DOCSLIB.ORG

The Communist Nuclear Era : Bulgarian Atomic Community During the Cold War, 1944-1986

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Communist Nuclear Era : Bulgarian Atomic Community During the Cold War, 1944-1986 The communist nuclear era : bulgarian atomic community during the Cold War, 1944-1986 Citation for published version (APA): Hristov, I. T. (2014). The communist nuclear era : bulgarian atomic community during the Cold War, 1944-1986. Amsterdam University Press. https://doi.org/10.6100/IR770869 DOI: 10.6100/IR770869 Document status and date: Published: 01/01/2014 Document Version: Publisher’s PDF, also known as Version of Record (includes final page, issue and volume numbers) Please check the document version of this publication: • A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers. Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal. If the publication is distributed under the terms of Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, indicated by the “Taverne” license above, please follow below link for the End User Agreement: www.tue.nl/taverne Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us at: [email protected] providing details and we will investigate your claim. Download date: 25. Sep. 2021 The Communist Nuclear Era 2 The Communist Nuclear Era This publication is made possible by Eindhoven University of Technology and the Foundation for the History of Technology. ISBN 978 90 8964 653 8 e-ISBN 978 90 4852 319 1 © 2014, Ivaylo Hristov No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Design and typesetting: Ellen Bouma, Alkmaar, the Netherlands Cover picture Loading a Reactor originates from the personal archive of Mitko Iankov. Amsterdam University Press, Herengracht 221, NL-1016 BG Amsterdam www.aup.nl Acknowledgments 3 The Communist Nuclear Era Bulgarian Atomic Community during the Cold War, 1944-1986 PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, op gezag van de Rector Magnificus, prof.dr.ir. C.J. van Duijn, voor een commissie aangewezen door het College voor Promoties in het openbaar te verdedigen op donderdag 23 januari 2014 om 16.00 uur door Ivaylo Tsvetanov Hristov geboren te Plovdiv, Bulgarije 4 The Communist Nuclear Era Dit proefschrift is goedgekeurd door de promotor: Prof.dr. J.W. Schot Copromotoren: Dr. I. Tchalakov Dr.ir. E.B.A. van der Vleuten Acknowledgments 5 Acknowledgements The thesis is done. After more than four years of work, the entire text is ready. Writing a PhD dissertation was a very long journey, during which I met many people who did not understand what I was doing, many of whom asked me if I am a physicist. Dealing with nuclear technology seemed scary enough to forget that my main purpose was to reveal only the historical part of the story. Fortunately, I also met people and friends who attempted to understand the topic. Undoubtedly, the most fruitful contacts I had were with my colleagues and supervisors. Travelling to many places in Europe gave me a richer perspective and a better view of the European nature of my research, while summer schools in Greece, Germany, and Finland enriched my knowledge of many historical topics and approaches. In addition to being part of such a wonderful professional commu- nity, I also adopted the European manner of living. In this way, my work received a “lived” sense of open borders and thoughts. Of course, this would have been impossible without sharing the experience with my colleagues Jíra Janác, Emiliya Karaboeva, and Elitsa Stoilova, with whom I had very fruitful discussions. My three supervisors – Johan Schot, Ivan Tchalakov, and Erik van der Vleuten – contributed significantly to this dissertation. Their advice, patience, and regular discussions helped guide my thoughts to what is now the complete version of this work. Particularly influential was my Bulgarian supervisor, Ivan Tchalkov, who regularly reviewed my draft chapters and gave me guidance on how to write a good thesis. His interaction with my Bulgarian writings, from which this dissertation was actually born, was very important. In this respect, Erik van der Vleuten and Johan Schot provided useful comments and comprehensive explanations on the English versions of the chapters. My three supervisors significantly influenced the last stages of my writings. This reflected the most serious aspect of my work, which required methodological clarity and conceptualization. I would like to thank all of the colleagues I met at Eindhoven Technical University, including Alexander Badenoch, Vincent Lagendijk, Suzanne Lommers, Gijs Mom, Ruth Oldenziel, Frank Schipper, and M. Luísa Sousa. Of course, these were not the only colleagues who supported my work. I am also grateful to Dobrinka Parusheva and Iliana Marcheva for their comments and supportive discussions in Sofia and Plovdiv. I would also like to thank the EDF Foundation 6 The