Posted on 03/14/2011 9:09:59 PM PDT by SteveH
In Stricken Fuel-Cooling Pools, a Danger for the Longer Term
By WILLIAM J. BROAD and HIROKO TABUCHI
Published: March 14, 2011
Even as workers race to prevent the radioactive cores of the damaged nuclear reactors in Japan from melting down, concerns are growing that nearby pools holding spent fuel rods could pose an even greater danger.
The pools, which sit on the top level of the reactor buildings and keep spent fuel submerged in water, have lost their cooling systems and the Japanese have been unable to take emergency steps because of the multiplying crises.
The threat is that the hot fuel will boil away the cooling water and catch fire, spreading radioactive materials far and wide in dangerous clouds.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
The Grey Lady - how reliable?
From what I’ve been able to check tonight - not very.
According to one of the designers of the plant, there is no material that will burn available to the fuel rods. This plant is not like the one at Chernobyl where carbon rods were used to control the reaction. The Japanese fuel rods are clad in a zirconium alloy. All they can do is melt. And with about 200 liters of water per minute, you can cool the rods sufficiently to prevent a melt through in the containment vessel.
I wish people would quit writing these articles when they have no clue what they are saying! Probably a lib who wants to stop all the nuclear plants in the U.S.!!
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