RBMK: The Soviet Reactor That Was Doomed from the Start | Chornobyl Uncharted Ep 04

The RBMK reactor was envisioned as the future of Soviet nuclear energy. In this episode, we will dive deep into its complex design and explore how everything was supposed to function — from fuel channels to turbines and control rods. You’ll see detailed, colorful illustrations with cutout animations of the reactor unit's key components, all designed to give you a clear explanation of this once-promising machine. In this episode: 00:00 – Intro 00:33 – Active zone, graphite blocks, technological channels 02:01 – Schemes of an RBMK reactor 05:11 – Fuel Loading-Unloading Machine 06:00 – Main Circulation Pumps 07:00 – Drum-Separators 08:21 – Steam Turbines 09:20 – SKALA computer, control rods, servo motors 10:32 – RBMK as a big hope and a big fail 12:15 – RBMK-1500 and RBMKP-2400 reactors Bonus reading find on our Patreon: https://patreon.com/thechernobylfamily Donate: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chernobylfamily Get a poster with SKALA: https://www.patreon.com/posts/91648436