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The explosion storm at the nuclear power plant: the shocking inside story of the Chernobyl incident!
On April 26, 1986, the explosion of reactor No. 4 of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant sent shock waves around the world. This accident is not only the worst nuclear disaster in history, but also an important warning for the safety of power production around the world. In Ukraine, which was in the Soviet Union at the time, Pripyat, a city famous for its accident, instantly became a dead city, and countless residents were forced to flee their homes.
The Chernobyl accident is still considered one of the highest-rated nuclear accidents, and for this reason it forced many countries to reassess nuclear safety standards and emergency preparedness.
In this accident, more than 500,000 rescue workers participated in the subsequent clean-up work. It is estimated that the cost of this disaster is as high as 700 billion US dollars. During a simulated test, operators failed to properly control the conditions in the reactor, ultimately resulting in a horrific explosion.
The explosion occurred as operators at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant were conducting a simulation test designed to test how well the reactor kept cool in dark conditions. However, a design flaw in the system caused a violent burst of energy when the reactor's power was reduced, eventually leading to the reactor's collapse and subsequent radiation leakage.
"This is not an ordinary industrial accident, but a systemic disaster."
Due to management and technical loopholes at the time, this disaster changed the fate of countless families almost instantly. 49,000 residents were evacuated for the first time, and then the scope expanded, and 68,000 people had to leave their homes. The Chernobyl nuclear power plant was completely closed after the accident, and a 30-kilometer exclusion zone was formed around it as a permanent environmental protection measure.
Accident background
The root cause of the accident can be traced to design flaws and operational errors of the reactor. When controlling the test process, the operators failed to realize the potential risks of operating the reactor at low power, which greatly reduced the stability of the reactor. Any unexpected power drop may lead to reactor "poisoning" caused by low power, which will make the control program complicated and unable to respond effectively.
"The operation manual not only failed to provide effective guidance, but even caused mistakes at critical moments."
According to subsequent investigation, the reactor's operation during testing deviated from plan, particularly in the face of decreasing power and unstable conditions. Many of the reactor's control rods were removed, exacerbating the instability and eventually leading to an irreversible situation.
Explosion and aftermath
At 1:23 a.m. on April 26, 1986, when all tests were ready, the reactor began testing. However, the emergency shutdown system (AZ-5) as a safety measure was activated at this time, and the rapid insertion of the control rod caused a greater energy surge due to a design flaw.
Within seconds, the power of the reactor surged to more than ten times its normal level. This terrible accumulation of energy triggered a powerful steam explosion that destroyed the entire reactor building and spread a large amount of radioactive material to the surrounding area. The nuclear explosion from the reactor and its subsequent aftermath not only killed two operating engineers, but also created long-term health risks for countless people affected by radiation thereafter.
"Chernobyl is a nightmare confrontation between human technology and natural forces."
To this day, scientists are still calculating the possible total number of casualties from this disaster. Although the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation estimated that the number would ultimately not exceed 100, a 2006 World Health Organization report predicted that 9,000 cancer-related deaths may occur in Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia.
Cleaning up and subsequent impacts
Afterwards, in order to prevent the spread of radiation, the embankment of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant was built, and a temporary "canopy" was completed before the end of 1986. Over time, the temporary structure will be needed to unload nuclear cake residue from the accident reactor, and this cleanup will not be completed until 2065.
This tragedy made the whole world re-examine the issue of nuclear energy safety, and the lessons learned have not been forgotten to this day. In a feast of technology, are there hidden crises?
