Yuri Filimontsev – design solution for RCPS rods
Yury Nikolayevich Filimontsev, Deputy Chief Engineer for Science, Kursk NPP, from 1975 to 1980.
RCPS – Reactor control and protection system
I recall a significant case, not only for me personally, but for the entire nuclear industry, concerning the safe operation of RBMK reactors. The year 1975 was coming to an end. While working on developing the capacity of the first power unit of Kursk NPP, we noticed that some of the reactor absorber rods were not entering the core by the emergency protection signal EPS [AZ-5].
We assembled a team of reactor and RCPS specialists, consisting of Valentin Karnaukhov, Konstantin Sizov, Vladimir Shchigolev, Oleg Safronov, and Vasily Kalinin. We pondered together over the situation and went to Tom Petrovich Nikolaev with a technical solution, half typed on an old typewriter and half handwritten. In our proposal, we outlined the idea of inserting absorber rods into the reactor control and protection system from below.
The atomic scientist instantly appreciated our idea. He asked: "How much time do you need to implement this process?" We asked for two weeks. He thought about it and said: "Five days is enough."
For five days we lived at the nuclear plant, and no one saw us at home. But we did it!
Subsequently, our proposal was implemented at all RBMK reactors. But, unfortunately, this happened after the Chernobyl disaster.
Source: http://memory.biblioatom.ru/persona/filimontsev_yun/comanda/
