The role of chemical reactions in the Chernobyl accident
- Russian Research Center Kurchatov Institute (Russian Federation)
It is shown that chemical reactions played an essential role in the Chernobyl accident at all of its stages. It is important that the reactor before the explosion was at maximal xenon poisoning, and its reactivity, apparently, was not destroyed by the explosion. The reactivity release due to decay of Xe-235 on the second day after the explosion led to a reactor power of 80-110 MW. Owing to this power, the chemical reactions of reduction of uranium, plutonium, and other metals at a temperature of about 2000 Degree-Sign C occurred in the core. The yield of fission products thus sharply increased. Uranium and other metals flew down in the bottom water communications and rooms. After reduction of the uranium and its separation from the graphite, the chain reaction stopped, the temperature of the core decreased, and the activity yield stopped.
- OSTI ID:
- 22028269
- Journal Information:
- Physics of Atomic Nuclei, Vol. 73, Issue 14; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2010 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-7788
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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