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HTMLText_0B4B0DC1_11C0_6277_41A4_201A5BB3F7AE.html = valdis gavars
salaspils kodolreaktora
galvenais inženieris
Valdis Gavars dzimis 1934. gadā Rēzeknē, ārsta ģimenē. No 1944. gada dzīvo Rīgā. Beidzis Rīgas Industriālā politehnikuma Elektrotehnikas nodaļu.
Mācības turpinājis Ļeņingradas (Sanktpēterburgas) Politehniskā institūta Elektromehānikas fakultātē, kuru beidzis 1955. gadā. Pēc inženiera diploma saņemšanas norīkots darbā siltumelektrostacijās Sahalīnā. Pēc tam turpat dienējis Padomju armijā.
Pēc atgriešanās Rīgā iekļaujas zinātniskās pētniecības kodolreaktora būvē Salaspilī netālu no Rīgas. 1959. gadā kļūst par reaktora galveno inženieri un nostrādā šajā amatā vairāk nekā 30 gadus.
Fizikas institūtā Valdis Gavars iesaistās zinātniskajā darbā, un 1971. gadā Atomreaktoru zinātniskās pētniecības institūtā Melekesā, kurš atrodas Krievijas atomcentrā pie Volgas, aizstāv zinātņu kandidāta grādu. Viņa zinātniskās intereses saistās ar jauna tipa gamma staru avota – radiācijas kontūra – radīšanu.
Valdis Gavars aktīvi darbojies Černobiļas atomelektrostacijas avārijas seku novēršanā Latvijā. Pēc 1991. gada viņš ir saistīts ar enerģētiku, vadījis Latvijas enerģētikas attīstības programmas izstrādi. Strādājis Latvenergo attīstības stratēģijas daļā.
john doe
licensed real estate salesperson
Tlf.: +11 111 111 111
jhondoe@realestate.com
www.loremipsum.com
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References
The virtual tour used information from these books:
“50 years of the Salaspils scientific nuclear reactor”, V. Gavars, 2010
“Next to a split core”, V. Gavars, 2000
“Nuclear power plants; Structure and development trends”, V. Gavars, 2008.
Photo images used in the virtual tour:
V. Gavars’ personal archive
“50 years of the Salaspils scientific nuclear reactor”, V. Gavars, 2010.
Video materials used in the virtual tour:
State LLC “Latvian Television”
Association “Copyright and Communication Consulting
Agency / Latvian Authors Association”
Latvian State Historical Archive
location
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Note of acknowledgement
Valdis Gavars, who was chief engineer, researcher and doctor of engineering sciences at the Salaspils reactor, and Valdis Katinskis, who was a shift manager and is now the reactor overseer, participated in the creation of the 360-degree virtual tour of the SLLC “Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre”.
List of audiovisual documents
No. 1: Cinema magazine “Soviet Latvia”, No. 28
Scene 4: Completion of Salaspils nuclear reactor construction works. Directed by Hermanis Sulatins, cameraman Laimons Gaigals
No. 2: Cinema magazine “Soviet Latvia”, No. 34
Scene 3: Opening of the Salaspils nuclear reactor. Directed by Mihails Sneiderovs, cameramen: Laimons Gaigals, Henrihs Pilipsons
No. 3: Cinema magazine “Soviet Latvia”, No. 34
Scene 4: Salaspils nuclear reactor. Directed by Irina Masa, cameramen: Mihails Poselskis, Vladimirs Gailis, Gunars Indriksons, Janis Celms, Janis Sulcs
No. 4: Cinema magazine “Soviet Latvia”, No. 2
Scene 5: Salaspils nuclear reactor laboratory. Directed by Edvins Springis, cameramen: Vladimirs Gailis, Janis Celms, Janis Sulcs, Ruta Urbaste, Edgars Vekteris
No. 5: Cinema magazine “Soviet Latvia”, No. 10
Scene 2: Research by biologists from the State University of Latvia and the Latvian Academy of Agriculture on determining radioactivity in the Salaspils nuclear reactor and protection against it. Directed by Astrida Sigate, cameraman: Janis Celms, Laimons Gaigals, Gunars Indriksons, Ruta Urbaste, Edgars Vekteris.
