How the Chernobyl reactor exploded

Process map by Brian. 18 steps, 2 layers. Tags: history, disasters, nuclear, chernobyl.

1. Plant managers: Plans a safety test of the cooling pumps during a power cut for the night shift
2. Control room operators: Test is delayed and the reactor power sinks too low
3. Control room operators: Pull most control rods out to raise power again
4. Control room operators: Switch off safety systems that would stop the test
5. Reactor 4: Reactor is unstable and the coolant boils into steam bubbles
6. Control room operators: Press the emergency shutdown button
7. Reactor 4: Graphite tips on the control rods first add power instead of removing it
8. Reactor 4: Power surges and a steam explosion blows the lid off
9. Reactor 4: A second explosion and a graphite fire burn for days
10. Firefighters and liquidators: Firefighters and liquidators fight the fire and bury the site
11. Soviet state: Is the accident announced right away?
12. Soviet state: Silence for about two days until alarms go off in Sweden
13. Firefighters and liquidators: Build a concrete shelter and later a giant arch over it
14. Soviet state: Reactors of this type are changed and the world rewrites its safety rules
15. Soviet state: Evacuation begins immediately

Read this process as Markdown

$History $Disasters $Nuclear $Chernobyl All process maps