replica SKALA – A new build of the SKALA status display—original to the ChNPP RBMK control room—shows how a team recreates the look and function of a key monitoring panel for a 40-year memorial exhibition.
A recent video from the Chornobyl Family shows the work behind a new replica of the SKALA status display—an element tied to the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant’s RBMK reactor control room—now on display during the 40-year memorial exhibition at the ChNPP #4 reactor accident site.
In the same video. the creators also place the SKALA display alongside other recreated control-room pieces they have made previously and in this round of work: an RBMK reactor control panel replica and a SKALA console.. The SKALA display itself is described as one of the original components of the control room. built to give operators a status overview of the entire control system at a glance. including its processors and peripheral devices.
The replica is designed to look as close to the original as possible.. It uses a metal casing and LED lighting meant to evoke the aesthetics of the original electroluminescent mnemonic panels.. The team says their aim wasn’t just to build something that functions. but to preserve the visual feel of the ChNPP’s working environment. including having operators of the ChNPP reactors look over the panel and give it their stamp of approval.
Not every part could be recreated with off-the-shelf components.. Some elements—like the error indicators—had to be 3D printed. while the metal case was cut out of sheet metal.. The display also includes a very big speaker for the alarm positioned at the top right of the panel.. With electroluminescent-style LED indicators added to that. the build ends up involving a lot of addressable LEDs and. correspondingly. a lot of wiring.
The SKALA replica also fits into a broader track of recreations: the creators say they previously covered the SKALA control system for the ChNPP’s RBMK reactors. including the 1990s modernization. and the new build is presented as another step in bringing key parts of the original control setup into a working. recognizable form.
The full build plans are available through the Chornobyl Family Patreon for anyone who wants to build an RBMK-style reactor control room. The video itself is embedded here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80UTQHD2gVM.
Chornobyl ChNPP RBMK SKALA status display replica reactor control room electroluminescent mnemonic panels addressable LEDs 3D printed components digital reconstruction