The 360-degree virtual tour of the Salaspils nuclear reactor contains text, videos, photographs, images and other materials protected by copyright and/or other intellectual property rights. Publication, reproduction, transfer or storage of all or part of the content of this virtual tour is prohibited, unless consent is obtained from the holder of proprietary, copyright or other intellectual property rights.
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After the Chernobyl disaster in 1986, a significant situation occurred in the Salaspils reactor. A committee from Moscow arrived, but identified no serious flaws and work could resume after an additional emergency cooling system and a spare diesel generator were installed.
Research reactors found to be flawed had a harder time. In Tbilisi and Minsk, for example, the reactors were shut down, and further operation was disallowed. During this period, the specialists of the Salaspils nuclear reactor explained to the government and the public what exactly happened in Chernobyl and participated in the analysis and liquidation of the consequences of the accident that affected Latvia. The information received from Moscow was incomplete, and what Salaspils specialists did was very useful to the public.
The experience gained in working with their own reactor and the experiments performed in the critical test facility with the RBMK reactor model helped them understand what had happened.
After many years of operation, corrosion spots appeared on the aluminum surfaces of the reactor pool. It turned out that there was not enough bitumen coating during the construction in places where aluminium comes into contact with concrete. The aluminium had to be replaced with stainless steel. During this time, new nuclear fuel elements were also developed for nuclear research reactors — thin-walled uranium tubes with a 90% enrichment of 235U.
This way, the power of the reactor could be doubled. These were the reasons the 1973-1974 reconstruction took place in the Salaspils reactor. The experience gained during this time was then used in the reconstruction of other IRT reactors. Aluminium and all structures of the core were replaced, and a new radiation circuit was installed, the heat capacity of the reactor was increased to 5000kWth. Reconstruction work was performed under the guidance of Salaspils nuclear reactor specialists.
The reactor then resumed operations until it was shut down on June 19, 1998. In total, the reactor served for 37 years and 12.3 kg uranium isotope 235U was used. No accidents occurred during this time.
Local specialists were hired to service and operate the reactor. Their education and training mainly took place at the University of Latvia. Internships were carried out in Moscow, Dubna, Tbilisi and Leningrad.
A type of an elevator shaft used to transport samples to the hot chamber. This shaft was designed to simplify the process. The nuclear reactor staff designed and installed it themselves
At the request of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR Vilis Lacis, on March 1, 1958, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR N. Bulganin gave permission to build a typical IRT nuclear research reactor near Riga. It was consistent with the initiative of Igor Kurchatov to facilitate the expansive construction of reactors of this type.
As a result, six reactors were built in the USSR territory, and four — abroad. According to Moscow’s directions, on June 4, the Council of Ministers of the Latvian SSR arrived at a decision stipulating that a radiochemical laboratory and a residential village for employees should be built next to the nuclear reactor. The total value of the complex was estimated at 10 mln rubles, including the cost of a nuclear reactor - 1.5 mln rubles.
The initiators of the reactor construction were the employees of the Institute of Physics Igors Kirko, Peteris Prokofjevs and Ludvigs Pelekis. The site location was selected in Salaspils. Around it, a buffer area of 293 hectares (724 acres) was created. Residents of the area were relocated to a village. Four new residential houses were built in the village for them. Construction of a radioactive waste storage facility also began near Baldone, simultaneously with the construction of the reactor.
The Salaspils nuclear reactor was used for training specialists both through USSR and international programs.
Future professionals from North Korea, Iraq and Libya, along with Norilsk nuclear reactor specialists, would gain experience here, guided by Latvian specialists.
The Salaspils reactor was open for excursions. During its operation, it welcomed approximately 50,000 visitors, most of them schoolchildren.
In September 1966, a second nuclear reactor was put into operation in Salaspils, which was called a critical test facility due to its low heat output (25 W th). It was designed and built by local specialists.
The water-filled pool of the critical test facility was 2 m high, its diameter was 2.5 m. The core initially contained uranium with a 10% enrichment of the isotope 235U and a graphite reflector, but later used uranium enriched with 90% 235U and a beryllium reflector.
The most significant contribution of the critical test facility was the original liquid metal regulator for a nuclear reactor, designed for use in zero-gravity in space.