Communist Nuclear Era for awarding me with a research grant, which enabled me to spend one and a half years in Sofia and fulfill my research at the archives there. In addition, the SHOT organization gave me the opportunity to be an international scholar and partici- pate in a professional community of historians of technology, which was a very useful part of my scientific experience. My project was part of the PhD Program on Hidden Integration in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe, organized and managed by the Foundation for the History of Technology. Therefore, I owe special thanks to the foundation and its staff, particularly Jan Korsten and Sonja Beekers. My special thanks are due to the people from the nuclear centers and the nuclear plant, who were extremely kind and created a friendly atmosphere. The most supportive person was Professor Nikola Balabanov from the Physical faculty in Plovdiv University, who connected me with people from the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency, the nuclear experimental base near Sofia, and the Kozloduy nuclear power plant. During these meetings, I met such individuals as Natalia Ianeva, Sergei Tzotchev, Mitko Iankov, Stoian Stoianov, Rangel Simov, Over Tadjer, and Kiril Nikolov, among many others. During my journey, I also received support from my friend Elena Raykova and from my colleague Tihomir Mitev, as well as my family, my parents, my brother, and my son Kaloyan. All of these people were patient and waited with me until the end of this long journey. Acknowledgments 7 Table of Contents Acknowledgements 5 Introduction 9 Nuclear Power Relations in Eastern Europe 10 Concepts and Research Focus 13 A Brief Historiography of Nuclear Power 15 Sources 17 Thesis Outline 19 Chapter 1 Techno-political Revolutions in the Soviet bloc 23 The Bulgarian Communist Party’s Techno-politics 25 Company Pathways for Techno-politics 33 The Case of Bulgaria’s Communist Electrification 39 CMEA Techno-politics 42 Interpretation: Communist Techno-political Regimes 47 Conclusion 55 Chapter 2 Nuclear Science Networks in Eastern Europe 57 A Non-aggressive Soviet Nuclear Program 58 High Power Channel-type Reactors (RBMK) 62 Bulgarian Nuclear Scientists and their International Relations 66 Nuclear Technology Transfer 69 International Organization 77 Conclusion 82 Chapter 3 Bulgarian Nuclear Power: Socialist Internationalism in Action (1962-1975) 85 Nuclear Internationalism in the CMEA 86 Constructing the CMEA Power Grid 95 Bulgaria’s Nuclear Power Program 100 Techno-Political Symbols and Cultural Legitimation 109 Conclusion 112 8 The Communist Nuclear Era Chapter 4 Momentum and Decline of the East European Nuclear Power Network (1970-1986) 115 The Growing Role of International Organizations 116 Nuclear Safety in Eastern Europe 124 Bulgaria’s Nuclear Program in a New International Context 129 Bulgarian Nuclear Power in the Early 1980s 134 Decline of the East European Nuclear Network 138 Conclusion 141 Conclusion 143 Pictures 151 Pictures from the Personal Archive of Mitko Iankov 151 Pictures from the Information Center of “Kozloduy” NPP 152 Notes 153 Bibliography 181 Summary of thesis 203 Curriculum Vitae 205 Introduction 9 Introduction On March 4, 1977 a devastating earthquake hit Romania’s Vrancea region in the Eastern Carpathian Mountains. It measured 7.2 on the Richter scale and killed over 1500 people. Across the River Danube, Bulgarians too felt the quake in their houses; in the Bulgarian town of Svishtov, three concrete apartment blocks col- lapsed, killing more than a hundred people. In Kozloduy, some 150 kilometers east of Svishtov and slightly closer to the epicenter, Bulgaria’s first nuclear power plant had been inaugurated three years earlier. Its Soviet-made reactors were running at full power on the night of the quake. Although the operators and experts were not prepared for such natural catastrophes, the engineers on duty remained calm and stopped only one of the reactors while the other continued working. In actual fact, the earthquake did not seriously damage the nuclear plant and no radiation leaked.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • CAS'2010 CERN Accelerator Physics School Introductory
