Nuclear Energy

1. Nuclear Energy The “Hiroshima” G3 K-19 Submarine The “Widowmaker”

2. Nuclear Submarines • During the ColdWar, there was a race to develop nuclear powered submarines that could also carry nuclear missiles • In 1954, the Americans were the first to build a nuclear powered submarine called the Nautilus • The Nautilus used standard submarine design except in the engine compartment

3. Nuclear Submarines • In 1957, Soviet Union retaliated by building the K-3, their first nuclear powered submarine • The Soviet Union used new designs that had superior features • But they rushed to build them, so were poorly built and inadequately tested • Resulted in many accidents and deaths during construction and at sea

4. Nuclear Submarines • In 1960, the Americans finished building the GeorgeWashington submarine • The first submarine capable of carrying and launching nuclear missiles • The Soviet Union responded by building the K-19 • Again, they rushed and mistakes were made

5. K-19 Submarine • Even during construction there were problems and accidents because of the rush to complete the ship • 10 people died while building the ship • A fire broke out killing two workers • Six women suffocated from fumes while applying insulation • An electrician was crushed to death by a missile tube cover • An engineer fell between two compartments and died

6. K-19 Submarine • Statistics • Commissioned: April 30, 1961 • Displacement: 5,000 tons • Length: 374 ft • Max. Operating Depth: 300 m • Top Speed: 15 knots on surface • and 26 knots submerged • Armament: 3 nuclear missiles • 6 torpedo tubes forward • 2 torpedo tubes aft • Engineering: 2 thermal VM-A reactors • 2 geared turbines driving shafts to produce 39,200 horsepower • Max. Mission Length: 50 Days (due to food constraints)

7. K-19 Disaster • On July 4, 1961 there was a rupture in the primary coolant loop for one of the reactors • Coolant serves two purposes in a nuclear reactor • It regulates the temperature of the reactor by carrying away heat • By lowering the temperature, it slows the neutrons which controls the chain reaction

8. K-19 Disaster • The rupture caused the water pressure to drop and the coolant stopped flowing • Without coolant, the control rods alone could not slow down the chain reaction • As the chain reaction increased, the temperature began to rise • When the core temperature of a reactor gets too high, there is a ‘core meltdown’ which is followed by a nuclear explosion

9. K-19 Disaster • The ship surfaced to radio for help, but the antenna was broken • Their only hope of survival was to get water into the reactor pressure vessel to cool the core • To do this, 8 crewmen had to open the shielded reactor area and weld new coolant pipes • They were exposed to massive doses of radiation • They vomit yellow and white foam and their faces and bodies were burned and swollen

10. K-19 Disaster • The radiation spread throughout the ship • Radioactive steam was sucked into the ventilation system when the shielded reactor area was opened • Also, when the crew pumped radioactive coolant water out of the reactor compartment, radiation emanated from drainpiping

11. K-19 Rescue • Eventually the K-19 was found by other Russian submarines and everyone was evacuated • The K-19 was towed back to port for repairs • It contaminated everything within 700 meters (approximately 2,300 feet or ½ mile) • 22men died shortly after the accident • 8 men died within days • 14 more died within 2 yrs • The remaining 117 men all suffered varying degrees of radiation-related illness

12. Section Review • Answer the questions in the section review