Research in radiation physics and chemistry, as well as radiobiology, was carried out in the radiation circuit, and practical tasks such as sterilization of medical instruments and materials, irradiation of sugar beet seeds before sowing, wood modification (aging, obtaining heat-resistant and thermophytic polyethylene or polymer concrete, etc.) were performed.
Guests liked the radiation circuit very much. It was gladly shown by Mark Kramer, who worked as its manager until the reactor was shut down. There was a meter-thick (3.3ft) glass window in the room through which the irradiators could be seen. Manipulators were also visible, and, if one wished, it was possible to use them to ignite a match in the “hot” chamber. It could only be entered through a 7t (14,000 lbs) door. The radiation power in the chamber was able to kill a living organism within a second. In the control room behind the 1.5-meter-thick concrete walls, the radiation decreased a million times, and the dosimeter showed that the background of natural radiation was only slightly increased.
After 10 years of operation, the gamma radiation source was modernized, the power was increased and the design was improved. The modernized radiation circuit was activated by RK-LM on 30 September 1976, and it was operational until 19 June 1998.
The sanitary pass consisted of three cloakrooms. Before entering the reactor hall, if you had to reload nuclear fuel, you would have had to take off your clothes and put on workwear – Soviet army underwear (cotton shirt and trousers).
Depending on the specifics of the work, plastic overalls, half overalls, aprons with long sleeves, cuffs, shoe covers or ankle boots had to be worn in the reactor hall. White hats had to be worn. During other activities in the reactor hall, while working on the control panel or in other departments, one had to wear a robe.
When leaving the reactor hall, employees had to take off their workwear, take a shower, and get dressed in their personal clothes.
When the construction of the Salaspils nuclear reactor commenced, there were plans for construction of a radiochemistry building that would manufacture radiopharmaceuticals. The intent was to distribute them to the entire Baltic region. It was believed that interest in radioactive materials would increase in other fields of science. However, the radiochemistry facility was not built next to the reactor. Instead, the Radiochemistry laboratory was established in the nuclear reactor building.
The last research project carried out in the radiochemistry laboratory was called “Innovation in peat research and in the development of new products containing peat”, which investigated the possibility of using peat as a filtration material to collect isotopes from radioactively contaminated water.
Spent fuel, after removal from the core, was stored in water tank — storage facility, where it was cooled. In Salaspils, such a storage facility was located next to the reactor tank. To ensure its nuclear safety, the assemblies were placed in a special grid with parameters that ensured their subcritical condition. That way, the assemblies would be placed away from each other in the storage area, in contrast to the core, where they are closely adjacent.
From storage, the assemblies were loaded into transport containers for shipment to Russia. Spent fuel was shipped to Russia several times. Until the restoration of Latvia’s independence, we performed this operation under the nickname “Jaguar” in 1983, 1985 and 1987.
Cooling system dismantled in the early 2000s.
The reactor in Salaspils was activated on September 26, 1961.
This was done by a brigade led by Kurchatov’s associate Yevgeny Babulevich. He was also involved in the commissioning of the first F-1 nuclear reactor in Moscow in 1946.
When necessary, radioactive waste is prepared at the Salaspils reactor and cemented to be put in storage or disposed of at the radioactive waste storage facility “Radons”.
Director Olgerts Kroders and his assistants came to the reactor from the Liepaja theatre. They were preparing for the play by A. Stravickis, “The Measure of Humanity” (“Cilvēcības mērs”, 1980), which centred around a nuclear power plant.
To have a connection to the play’s events, O. Kroders and the actors Indra Brike, Janis Dreiblats, Gunars Tuls and others wanted to understand the specifics that the work of Salaspils nuclear reactor specialists entailed.
They were less interested in how the reactor works, and more in how the operator reacts when a red light starts flashing on the remote control panel. Do the dosimetrist’s hands tremble when measuring radiation? Perhaps, is there someone among the specialists, who can feel the ionizing radiation on their skin?
After several hours of chatting, it seemed that the theatre folks were satisfied with their visit.
It was on the way out, that O. Kroders returned and asked: "What would you say to us performing the play in the reactor hall?" The hall truly was spacious, with a first and second balcony. The surfaces of experimental equipment could be used as a stage.
V. Gavars and his colleagues agreed. Still, they were worried about a sanitary inspection. The compromise was that there would be no advertising for this performance. It was attended by over 200 viewers — both from their own collective and the Institute of Physics. The performance took place on April 18, 1981. Would there be anywhere else that a play would be performed in a nuclear reactor?!