    Welcome to CAS’2010 CERN Accelerator Physics School Introductory level course Grand hotel Varna Bulgaria THE UNIVERSE OF PARTICLE ACCELERATORS D. Dinev Particle Accelerators – a Dynamical Area of Research and Technology LHC First direct-voltage accelerator, 700 keV 7 x 7 TeV hadron collider In the world of particle accelerators everyone could find for himself a source of inspiration Paying tribute to the pioneers of particle accelerators J. D. Cockcroft and E. Th. S. Walton E. Rutherford Van de Graaff R. Wideroe L. W. Alvarez E. Lawrence D. Kerst V. I. Veksler E. M. McMillan M. S. Livingston G. I. Budker R. Wilson Sir John Adams ACCELERATORS and BULGARIA 25 MeV Betatron Simens, Center for cancer therapy Aurora-4, Chemical University, Bourgas ELV-1, “Electron”, Hrabarsko Microtron MT-16, PU Neutron generator NG-12, INRNE ELV-1 Linear electron accelerators for cancer treatment NEPTUN, 9 MeV Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Particle Accelerators Group Main activities: • Beam dynamics in particle accelerators • Computer control and diagnostics in accelerators • Electron and ion sources • Electron and ion optics Selected examples: Adiabatic capture in Nuclotron Closed orbit correction in COSY-Julich Dynamics aperture in Nuclotron Accelerator simulation code ORBIT-3.0 BRM measurement in Nuclotron Tune measurement in Nuclotron Publications: Organized conferences: The members of PAG have • “Relativistic Nuclear Physics”, Varna, published more than 200 papers. 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001 Academician V. Kadyshevsky opens RNP’01 D. Dinev. Particle accelerators. Academic Press, Sofia, 2006 Current projects: Heavy ion collider NICA in JINR-Dubna JINR Veksler-Baldin Laboratory of High Energy Physics Superconducting heavy ion synchrotron NUCLOTRON, March 1993, 6 GeV/u HEAVY ION COLLIDER NICA Nuclotron-based Ion Collider fAcility Project, 2006 Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • Soil Science – Science of Past, Present and Future
    Soil Science – Science of Past, Present and Future Metodi Teoharov President of Bulgarian Soil Science Society 1331 Sofia, 7 Shosse Bankya str. Corresponding Author: Metodi Teoharov, e-mail: [email protected] Abstract The present study includes a detailed analysis on the past, present and future of the soil science in the Bulgaria and over the world. Soil science entered in the cycle of scientific discipline serving practice when in 1883 the famous Russian scientist V.V.Dokuchaev established regularities of soil formation. Since then it has emerged as an important branch of biological science and it has become a science of undoubtedly great for public importance. There are different periods how it was developed in Bulgaria and it the rest of the world. In third period is examined Vernadski‟s concept of the Noosphere and relationship with soil science and how „‟the thoughtful layer of the planet” can repairs the consequences of the Technosphere and Anthropocentris. Key words: Soil science, development, periods, world schools, FAO-classification, WRBSR, Noosphere, Technosphere and Anthropocentris. The Beginning Dokuchaev – Founder of the World Genetic Soil Science The science of soils was founded under the name pedology by the world-famous Russian soil scientist V.V. Dokuchaev 133 years ago - after he wrote the major work “Russian Chernozem” in 1883. In it he proved the genetic origin of soils and the regularities of their distribution. Dokuchaev wrote that “the soils are the result of extremely complicated interaction of the local climate, the plant and animal organisms, the composition and structure of the parent rock and in the end the age of the country”.
    [Show full text]
  • James, Steinhauser, Hoffmann, Friedrich One Hundred Years at The
    James, Steinhauser, Hoffmann, Friedrich One Hundred Years at the Intersection of Chemistry and Physics Published under the auspices of the Board of Directors of the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society: Hans-Joachim Freund Gerard Meijer Matthias Scheffler Robert Schlögl Martin Wolf Jeremiah James · Thomas Steinhauser · Dieter Hoffmann · Bretislav Friedrich One Hundred Years at the Intersection of Chemistry and Physics The Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society 1911–2011 De Gruyter An electronic version of this book is freely available, thanks to the support of libra- ries working with Knowledge Unlatched. KU is a collaborative initiative designed to make high quality books Open Access. More information about the initiative can be found at www.knowledgeunlatched.org Aut ho rs: Dr. Jeremiah James Prof. Dr. Dieter Hoffmann Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Institute for the Max Planck Society History of Science Faradayweg 4–6 Boltzmannstr. 22 14195 Berlin 14195 Berlin [email protected] [email protected] Dr. Thomas Steinhauser Prof. Dr. Bretislav Friedrich Fritz Haber Institute of the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society Max Planck Society Faradayweg 4–6 Faradayweg 4–6 14195 Berlin 14195 Berlin [email protected] [email protected] Cover images: Front cover: Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, 1913. From left to right, “factory” building, main building, director’s villa, known today as Haber Villa. Back cover: Campus of the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, 2011. The Institute’s his- toric buildings, contiguous with the “Röntgenbau” on their right, house the Departments of Physical Chemistry and Molecular Physics.
