Dubovsky, Boris Grigorievich

B. G. Dubovsky graduated from Kharkov University , he studied at the department of K. D. Sinelnikov , who was well acquainted with Kurchatov ^[2] . His course was outstanding: B.I. Verkin (founder and director of the Kharkov Physical-Technical Institute of Low Temperatures), academician Ya. B. Fainberg , M.F. Stelmakh (creator of the Soviet laser industry) studied with him ^[3] . After graduation, he worked for some time at the Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology .

First Reactor

After that, he went to war , where he was wounded and received a disability. In 1943, he arrived at Laboratory No. 2 ; he was recommended by I. Kurchatov, the head of the department of the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, G. D. Latyshev ^[4] .

He worked at the launch of the F-1 experimental reactor in Moscow , the reactor was launched on December 25, 1946 , during the assembly of the reactor he performed dosimetry work, designed and manufactured the first dosimeter . There were problems in creating the device, which were caused by imperfection of components and low sensitivity of the device, but these problems were overcome ^[4] .

From this reactor, he became the founder of the dosimetric monitoring service at nuclear reactors ^[5] . This work has been shown to be effective in conducting weapons-grade plutonium ( plutonium-239 ) experiments. To do this, it is necessary to bring the reactor into supercritical mode, but it turned out that the level of radioactivity in residential buildings in the laboratory exceeds the permissible level. After that, such experiments had to be abandoned ^[6] .

After the launch of F-1, work on measuring radioactivity was continued, the task was to measure radioactivity in the field after a nuclear explosion . In the summer of 1947, a group of B. G. Dubovsky was created in laboratory No. 2, which developed dosimetric equipment for the Radiation Safety Service. M.I.Shalnov was sent to this group from the radiation laboratory. Work was almost always carried out overtime, sometimes on Sundays. I.V. Kurchatov often attended overtime work and personally supervised the work of the group. The result of the group’s work was the UP-2000T device, which was designed in a radiation laboratory (later the Institute of Biophysics of the USSR Ministry of Health ), the bulk of the work was carried out by radio electronics S. A. Titov , and B. M. Isaev became the head of the work. The team of the creators of this dosimeter was awarded the State Prize, the first industrial batches of dosimeters were released in 1951 ^[7] .

Launching Other Reactors

Dubovsky also launched weapons-grade plutonium reactors at facility 817 (the modern Mayak NPO ) in 1946-1952:

• A-1 (on June 8, 1948, a test launch, on June 10, an industrial launch, and on June 19, exit to the regime) ^[8] . At the assembly of this reactor, he worked as a physicist on duty; N. V. Makarov, G. B. Pomerantsev , Yu. I. Korchemkin, V. N. Mekhedov, and N. V. Omelyants worked with him ^[9] .
• AB-1 (launched April 4, 1950) and AB-2 (launched in mid-April 1950). ^[ten]
• AB-3 (launched in September 1952). ^[ten]

As part of the same nuclear military program, facility AI-1 for the production of tritium was launched at facility 817. Kurchatov established shift duty at the construction site of the reactor. There were four on duty - I.F. Zhezherun , E.N. Babulevich , I.S. Panasyuk and B.G. Dubovsky. This reactor was the first domestic enriched uranium reactor, so a number of questions arose when mastering the new technology, especially stringent tracking methods were associated with it: one of the four should always be on site ^[2] . The first start-up of the reactor was unsuccessful, and by Dubovsky's decision the reactor design was modified. After that, the restart was successful, but control by the country's top leadership was daily, as it was planned to start the reactor by November 7 (the anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution ). This did not happen and the reactor was only launched on November 11th .

But even after the start-up, the reactor remained problematic for some time, the main difficulties were “goats” and galvanic corrosion . Because of this, the yield of weapons-grade plutonium suffered, which jeopardized the entire Soviet nuclear project. Dubovsky proposed several design improvements to the reactor core. The decision was made at a meeting with I.V. Kurchatov, after consultation with A.P. Aleksandrov, the decision was approved and the reactor was started. Its conclusion to the design capacity took place on February 14, 1952. ^[eleven]

The launch of the reactor in Obninsk was also special. Boris Dubovsky flew to Kharkov and was unable to return on time due to weather conditions. As a result, I. V. Kurchatov postponed the launch of the reactor for six days ^[2] . On May 9, 1954, together with A.K. Krasin, under the leadership of I.V. Kurchatov, he launched the Obninsk NPP . From the Kurchatov Institute , M.E. Minashin was present ^[12] .

