Re: Russia: Iran May Seek More Reactors

[Franz Schoenhofer <schoenho@via.at>]

At 16:53 17.01.2000 -0600, you wrote:


>In a message dated 1/17/00 10:00:31 Pacific Standard Time, schoenho@via.at 
>writes:
>
><< 
> The former Sovjetunion has never exported an RMBK reactor, not even to
> former eastern block countries. >>
>
>To the best of my knowledge, please do correct me if I am wrong, GDR (DDR) 
>(Eastern Germany) had one or two RBMK type units (1000-???) or its older and 
>smaller version ANB, 


No, they were of the Woronesh type, but I do not know the details.


>I guess, if they were there, it was geographically and may be also 
>technologically convenient to use East German resources of uranium 

Uranium mined in the former German Democratic Republic, in former
Czechoslovakia and in Hungary was shipped to the former Sovjetunion,
converted, enriched and made into fuel there. Therefore there was no
geographic advantage.


and 
>technologies, already well developed in the chase for A-bomb championship, 
>during World War #2.

Germany had until the end of WW2 no technologies developed, they had not
even enough uranium for a critical mass - they only could prove that a
chain reaction might be possible, but had no possibility to come even close
to a device like Fermis first "atomic pile". They had no technology to
enrich uranium and they were cut off from supply of D20 from Norway. It is
often mentioned that the scientists involved in this research were not fond
of Hitler and therefore were not eager at all to develop such a device.
Moreover Hitler was not fond of too much technology and would neither have
been willing nor able to spend money for the necessary research and
development. A crash programme like the Manhattan project would not have
been possible. One should not forget that a large number of nuclear
physicists were driven into exile - where they for instances worked on the
Manhattan project. I think that the matters of the nuclear bomb and nuclear
power are a very good example of the influence of politics on science and
the influence of science on politics.


Franz Schoenhofer
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Vienna
Austria
Tel.: +43-1-495 53 08
Fax.: same number
mobile phone: +43-664-338 0 333
e-mail: schoenho@via.at

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