    [Show full text]
  • 12(2) 01 Terziiski.Indd
    PHYTOLOGIA BALCANICA 12 (2): 143–147, Sofia, 2006 143 Prof. Michail Hristov (1895–1960) – founder of cytological, genetic and embryological studies in Bulgaria Dimitur Terziyski Department of Botany, Agricultural University, 12, Mendeleev St., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria On 21st December 2005 were commem- and his pure patriotism. His life philos- orated 110 years since the birth of the ophy, eloquently expressed in his behav- prominent Bulgarian scientist, Prof. iour, can be summarized in three words: Michail Hristov, the founder of cytolog- motherland, family and work. For him, ical, genetic and embryological studies these were sacred words and he never in Bulgaria. His legacy in these impor- made a compromise with them until the tant biological fields of study is so pro- end of his life. found and up-to-date that, although 45 Prof. Hristov’s childhood was marked years had passed since the end of his life, by poverty. His father, a patriot and par- it is still difficult to speak of him in the ticipant in the April uprising fell grave- past tense. His name is not only crowned ly ill and in order to make the ends meet with the glory of a pioneer teacher, but with his meagre disability pension, the with his high scientific accomplish- family moved into Perushtitsa, the na- ments, too, many of which have inspired PProf.rof. MM.. HHristovristov tive village of his mother. Young Michail ((21.XII.188521.XII.1885 — 99.V.1960).V.1960) admiration ever since and have made received his basic education there and in us feel proud. He is one of Bulgaria’s scientists with a 1914, after years of deprivation, finished high school manifest national and international presence.
    [Show full text]
  • V. Krastev, G. K. Exner, 100 Years of X-Ray Diffraction
    Bulgarian Chemical Communications, Volume 45, Number 4 (pp. 411–417) 2013 100 years of X-ray diffraction: from Röntgen’s discovery to top-of-the-art synchrotron source applications V. Krastev1, G. K. Exner2* 1 Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 5 James Bourcher Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria 2 Department of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics and Engineering Technologies, PU “Paisii Hilendarski”, 24 Tzar Asen Str., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria Received February, 2013; Revised May, 2013 The paper invites the reader to recall the 100 years long history of X-rays diffraction discovery, advancement and achievements with great impact on our daily life. Let us pay a tribute to the founders of X-ray diffraction and emphasize the importance of their work for our modern understanding of matter. Special honor has to be given to Max von Laue, who discovered in 1912 that X-rays are electromagnetic in nature, with wavelength short enough, to cause diffraction when passing through a periodic crystal medium. Shortly afterwards, the importance of his work was recognized and he received Nobel Prize two years later. Other distinguished researchers are Sir William Henry Bragg and William Lawrence Bragg, who were awarded a Nobel Prize in 1915 “for their services in the analysis of crystal structure by means of X-rays”. Bulgarian history of X-ray diffraction analysis started around 1939, when Ivan Stranski and Rostislaw Kaishev performed the first experiments. One of the very first publications by Bulgarian authors on this topic belongs to Strashimir Dimitrov in collaboration with Kaishev. At present, the X-ray diffraction is irreplaceable, unique method for structural investigation of inorganic and or- ganic materials, biomolecules, including human DNA, nanocomposites and many others, especially after the develop- ment of more than 40 X-ray synchrotron sources worldwide.
