First industrial-scale Reactor “A” for plutonium production
Physical start-up of the Reactor “A” at the plant No. 817, in Chelyabinsk-40 (Ozersk City, the Chelyabinsk Region) was held on June 8, 1948. On June 19, the first uranium-graphite industrial nuclear reactor A ("Annushka") intended for the refinement of weapons-grade plutonium was brought to its design capacity of 100 MW. This day is considered the birthday of the Mayak Production Association.
The decision to build a uranium graphite commercial nuclear reactor for plutonium production in the Southern Urals was made even before the construction of the experimental Reactor F-1 in Laboratory No. 2. In 1945 the Government of the USSR decided to select the site and start the construction of the country's first plutonium-239 production facility in the Southern Urals.
The enterprise was planned to include:
a uranium-graphite (natural) uranium reactor (Plant “A”);
a radiochemical plant for the refinement of plutonium-239 from irradiated natural uranium in the reactor (Plant “B”);
a chemical and metallurgical plant to produce high-purity plutonium metal (Plant “B”).
To construct the first ever enterprise in the USSR for the production of plutonium for military purposes, a site was chosen in the Southern Urals near the ancient Ural cities of Kyshtym and Kasli. The site selection survey was conducted in the summer of 1945, and in October of 1945, the Government Commission decided that the first industrial reactor would be located on the shore of Lake Kyzyl-Tash. The southern peninsula of Lake Irtyash was selected for the residential area. Currently, this industrial complex is called the Mayak Production Association (PA). The city on the shore of Lake Irtyash, where employees of the Mayak PA and their families live, was named Ozersk.
In November 1945, geological surveys commenced at the selected site, and the first constructors started to arrive in early December.
The first Construction manager (during the period of 1946 to 1947) was Ya. Rappoport. He was later replaced by Major General M. Tsarevsky. The Chief Construction Engineer was V. A. Saprykin who later gained the title of Academician of Architecture. P. T. Bystrov was appointed the first Director of the future enterprise (starting 17.04.1946), he was later replaced by E. Slavsky (starting 10.07.1947), and after that by B. Muzrukov (starting 01.12.1947). I. V. Kurchatov was appointed the Research Director of the plant.
Over 45 thousand people took part in the construction. The staff for the launch and operation of the unique enterprise in the future city of Ozersk was selected with special care. Only the best students, engineers, and specialists. The specialists could neither see nor correspond with relatives for several years after their arrival to the city. The construction was carried out under utmost secrecy. There were practically no violations of labor discipline, and the reason was not only military-level discipline, but also high conscientiousness and understanding of the grand purpose by the specialists.
Chronicle of events
March 23, 1946. A joint session of the Engineering and Technical Councils of the Special Committee approved the design briefs for the construction of Plant No. 817 proposed by I. Kurchatov and I. Kikoinin.
August 16, 1946. The Head of the PSU of the Council of Ministers of the USSR issued an order “Concerning the selection of the type of unit No. 1 for Plant No. 817”.
December 25, 1946. At 18 hours, F-1 research uranium-graphite reactor, the first in Europe and Asia, was launched in Laboratory No. 2, and a self-sustaining chain reaction was achieved. The launch of F-1 made it possible to determine the main nuclear constants, define the optimal design for the first industrial reactor which was under construction at plant No. 817, specify its design characteristics, and study certain issues of control, regulation, safety, and means of radiation protection.
May 15, 1948. Putting Plant A into operation at Combine No. 817.
June 8, 1948, 0 hours 30 minutes. A chain reaction was launched at the reactor plant of Plant A -- the first industrial reactor was physically started.
June 8, 1948, 20 hours 30 minutes. The first industrial nuclear reactor for the development of weapons-grade plutonium was brought to its design capacity (100 MW) in the USSR.
To solve the plutonium problem, well-known scientists were commissioned to VNIINM (NII-9) -- Academicians A. Bochvar and I. Chernyaev, Professors A. Volsky, A. Zaymovsky, G. Meyerson, and others. In 1947 the Institute established a semiwork-scale plant for conducting radiochemical works involving high radioactivity. The first specimen of plutonium was obtained on December 18, 1947. Radiochemical studies of plutonium conducted during the period of 1947 to 1948 became the basis for the development of the industrial scale plutonium separation process.
At the end of 1948 NII-9 organized an interdisciplinary team of researchers of various specialties by order of the Ministry and commissioned it to the Mayak Chemical Plant. The the scientific and general supervision was carried out by the metal physicist, Academician Andrey Bochvar.
The team comprised several groups. It included analytical chemists, process chemists, metallurgists, process technologists, metal scientists, corrosion specialists, ceramic specialists, etc. At that time, these specialists were at the origin a new industry in our country. They took part in the commissioning of sections, departments, workshops, factories, as well as in the development of technology for mass production of special products.
During that stressful, difficult and demanding time people worked selflessly and with high motivation, regardless of their time, strength and health. People worked for 10 to 12 hours, sometimes for days and nights without leaving their work places.
Due to this hard work, good organization and skillful scientific leadership, the interdisciplinary team together with the employees of the Mayak Plant were able to fulfill the responsible and honorable task of the Government in the shortest possible terms. The entire team received high government awards for completing of this task.
The first industrial uranium-graphite reactor was in operation and produced plutonium for 39 years. In addition to the production of plutonium in Reactor A, other isotopes were produced from the very beginning of its operation. The Reactor was finally shut down on June 16, 1987. Currently, Reactor A is in storage after the complete uranium reactor discharge.
A bit of statistics
The Reactor was one of the most complex engineering structures.
5,000 tons of metal structures and equipment were used in its construction, 230 km of pipelines of different diameters, 165 km of electric cables, 5745 shut-off and control units and 3800 instruments were installed.
Reactor A had 1124 working cells and 17 cells of the Reactor Control and Protection System (CPS), divided into two independent groups. The diameter of the reactor core is 520 cm, and the height is 357 cm.