In 1958, Kurchatov spoke on the issue of security, he proposed the creation of a security laboratory. This structure should solve the issues of conducting extensive research and, based on the results obtained, develop the necessary recommendations to improve nuclear safety. The structure was named “ Nuclear Safety Laboratory ” and B. G. Dubovsky was appointed to the post of manager ^[13] .

In addition to safety issues, the laboratory was engaged in starting up reactors. This work was significantly complicated by the fact that the instruments did not show all aspects of the state of the reactors, so it was necessary to have experience in this matter. Laboratory employees were sent on flights to all reactor launches in the USSR. At the same time, in practical conditions, approaches to reactor control were improved and new working methods were developed. So, for the correct start-up, neutron sources began to be used everywhere, systems of in-reactor monitoring (IMS) and other improvements were developed ^[14] .

During his work at LNB, Boris Grigorievich showed himself to be an erudite person, he stimulated work in different directions, this contributed to the constant growth of professionalism of subordinates. While he was managing the laboratory, four doctoral and fifteen master's theses were defended by his staff. He worked at this place until 1977, when he moved to work in Sredmash ^[15] .

Dubovsky's attitude to the Chernobyl accident

Dubovsky considered the accident at the Leningrad NPP in 1975 and the Chernobyl NPP in 1982 to be rehearsals for the accident in 1986. He believed that the reactor designer ( N. A. Dollezhal ) had not made any changes to the design of the RBMK reactor , despite the ongoing accidents ^[16] . Naturally, Dubovsky was against the sentencing of the employees of the nuclear power plant and published his point of view in the press.

the conviction of five employees of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant - V.P. Bryukhanov , N.M. Fomin , A.S. Dyatlov , A.P. Kovalenko and V.V. Rogozhkin ... illegally and unreasonably

He wrote to M.S. Gorbachev :

The ongoing unfair charging of the Chernobyl personnel with the responsibility precludes further development of the energy sector - it is impossible to exclude personnel errors in the future. The violations committed by the personnel, with the minimum compliance of the reactor protection to their intended purpose, would be reduced to a week-long downtime. Command and administrative okolonauka misled the people, the Academy of Sciences, Academician Sakharov, the Supreme Council.

I ask you to provide an opportunity to explain to the ecologists of the Supreme Council the true causes of the Chernobyl reactor accident and the necessary safety measures

- B. G. Dubovsky, November 27, 1989 ^[17]

He later less emotionally repeated the same conclusions :

Complete lack of emergency protection. Plus illiterate documentation. In addition, the Chernobyl was led by non-specialists. And the only serious physicist during the fateful experiment was generally sent to military training.

I then criticized a lot. And in Obninsk as well. I, after all, led the laboratory for nuclear safety in the system of the Ministry of Environment. And he understood quite clearly why this happened and who was to blame for it.

Incidentally, there was responsibility of Obninsk science. Of course, many did not like my speeches. And in the end, I was fired.

- B. G. Dubovsky ^[2]

After Dubovsky criticized the identification of those responsible for the Chernobyl accident, he was forced to retire ^[2] .

Awards and titles

• Stalin Prize of 1949 ^[2] ;
• 1951 Stalin Prize ^[2] ;
• In 1965 he successfully defended his doctoral dissertation ^[2] .

Family

• Son - Pavel Borisovich Dubovsky , leading researcher at the Obninsk Institute of Atomic Energy . ^[18]

• B. G. Dubovsky. On the instability factors of nuclear reactors as exemplified by the RBMK reactor. - Obninsk , 1989.
• B. G. Dubovsky. Start: participant ’s story about the launch of the first nuclear reactor in the USSR under the leadership of I.V. Kurchatov : Monthly popular science journal of the USSR Academy of Sciences. - M .: Nauka , 1986. - Issue. 12 . - S. 21-27 . - ISSN 1727-5903 .
• B. G. Dubovsky, A. V. Kamaev, F. M. Kuznetsov, G. M. Vladykov, V. N. Gurin, A. P. Murashov, I. P. Markelov, V. P. Kochergin, A. A. Vaimugin, V. Ya. Sviridenko, L.V. Diev, V.K. Bogatyrev, V.V. Vavilov, V.V. Frolov. Critical parameters of fissile material systems and nuclear safety. - M .: Atomizdat , 1966 .-- 113 p.

19. A. Melnikov. Reactor Man. Scientific and cultural journal "Relga" # 15 from 09/25/2018 http://www.relga.ru/Environ/WebObjects/tgu-www.woa/wa/Main?textid=5597&level1=main&level2=articles