Chernobyl (HBO)

Tifosi2003GT

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Yeah, I’ve fascinated for years and have read a ton on it. I’m kinda odd, but, growing up where I did, and doing what I did, I’m sure I was exposed to crap you shouldn’t know about. I may elude to that later.


My parents born in Italy. My mom was telling me a story. The Italian government told the citizens not to grow home gardens that year due to fall out. My grandfather didn't listen.
 

08mojo

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The HBO show actually borrows quite a bit directly from actual footage of the disaster and following clean-up efforts. For example: they called the people bio-robots that cleaned the roof of radioactive debris, which I thought was clever writing from HBO, but it's not. The visual recreation is also really well done. Lot's of other examples in the show, pretty cool.
 

Silverstrike

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The ones I had the up most respect for was the sand bomber helo pilots. Their job was to just hover above the boiling reactor and dump sand on top of it so as to cover it up until the crew that built the original concrete sarcophagus could be brought in and begin work. The firswt thing they did was dig a tunnel underneath it and pour a concrete base so as to prevent it from borrowing deeper into the ground. Then to entomb it in concrete.

But the sand bomber jobs was much worse, you basically had water fighting buckets filled with sand and had to hover above until it was out then move back to the filling area and rinse and repeat. One crew done an 18 hour shift and I think 100 or 120 flights in that time frame, but the bad thing was none of the cargo helos had any lead protection so you was totally exposed and being fried to death by the radiation. But if they didn't do this it is said that over a 600 mile dead zone would of been created around the plant where nothing would grow for 45,000 years. instead it was pretty much contained just around Chernobyl.


yes all those helicopters in that picture of mine people died in them.
 
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SolarYellow

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If the top level of the building was 12k roentgens, what would that make the graphite blocks that were scattered around? Half or so?
 

James Snover

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Same here. I worked with open sources for non-destructive testing (x-raying welds). Radiation is a nasty, indescribable feeling when you are getting a healthy dose--but you know something is happening and it's not right.

Have any of you seen the Modern Marvels (or maybe Impossible Engineering) on the new canopy over the reactor? This isn't the one I was thinking of, but still good:
Like Cobalt60? You've got my respect, if you do.
 

ViciousJay

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I just binged watched the first 4 episodes, all I have to say is DAMN! It's sad that the USSR was so irresponsible for the chaos. It was like giving a 6 year old fireworks and a lighter.

It's a shame we were in the cold war with them at the time, I'm sure we could have helped them.
 

Bearbo

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I made mine watch and I walked away. They thought I went to get my other gun.
 

HudsonFalcon

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Wow another great episode and miniseries all together.

I think episode 5 was my favorite and it really hit you in the gut. The whole miniseries is the kind of program that stays with you.
 

BRNG ITT

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Although skeptical when the trailers were released, I was pleasantly surprised with the entire series.

Episode 5 gave a pretty good and understandable explanation of what happened.

The level of incompetence and complacency still baffles me to this day.
 

ziggity

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4 was tough to watch its scary the stuff that happened, episode 5 was great. Im a control room operator In a power plant so I found it really interesting hearing them talk about what caused it.
 

BRNG ITT

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Why? You're talking about a country more interested in saving face than saving lives.

I’m talking specifically about those in the control room.

Xenon’s effect at start up and at power are a well known phenomenon in the nuclear power community. Wether it’s a xenon precluded startup, or inherent sub-criticality due to the anticipated amount of xenon present in the core as a direct result of power history, the anticipated effects shouldn’t be a surprise to any properly trained operator. Especially a veteran such as Dyatlov. I’m sure he recognized this, contrary to how the show portrayed it.

Regardless of the pressure he put on himself in order to please the state, every step he took and order he gave should have severely challenged his mental state of self preservation. Even without knowing the inherent flaw in the control rods during the A3-5 (SCRAM) situation, uncontrolled Start Up Rate (SUR) and high power excursions should have been enough to make him want to avoid even the slightest compromise to the reactors integrity; no matter the commitments he made to state.
 

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