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Catalogue 2018
    Connecting Great Minds FOREIGN RIGHTS ANNUAL CATALOGUE 2018 Foreign Rights Annual Catalogue 2018 TITLE PAGE ASIAN STUDIES China’s Change: The Greatest Show on Earth 1 BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT Brazen: Big Banks, Swap Mania and The Fallout 3 For God’s Sake: Work by the Book!: Management Explained from Within 4 Future Automation: Changes to Lives and to Businesses 6 Living Digital 2040: Future of Work, Education, and Healthcare 6 Marketing for Competitiveness: Asia to The World 7 Services Marketing: People, Technology, Strategy (8th Edition) 8 The Economics of Small Business: An Introductory Survey 4 Unleashing the Greatness in You: The Power of Self-Leadership 8 CHEMISTRY Applied Theoretical Organic Chemistry 9 Carbohydrate Chemistry: Fundamentals and Applications 9 Photosynthesis and Bioenergetics 10 Reminiscences of Ahmed H. Zewail: Photons, Electrons and What Else? 10 Ultrafast Optics and Spectroscopy in Physical Chemistry 11 Understanding Advanced Physical Inorganic Chemistry: The Learner’s Approach (Revised Edition) 12 Understanding Voltammetry: 3rd Edition 12 COMPUTER SCIENCE An Introduction to the Analysis of Algorithms (3rd Edition) 14 Fuzzy Logic Theory and Applications, Part I and II 13 Unlocking Consciousness: Lessons from the Convergence of Computing and Cognitive Psychology 14 ECONOMICS AND FINANCE Innovative Federal Reserve Policies During the Great Financial Crisis 15 Introduction to Microfinance 14 Lectures Notes in Behavioral Finance 16 Reversing Climate Change: How Carbon Removals can Resolve Climate Change and Fix the
    [Show full text]
  • The Communist Nuclear Era : Bulgarian Atomic Community During the Cold War, 1944-1986
    The communist nuclear era : bulgarian atomic community during the Cold War, 1944-1986 Citation for published version (APA): Hristov, I. T. (2014). The communist nuclear era : bulgarian atomic community during the Cold War, 1944-1986. Amsterdam University Press. https://doi.org/10.6100/IR770869 DOI: 10.6100/IR770869 Document status and date: Published: 01/01/2014 Document Version: Publisher’s PDF, also known as Version of Record (includes final page, issue and volume numbers) Please check the document version of this publication: • A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. People interested in the research are advised to contact the author for the final version of the publication, or visit the DOI to the publisher's website. • The final author version and the galley proof are versions of the publication after peer review. • The final published version features the final layout of the paper including the volume, issue and page numbers. Link to publication General rights Copyright and moral rights for the publications made accessible in the public portal are retained by the authors and/or other copyright owners and it is a condition of accessing publications that users recognise and abide by the legal requirements associated with these rights. • Users may download and print one copy of any publication from the public portal for the purpose of private study or research. • You may not further distribute the material or use it for any profit-making activity or commercial gain • You may freely distribute the URL identifying the publication in the public portal.
    [Show full text]
  • V. Krastev, G. K. Exner: 100 Years of X-Ray Diffraction: from Röntgen’S Discovery to Top-Of-The-Art Synchrotron
    Bulgarian Chemical Communications, Volume 45, Number 4 (pp. 411–417) 2013 100 years of X-ray diffraction: from Röntgen’s discovery to top-of-the-art synchrotron source applications V. Krastev1, G. K. Exner2* 1 Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, 5 James Bourcher Blvd., 1164 Sofia, Bulgaria 2 Department of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics and Engineering Technologies, PU “Paisii Hilendarski”, 24 Tzar Asen Str., 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria Received February, 2013; Revised May, 2013 The paper invites the reader to recall the 100 years long history of X-rays diffraction discovery, advancement and achievements with great impact on our daily life. Let us pay a tribute to the founders of X-ray diffraction and emphasize the importance of their work for our modern understanding of matter. Special honor has to be given to Max von Laue, who discovered in 1912 that X-rays are electromagnetic in nature, with wavelength short enough, to cause diffraction when passing through a periodic crystal medium. Shortly afterwards, the importance of his work was recognized and he received Nobel Prize two years later. Other distinguished researchers are Sir William Henry Bragg and William Lawrence Bragg, who were awarded a Nobel Prize in 1915 “for their services in the analysis of crystal structure by means of X-rays”. Bulgarian history of X-ray diffraction analysis started around 1939, when Ivan Stranski and Rostislaw Kaishev performed the first experiments. One of the very first publications by Bulgarian authors on this topic belongs to Strashimir Dimitrov in collaboration with Kaishev. At present, the X-ray diffraction is irreplaceable, unique method for structural investigation of inorganic and or- ganic materials, biomolecules, including human DNA, nanocomposites and many others, especially after the develop- ment of more than 40 X-ray synchrotron sources worldwide.
    [Show full text]