TIC and AER – MY IMPRESSIONS

L. Shishkov

Russian Research Centre “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow

Proposing the agenda for TIC and AER at the Scientist Council meeting, the author hoped to learn about many interesting issues from the most eminent and distinguished personalities of these organizations. But not many persons interested were found, and this fact gives him the right for the independent appearance.

So, what was the main reason for the initiation of the Temporary International Collective (TIC) at the beginning of 1970-s? Officially, this was done to unite efforts and potentialities of member-countries of the Council of Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) for the purpose of a quick and effective solution of nuclear power tasks. In fact, it seems to me that the main aim consisted not in the solution itself but in the demonstration of the joint solution process, demonstration of the unity, community of interests and affairs both for the socialist camp of those times and for the West.

The thing is that at that time the level of the Soviet atomic science and technology development, the training scale and quality for new specialists in this field were so high that we (the USSR), from my point of view, could easily cope with all tasks solved by TIC on our own. Suffice it to recollect that enormous organizations worked on the reactor research in Moscow and Moscow region (the present-day RRC “Kurchatov Institute”, the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Obninsk Institute of Physics and Power Engineering, “GIDROPRESS”, sub-faculties in Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, in Moscow Power Engineering Institute), institutes and enterprises in Leningrad, Tomsk and other cities and towns. These enterprises and organizations were quite independent being at a broad search of optimal solutions for the atomic power structure. Officials of this industry had only to desire properly to coordinate efforts of mentioned organizations and, I again repeat myself, everything would be done independently of TIC.

But they did not want to or could not do that and TIC was established first for the ZR-6 facility operation in which different compositions of the VVER reactor fuel rods were studied, then for the improvement of methods for the reactor VVER neutronics calculations. At long last, it is unimportant which true aims the masters of destinies of those days pursued but the unique international team was established that played a large positive part in the reactor science formation and development in each of member-countries. The major TIC achievement is the obtainment of the experimental study results in the ZR-6 reactor. In addition to that, discussions of the problem-solving procedures for the VVER calculation and the exchange of experimental data obtained in the operation of these reactors were of great importance. The results of all TIC works were processed, generalized and reflected in specially prepared TIC proceedings.

Now, about untapped opportunities. Was everything possible done in those unique circumstances of joining efforts? At the end of 1970-s, at one of the Scientist Council meetings it was resolved to develop a (unified) software system to provide for the VVER reactor operation. Right now I ought to say that nothing came out of this idea (we succeeded in the reactor ZR-6 activities and here we did not). Instead of that, several national software systems were developed and continue to act now. This is both nice and bad; it all depends. The question is akin to the general one: what is better a controlled monopoly or private initiative and competition and even the development of the national scientific potential?

It seems to me that if at the end of 1970-s, they really decided to develop the common software system that would be undoubtedly developed. Tasks were to be separated: someone should be occupied with libraries of constants, others should solve spectrum problems and prepare small-group constants, third ones should solve the equation of neutron transfer in diffusion and other approximations, fourth ones should be engaged in non-steady-state neutron and heat transfer, and, finally, fifth ones should prepare on-line solutions for the problems of the in-core sensor monitoring, and so on. Of course, at first the rate would slow down, a conductor significant efforts would be required but it seems to me that all efforts would be repaid later on. This would result in a software system that would surpass each of the national software systems in its characteristics. It should be noted that the potentiality of combining individual large modules into a single whole was proved in practice many times. Suffice it to recollect BIPR-ATHLET, systems of codes developed by M.N. Zizin, scientific associate of the RRC “Kurchatov Institute” and some other codes. On the other hand, we have an excellent positive example of Westinghouse calculation codes that serve many reactors in different countries.

Using this line of reasoning on untapped opportunities I involuntarily ask myself a question: what we would loose? It is probable that these losses would be as follows:

-rate, timeofproductionof the final operable product;

-the opportunity for the operative input of corrections and introduction of improvements;

-the chance for mutual check of the obtained results’ validity.

Finally, subjective losses are as follows: it is more difficult to get a deserved remuneration for the work results as the software system cannot be sold to TIC countries, still more difficult to sell it to the third countries. By the way, the same reasons explain the fact that several calculation codes or software systems similar in their tasks are developed inland and may be sometimes not the best one (fairly) but the most authoritative and time-proved version dominates.

Twenty years ago it was not simple technically to develop the TIC common software system as it was necessary to hold regular specialist meetings, to perform long-term joint calculations at one and the same computer, and so on… And what opportunities are now opened up for the unification of efforts with the advent of Internet. What about it? We could try!

Now, a few words about AER, which is already seventeen years old.

Its merits imply the opportunity to discuss the problems of interest in the circle of clever and efficient colleagues, to hear of new ideas. Test problems on dynamics represent the completed and undoubtedly demanded AER product.

Unfortunately, AER direction of attention toward the creation of various Benchmarks problems proposed by Hungarian party several years ago did not obtain the proper development. On the whole, AER keeps traditions and practices of TIC. Suffice it to have a look at the agendas of Scientific Council meetings or to note that the Council secretary Ishtvan Vidovsky extremely respected and loved by all of us is as usual an occasional visitor of symposia. It may be also noted that the mean age of AER participants goes up and the mean position in the hierarchy of atomic team officials goes down.

On the whole, it seems to me that we are gradually yielding our positions as compared to other forums of our colleagues. In future, I would like to see the AER offensive tactics regarding other international organizations, the AER membership rejuvenation and the involving of high-ranking officials of atomic science and engineering into our ranks.

Now, just a few words about my personal attitude. For me and probably for my many Russian colleagues, TIC and then AER represent “the window into Europe”, the opportunity to see beautiful European capitals, to become acquainted with many clever, bright and interesting persons. I acquired several good friends in different countries with whom not only scientific interests are associated. Our families met each other, were guests of each other, are aware of, worry about, sympathize with their interests and cares.

For all this, I would like to recollect and to thank TIC- AER and to wish AER to exist forever and to cause similar pleasant recollections and impressions of its members.