyl NPP region from the Rumanian earthquake

    source on May 30 - 31, 1990 caused no observable destructions and displacements.

    More cracks appeared in the walls inside the "Shelter".

    All major supporting frames of the "Shelter" were designed and constructed in full

    conformity with the building norms and rules, thus, their strength does not cause

    anxiety. Their life-time is limited due to impossibility to inspect periodically and restore

    anti-corrosion coatings (their service life was estimated at 30 years).

    The situation with supports of basic structures is quite different. In recent years (1993

    - 1995), the Ukrainian builders have done much to inspect the "Shelter" and determine

    reliability of its frames.

    Most anxiety is caused by the state of the supports of beams on which 27 large steel

    tubes covering the central hall of the destructed unit rest. They are also carrying the

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    side steel shields. Under normal climatic effects (snow, wind, temperature), a service

    life of old frames supporting beams is estimated at ten years.

    Roofing collapse will cause an upward motion of large air masses which will carry up a

    mixture of dust and fuel particles. Estimations have shown that under such conditions

    the turbulent trail can draw in about 5 t of dust containing some 50 kg of fine

    dispersed fuel. The cloud of 20 m in dia. can rise as high as 100 m above the ground

    surface (the building height is 60 m). According to estimates, about 20% of the

    release will fall out in an aerodynamic "shadow" behind the building. "The shadow" is

    about 200 m long.

    Water is one more menace to the "Shelter" safety. It can

    - Destruct fuel-containing masses thereby increasing the amount of radioactive dust

    in the plant;

    - Facilitate destruction of building frames;

    - Lead to the increase of the fuel-containing mass to the critical level with time on

    as it cools down and destructs, to formation of nuclear dangerous compositions.

    Therefore, one of the most important tasks for the "Shelter" safety is to take measures

    to reduce water access into compartments and to organize continuous monitoring of

    its location, radionuclides composition, presence of dissolved fission materials and, if

    necessary, taking active countermeasures.

    The danger of repeated self-sustaining chain reaction in the Unit No. 4 reactor core

    was a constant headache for specialists until mid-1988. It is explained by the fact that

    a relatively small part of the core of the RBMK-1000 reactor (over 150 fuel channels

    with graphite moderators and without absorber rods) with fuel burnt up to a level of the

    Chernobyl NPP can easily "start burning" again. And it is quite probable that part

    could survive the accident. However, in May 1988, after sinking wells drilled from the

    decontaminated compartments via the concrete walls and other obstacles, specialists

    got an opportunity to look into the interior of the cavity to prove that there was no core

    stack as such.

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    Then, the last question to be answered concerned the opportunity of self-sustaining

    chain reactions in the fuel-containing masses. The answer was given in the "Technical

    validation of the "Shelter" nuclear safety" issued in 1990 by the Kurchatov Institute.

    The work summarized the experimental and estimated data available by mid-1994 onthe "Shelter" fuel-containing masses and offered conclusions on nuclear safety. A

    number of scientific organizations of Russia, Ukraine and Byelorussia took an active

    part in that work.

    The final conclusion of the "Technical validation of the "Shelter" nuclear safety" was

    as follows: "... It can be assumed that now the "Shelter" is nuclear safe". Besides,

    proceeding from investigations of the dynamics of fuel-containing materials behaviour,

    likely unfavourable tendencies were shown that could in the future lead to increased

    fuel criticality and to the revision of the conclusions on "Shelter" safety. In the recent

    five years, extensive experiments and estimations have been undertaken including

    those relating to the "Shelter" nuclear safety.

    Now the most dangerous scenario of the accident development is associated with fast

    water flooding of fuel-containing compositions. In the absence of protective barriers,

    the consequences of such accident will be irradiation of the personnel in direct vicinity

    from the "Shelter" with the doses of several rem. Consideration of the protective

    barriers of the "Shelter" indicates likely reduction of expected doses by one to three

    orders.

    In spring 1995, the Kurchatov Institute proposed the "Concept of works on the

    "Shelter" in 1995 - 2000" showing the immediate realization of stabilization measures

    as the main task.

    It is an ungrounded optimism to plan a complete transformation of the "Shelter" or

    isolation from the environment by means of the "Shelter" within a short period of 3,5

    and 7 years. Therefore, the solutions of the "Shelter" problems shall include in 1995 -

    2000 the following basic tasks:

    - Provision of current safety;

    - Provision of long-term safety ("stabilization");

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    - Preparation for transformation of the "Shelter" ("Shelter"-two).

    At the "stabilization" stage, measures are taken for sufficiently long-term, over 15

    years, stabilization of the "Shelter" and minimization of its environmental effects. Such

    measures will enable safe and thorough preparation for the "Shelter" transformation.

    The "Concept of works on the "Shelter" in 1995 - 2000" contained a large-scale

    program of stabilization:

    - Creation of fast-acting alarm system of radioactive releases and the system to

    suppress them by special devices installed around the "Shelter" and spraying the

    dust suppressing composition. The system shall completely suppress the dust

    released from the "Shelter" slots in the case of internal structures collapse;

    - Reinforcement of building structures;

    - Realization of effective measures against the ingress and harmful impact of water

    in the "Shelter" compartments, increasing "Shelter" leaktightness, impregnation of

    fuel-containing masses with special compositions to prevent destruction thereof,

    water condensation, etc.

    In doing so, the investigations inside the "Shelter" will be continued to duly detect any

    unexpected events associated with the "Shelter".

    The concept was adopted in general by the Ukrainian organizations, extended and

    revised to issue the document "Main directions of activity to assure safety of the

    "Shelter" for 1995 - 2000".