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Japan Appears to Have 'Lost Race' To Save Crippled Nuclear Reactor
Fox News ^ | 3/29/11 | Fox News

Posted on 03/29/2011 2:35:33 PM PDT by Ron C.

Workers at the crippled Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant appeared to have "lost the race" to save one of the reactors, a U.S. expert told the Guardian.

Richard Lahey, who was head of safety research for boiling water reactors at General Electric when the company installed the units at the Japan plant, says the radioactive core in the Unit 2 reactor appears to have melted through the bottom of its containment vessel and on a concrete floor.

"The indications we have, from the reactor to radiation readings and the materials they are seeing, suggest that the core has melted through the bottom of the pressure vessel in unit two, and at least some of it is down on the floor of the drywell," Lahey told the paper.

Lahey did add there was no danger of a Chernobyl-style catastrophe.

snip...

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Japan; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: japan
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To: Mr. Silverback

Latest report is that radioactive elements have been found in the tunnel for reactor #1. So they have possible partial containment loss on two reactors now.


181 posted on 03/30/2011 12:10:50 AM PDT by justa-hairyape
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To: All

When the reactors ran out of cooling water during the power outage, the fuel rod casings began to melt thus exposing the uranium pellets that are inside the casings (Pencil sized tubes with stacked pellets inside). Once that happened, any cooling water/seawater coming in contact with the now exposed pellets, becomes contaminated. Pellets fall, melt or stay in place, doesn’t matter, they are exposed.

The contaminated cooling water/saltwater is leaking and no longer contained so ends up everywhere whereby working in such a contaminated environment is deadly.

Main thing is to keep cooling the hot spots and worry about contaminating the Pacific later (among other things) as excesses flow into the sea. It’s a waiting game for the cores or what’s left of them to cool all the while creating more contaminated water in and around.

The amount of uranium being dealt with is measured in tons. (So, I gather all this info from reading the web and reusing contaminated cooling water is not a good idea.)


182 posted on 03/30/2011 1:16:13 AM PDT by Razzz42
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To: bvw
Happy to report, sir (or ma'am), that the United States is running to the aid of Japan on many, many fronts. Some seen very publicly, and massively I might add, and some not even seen by outsiders, but believe me it is there.

And I ought to know.

I am in the thick of it.

Take my word for it. The US is coming through on a daily basis and in a big way for Japan.

Its just your (our) CNN is not running with it. It wont sell sponsors nor boost ratings.


183 posted on 03/30/2011 1:45:02 AM PDT by AmericanInTokyo (NEVER seen such irresponsible, panic-driven, ratings-designed reports as on CNN/Fox, etc. re: Japan)
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To: justa-hairyape
We are already past TMI on the accident levels, IMHO. Next stop Chernobyl.

We can simply look at the I-131 levels. TMI reached 20 pCi/l in milk. Chernobyl had 1,500,000 pCi/l in milk. This accident will probably be on the low side of that scale unless something blows up and/or catches fire in or near a core or pool. It takes that kind of dispersion to get the particles into the surroundings.

184 posted on 03/30/2011 3:49:51 AM PDT by palmer (Cooperating with Obama = helping him extend the depression and implement socialism.)
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To: Quix

“A world government can intervene militarily in the internal affairs of any nation when it disapproves of their activities.” - Kofi Annan, U.N. Secretary General

Explains a lot of why Obama is acting the way he is.


185 posted on 03/30/2011 3:54:58 AM PDT by Rennes Templar
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To: AmericanInTokyo

“Sir” bvw. I am really happy to hear that.


186 posted on 03/30/2011 4:16:11 AM PDT by bvw
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To: presently no screen name

You are sadly quite accurate.

Dreadfully accurate.

Welllllllllllll . . . someone far bigger than I will give them many wake-up calls. I pray they are not too late.


187 posted on 03/30/2011 5:07:33 AM PDT by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: AmericanInTokyo

Very blessed to read your post.

The Christian prophetic word has gone out that the USA’s compassion for Japan in this situation will have a direct bearing on God’s compassion toward the USA in coming traumas and disciplines of the USA.

I hope you are getting some rest and all you need.

I remain greatly concerned for additional big quakes I feel will be hitting Japan. Sigh.


188 posted on 03/30/2011 5:10:20 AM PDT by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: Rennes Templar

Absolutely Indeed.

And some crises are set-up deliberately to expand the “norm” of the global government acting overtly against specific Nations.


189 posted on 03/30/2011 5:11:35 AM PDT by Quix (Times are a changin' INSURE you have believed in your heart & confessed Jesus as Lord Come NtheFlesh)
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To: presently no screen name
Quix, you will have the last laugh on this one - when the real reality hits them, they'll be begging for meds.

Actually it's more like they'll be begging for the mountains to fall on them to hide them from the Ancient of Days. They've admitted that they don't believe in Christ, I'd pay quite a sum to get to see their faces when He shows up again. No matter, we're told that in the last days scoffers would come, mocking the faithful. Wear their ignorance of the truth and mocking with pride Quix, it just means we're getting close to this mess being over.

190 posted on 03/30/2011 5:34:45 AM PDT by paladin1_dcs
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To: TXnMA

I had seen one reference to the “boron saucer” and nothing since, so it probably was not a good rumor in the first place. There has been so much misinformation about this it has been difficult to find out what is really going on.

Thanks again!


