Nuclear Disaster: The Chernobyl Disaster

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"Chernobyl" is a nuclear reactor accident occurred in the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine. The accident was by far the most serious nuclear disaster. It pollutes the many areas around and increases the incidence of cancer around the inhabitants. Since the Chernobyl accident, the Soviet Union suffered a heavy blow disaster, while enhancing the worldwide nuclear power industry for safety concerns, and slowed the progress of a series of nuclear power engineering. Disaster occurs mainly due to the failure of the reactor design, and employee carelessness and violation of the rules. The response to the disaster was also not adequately handled and this increased casualties, but lacking of information and the government reluctant to recognize …show more content…

During the testing of a new safety procedure, the 4th reactor of the Chernobyl power output is reduced from the normal power of 3200 megawatts to 700 megawatts in order to carry out a more secure, lower-power test. However, due to the delayed start of the experiment, the reactor controllers reduce energy levels too quickly. Since the reactor is designed with a positive void coefficient of reactivity continues to increase, and workers increased power level, a great deal of steam explosion occurred and subsequent chemical explosion ripped the top of the reactor and exposed the core. The 1,700 tons of radioactive particles which were used to absorb graphite moderator were ignited because the exposed core connected the oxygen in the air. This caused radioactive particles were more casual diffusion (“Chernobyl Accident …show more content…

In Moscow, the Soviet nuclear experts and leaders get information only "reactor fire, but did not explode," so official Soviet responded slowly. In the 34 hours after the accident, some of the village close to the nuclear power plant began to evacuate. The Government also sent troops to force people to evacuate. At that time, a few hundred times the lethal amount of radiation were measured at the village near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and radiation levels still kept elevated. But government still did not pay attention to this situation. Experts preferred to believe this situation was the fault of measure machine and did not believe there was so high reaction. Residents were not told the full truth of the matter because the official worried that would cause people to panic. Finally, after almost a week after the incident, Moscow received from the Swedish government sent information. In this case the radiation cloud has been released into the atmosphere to Sweden. Soviet Union finally understand the disaster was serious than they thought. At this time the residents of the city were evacuated, but the extent of public radiation was so high, which increased their cancer rates. (“What is

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