Reactor Number 2- V.I. Lenin Nuclear Power Station (Chernobyl)- Oct 2016
Well, you will all have to forgive on my photo quality here! Both my DSLR bodies card readers FAILED this morning at the worst possible moment, so it was iPhone to the rescue. I have fixed them as best I can but some are slightly Noisy I'm afraid! The wet weather and knocks that these bodies sustained put an end to them!
I have to confess that; for the days leading up to this, was slightly concerned about this one at first but I needn't be. I suppose going into a Nuclear Reactor (not the core of course) was an unknown, scary prospect. It was the one and only place that we required to be suited and booted, and this was to minimize contamination through radioactive dust landing on our clothes, and we were chaperoned at all times. It was an interesting experience to say the least, and we had a long talk in one of the Visitors Centres there about the future of the site, what was being done, and a close up tour of The New Safe Confinement (More about that below)
Reactor 2; a Soviet made "RBMK-1000" Nuclear Reactor; capable at the time of 1,000MW, was opened after completion in 1978; one year after the first reactor was completed in 1977.
Reactor 2 continued to operate long past the 1986 accident and right up until a fire in one of its turbine rooms closed it in 1991.
The Control Room and turbine halls are down a 1,926ft (600m) corridor in front of the reactor room which much like almost every other room and corridor in the plant, is painted golden!
One can only imagine the terror, panic and rush among these "Golden Miles" within all four reactors on that day in 1986! Especially Number 4!
It was interesting to see the colourful button panel (pictured), which would have once lowered Graphite Control Rods into the Reactor.
We were also shown a basic insight into how a Nuclear Reactor operated.
Sadly it was very busy in here and getting shots with no one in them was not easy!
RBMK-100 Control Rooms (Reactor 2)
#1
#2
#3
The all important Control Rod Buttons!
#4
#5
#6
#8
#9
#10
#11
Corridors to Control Rooms and Turbine Halls (including one of The Golden Corridors)
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#13
#14
RBMK-1000 Turbines
#15
#16
Around the Reactors
We weren't allowed to visit Reactor 4; the one which exploded in 1986, something which I am fairly pleased about!
#17
Pictured above is the remains of the exploded Reactor 4 in its original 1986 "Sarcophagus" which was designed to last 30 years and has since been replaced by a 2 Billion Pound, 30,000ton cover which has been designed to last 100 years and enable workmen to begin dismantling the failed Unit 4. Please follow links at the bottom for more information. Pictured immediately below is a Cross-Section Model of Unit 4.
#18
As always guys, thank you for your continued support
For More information on the New Safe Confinement which was moved in place at the end of November 2016 Please follow this link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/landie_man/albums/72157674395924951
For More of Reactor Number 2, follow: https://www.flickr.com/photos/landie_man/albums/72157674378131372
Well, you will all have to forgive on my photo quality here! Both my DSLR bodies card readers FAILED this morning at the worst possible moment, so it was iPhone to the rescue. I have fixed them as best I can but some are slightly Noisy I'm afraid! The wet weather and knocks that these bodies sustained put an end to them!
I have to confess that; for the days leading up to this, was slightly concerned about this one at first but I needn't be. I suppose going into a Nuclear Reactor (not the core of course) was an unknown, scary prospect. It was the one and only place that we required to be suited and booted, and this was to minimize contamination through radioactive dust landing on our clothes, and we were chaperoned at all times. It was an interesting experience to say the least, and we had a long talk in one of the Visitors Centres there about the future of the site, what was being done, and a close up tour of The New Safe Confinement (More about that below)
Reactor 2; a Soviet made "RBMK-1000" Nuclear Reactor; capable at the time of 1,000MW, was opened after completion in 1978; one year after the first reactor was completed in 1977.
Reactor 2 continued to operate long past the 1986 accident and right up until a fire in one of its turbine rooms closed it in 1991.
The Control Room and turbine halls are down a 1,926ft (600m) corridor in front of the reactor room which much like almost every other room and corridor in the plant, is painted golden!
One can only imagine the terror, panic and rush among these "Golden Miles" within all four reactors on that day in 1986! Especially Number 4!
It was interesting to see the colourful button panel (pictured), which would have once lowered Graphite Control Rods into the Reactor.
We were also shown a basic insight into how a Nuclear Reactor operated.
Sadly it was very busy in here and getting shots with no one in them was not easy!
RBMK-100 Control Rooms (Reactor 2)
#1
#2
#3
The all important Control Rod Buttons!
#4
#5
#6
#8
#9
#10
#11
Corridors to Control Rooms and Turbine Halls (including one of The Golden Corridors)
#12
#13
#14
RBMK-1000 Turbines
#15
#16
Around the Reactors
We weren't allowed to visit Reactor 4; the one which exploded in 1986, something which I am fairly pleased about!
#17
Pictured above is the remains of the exploded Reactor 4 in its original 1986 "Sarcophagus" which was designed to last 30 years and has since been replaced by a 2 Billion Pound, 30,000ton cover which has been designed to last 100 years and enable workmen to begin dismantling the failed Unit 4. Please follow links at the bottom for more information. Pictured immediately below is a Cross-Section Model of Unit 4.
#18
As always guys, thank you for your continued support
For More information on the New Safe Confinement which was moved in place at the end of November 2016 Please follow this link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/landie_man/albums/72157674395924951
For More of Reactor Number 2, follow: https://www.flickr.com/photos/landie_man/albums/72157674378131372
That's rubbish