191 posted on 03/30/2011 5:58:52 AM PDT by Bean Counter (Stout Hearts!!)
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To: Professional

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/29/us-japan-tsunami-school-idUSTRE72S1P420110329

These are the “real” tragedies! 23,000 people missing! At least 2,000 dead from the tsunami alone.............

But who cares, right? While we have TB walking across our Southern Border, some worry about global warming and how this will threaten us. I guess one has to have their priorities.


192 posted on 03/30/2011 7:55:24 AM PDT by Red6
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To: AmericanInTokyo
Good!

That's what I hoped we did even though I hear NOTHING over here in our media! Our worthless media that is all about sensationalist trash.

Japan is any ally (period).

In events like this you “push” help and don't have allies beg for it. In true crisis like this you open the flood gates assisting in all aspects across all agencies and reaching down into assets states or private enterprise might have. You figure out the details later, but you react near spontaneously. You are swift, without reservation or stipulation, massive, you stay apolitical helping full spectrum. That's what civilized and allied nations do. It makes me proud that we are taking action! THX

193 posted on 03/30/2011 8:17:52 AM PDT by Red6
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To: Drill Thrawl
"Nuclear power in the US, like the US itself is dead. "

*** Pessimist of the Day Award!!! ***


194 posted on 03/30/2011 8:20:40 AM PDT by DannyTN
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To: Ron C.

Nothing to see here. Everything is under control and radiation is good for you.


195 posted on 03/30/2011 8:21:48 AM PDT by chessplayer
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To: AmericanInTokyo
(Starved for real information)

I don't care about some BS story about radiation at the DFW airport. That equipment is so sensitive it sets off 580,000 alarms a year nationally. If you have a seeded prostate you set their alarms off!

I want to hear and see what “WE” are doing to help get the power plant under control, what “WE” are doing to assist in the clean up or evacuation, what “WE” are doing to help the people of Japan in terms of food, water, shelter, medical, transportation, communications............ ***Can you give us details of what it is we're doing?***

Our media is doing what it usually does, latching onto the visual and controversial themes, talking about itself and repeating the same story 500 times, each time with a new spin.

196 posted on 03/30/2011 8:29:27 AM PDT by Red6
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To: presently no screen name
when the real reality hits them, they'll be begging for meds.

Sure. Get back to me when it's revealed that terrorists using magnetic weather modification caused this disaster.

197 posted on 03/30/2011 8:58:54 AM PDT by D-fendr
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To: chessplayer
Containment = Empty Space

Fallout totals on American soils mean accumulation in sediment deposits from errosion and weathering of the land. Proof is in core samples from the mississippi river delta where ALL the fallout from from ALL radioactive testing / releases to date have accumulated.

With this out of control the question becomes how will this impact agriculture in America & Global Food Supply? Fallout on land affecting grass, eaten by cows ingested into food chain. (In our milk and meat supply) Fresh produce ripe with isotopes?

So Much for Organic labeling! Need for indoor certified growing? What isotopes are we getting and where, what is the accumulations over time, what is their bioaccumulation?? Press start asking questions!!!

North Pacific Fisheries- contaminated!

Therefore food is questionable.

Real problem again as with the BP oil spill we cannot trust government and the data we are receiving! We are being lied to!

Radnet had future data (2hrs + ahead)posted as actual data being reported from stations therefore do not trust any data from our government!

Also the Gaps between reporting stations was completely unsatisfactory and coincidental with the way in which the first waves of contamination hit. Sorry stations offline or being reviewed is not transparent & open!

Further Earthquake data went strait to White House; what was in the P wave and S wave data? Possible North Korean offshore nuclear detonation?? Press needs to look at seismic reporting data around the world and compare nuclear trigger incidents from N. Korea vs. prior big quakes to rule out any speculation! Until then believe nothing!

Problem is with runaway reaction is accumulation of radioactivity in environment and exposure with time. We are no longer on the acute map; WE ARE BEING DOSED!

WE ARE IN THE END GAME

executive order normal now in effect
198 posted on 03/30/2011 9:06:28 AM PDT by Soul Citizen
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To: DannyTN
Thank you, thank you.

BTW, I am positive that both are dead.

But I am optimistic about the rebuilding once it burns down.

199 posted on 03/30/2011 10:43:35 AM PDT by Drill Thrawl (I don't prep for the disaster. I prepare for the rebuilding.)
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To: glock rocks
thanks for the pdf

This is from the paper...

At this low stress level, creep rupture failure would occur only at temperatures approaching the melting temperature of the ASME SA-508 Class 2 carbon steel wall, and the vessel instrument tube penetrations are predicted to fail long before this. This, most of the metallic debris would have left the vessel by means of the penetration failures before failure of the bottom head itself.

Since the drywell is not dry anymore it is full of seawater these molten flows would be quenched in the seawater in the well as long as they can keep water in the drywell the corium will stay quenched and solid while boiling the water away requiring periodic steam releases. It should be noted that these reactors were designed to take an 8.0 EQ they survived a 9.1 the maximum tsunami from the designed 8.0 was under 5 meters which the seawalls would have rebuffed instead the 9.1 created a 14.5 meter wave 3 times larger than ever thought possible, still these reactors survived on battery power while the generators were swamped. This is uncharted territory well above the design specs it is a testament to their engineering that they scramed and shutdown in a 9.1 only the tsunami caused this crisis had there not been a 14.5 meter wave these reactors would all be in cold shutdown mode.

200 posted on 03/30/2011 5:36:35 PM PDT by JD_UTDallas ("SRT stops those who stop at nothing")
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