On April 28, 2021, SLLC “Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre” (LEGMC) entered into an agreement with LLC “REM PRO” on the examination of the Salaspils nuclear reactor and the development of a construction project for its decommissioning, dismantling and author supervision.
Within the framework of the agreement with LLC “REM PRO”, detailed examination of the Salaspils nuclear reactor and its territory will be performed in order to determine the amount of radioactive waste that will be generated during the decommissioning and dismantling of the nuclear reactor. A construction project for the dismantling and decommissioning of the nuclear reactor is included, which will determine the estimated costs of the actual construction works.
During the construction works in the Salaspils nuclear reactor, the plan is to decommission and dismantle the facility, which means liquidation and dismantling of the reactor, as well as its auxiliary equipment and systems. At the same time, the management of radioactive waste generated during the process, as well as all existing radioactive waste at the facility will be ensured, including dismantling of radioactively contaminated underground communications and sewage underground tanks and management of radioactive waste, delivering it to the radioactive waste storage facility "Radons".
On May 25, 2005, fresh (unirradiated) nuclear fuel with 90% uranium isotope enrichment of 235U, which was used in the critical test facility, was exported to Russia from the Salaspils reactor.
On May 15, 2008, the last cargo with spent nuclear fuel was exported from Salaspils to Chelyabinsk, Russia. The Latvian side expressed satisfaction that after a year and a half of efforts, the spent nuclear fuel had finally been exported.
The research nuclear reactor IRT used simplified EK-10 nuclear fuel developed in the 1950s. Its main element was a 500mm (19.7in) long 10 mm (0.39in) diameter uranium rod placed in a 1.5 mm (0.06in) thick aluminium tube — the casing. Uranium rods were enriched with 10% uranium isotope 235U, which means they contained 8 grams of isotope 235U.
One assembly housed 16 rods. 26 assemblies were needed to reach critical mass. This means that the critical mass was 3.3 kg (7.27lbs) of the isotope 235U. Graphite rods, acting as an effective neutron reflector, were placed around the fuel assemblies.
The typical nuclear reactor IRT 1000, developed by Moscow’s Kurchatov Institute of Atomic Energy is the pool-type (4.5 m long, 2 m wide and 8 m deep, or approx. 15ft long, 6.5ft wide and 26ft deep). Its heat output is 1000kW th; later, by expanding the core, it was increased to 2000kW th, but after reconstruction in 1974 — to 5000kW th. Ordinary water was used as the neutron moderator, heat carrier and biological protection material.
Graphite was used as the neutron reflector. The pool was open, without elevated pressure, and the water temperature did not exceed 45oC (113 F). This allowed easy access to the core and insertion of experimental devices. The pool was shielded with a 1.8m (5.9ft) thick reinforced concrete biological protection. The reactor core contained approximately 40 kg (88lbs) of uranium enriched to 10% with the isotope 235U.
Radiation safety is a very complex state, scientific, legal, technical, organizational and medical process that was ensured during all thirty-eight years of operation of the Salaspils nuclear reactor. The main measures were: monitoring of radiation exposure of employees, environmental radiation, work environment radiation, instructions, regulations, laws, agreements, conventions.
Review of individual dosimetry results – lifetime doses
Dose units and limits (formerly ‘the permissible dose’). The old units of radiation were X-ray R and X-ray equivalent rem, and the annual limit was set at 5 rem. At that time, the 25 rem dose was considered potentially dangerous, and the worker was medically examined and supervised after receiving it. The current unit is sievert Sv and the limit is 20 mSv per year. A dose of 200 mSv may be received during emergency response. 1 Sv is equivalent to 100 R.
Using the individual dose database and other documentation available to the dosimetry service from 1959 to 1992, a summary and analysis of the individual doses of staff and seconded staff was carried out, as well as an evaluation of tenure. A register of doses and other data of 2382 persons working in the nuclear reactor was compiled.
The highest lifetime dose received by a worker in a reactor is 32 rem, which is not large compared to the average received from natural radiation (approximately 17 rem). During the entire operation of the reactor, there were no cases when an employee would have exceeded the permissible annual dose of 5 rem.