Alexander Fyodorovich Akimov

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Alexander Fyodorovich Akimov

Alexander Fjodorowitsch Akimow ( Russian Александр Фёдорович Акимов ; born May 6, 1953 in Novosibirsk , † May 11, 1986 in Moscow ) was a Soviet nuclear engineer . He was the shift supervisor working in Unit 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant at the time of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster .

Life

Akimov attended the Energy Institute in Moscow, which he graduated in 1976 with a thesis on the automation of heat and energy processes. From September 1979 he worked at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. In July 1984 he was promoted to shift supervisor, having previously worked as chief engineer for turbine control and as shift supervisor in the turbine room.

On April 26, 1986, a test of the emergency power supply was to be carried out in Block 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant . Akimov refused to conduct the ultimately unsuccessful test due to the condition of the reactor , but was stopped by his superior Anatoly Stepanovich Dyatlov with the threat of dismissal to continue the test.

Since the reactor was operated below the permissible rated power for a longer period in preparation for the test, there was an excessive concentration of 135 Xe known as xenon poisoning . This slowed down the chain reaction. Since the xenon-poisoned reactor delivered little power, most of the control rods were extended. After the turbine was switched off during the course of the test, the reduced heat dissipation increased with the temperature of the reactor core due to the positive vapor bubble coefficient . The increase in performance led to a degradation of the 135 Xe, which further promoted the chain reaction .

At 1:23:40 Akimov pressed the switch AZ-5 ( Russian: Аварийная Защита 5-й категории (АЗ-5) , Avarijnaja Sashchita 5-j kategorii (AZ-5) , " Emergency protection of the 5th category"), the Rapid shutdown of the reactor should trigger. The control rods got stuck at a depth of 2 to 2.5 m in the 7 m deep reactor. The boron rods had a graphite tip , which led to a further increase in performance. As a result, there were several steam explosions in which the reactor was destroyed. Akimov faced a lot of unclear information and initially did not believe reports of the destruction in the reactor area. For several hours he therefore falsely reported to his superiors that the reactor was intact. After he registered the extent of the destruction, he tried with the rest of the control crew to pump water into the destroyed reactor for cooling.

Akimov suffered radiation exposure of 15 Gray and died two weeks after the accident at the age of 33 from acute radiation sickness in the hospital in Moscow.

The investigation into the accident placed the responsibility in the accident with Akimov and his colleagues. Later investigations and analyzes saw the accident in the conduct of the management of the nuclear power plant and caused by a lack of safety culture.

In 2008 he was posthumously awarded the Ukrainian Order for Bravery Third Degree.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Liquidation heroes. In: chnpp.gov.ua. Retrieved July 3, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Will Mara: The Chernobyl Disaster: Legacy and Impact on the Future of Nuclear Energy. Marshall Cavendish: 2010, p. 21-23
  3. ↑ Felicity Barringer: Life After Death. The New York Times , April 22, 2001 Online
  4. ↑ US doctor indicates Chernobyl toll now at 13 . The Telegraph, Nashua. May 16, 1986. Retrieved July 7, 2014.
  5. ↑ Medvedev G. (1991): 247-48
personal data
SURNAME Akimow, Alexander Fyodorowitsch
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Акимов, Александр Фёдорович (Russian)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Soviet nuclear engineer
DATE OF BIRTH May 6, 1953
PLACE OF BIRTH Novosibirsk
DATE OF DEATH May 11, 1986
Place of death Moscow