Posted on 03/15/2011 3:07:03 PM PDT by winoneforthegipper
I thought this sounded exactly like the story I heard when I left for work this morning.
Belief what u wish....!
I actually think a "professional panic" mode is appropriate for the nuclear operators and emergency workers at this point.
The continuously developing scenario is so far outside of reasonably expected bounds (primarily because of multiple reactors involved and catastrophic failure of utilities and safety systems), that a routine response is no longer applicable. They are in the completely unenviable position of at this point of throwing multiple technical spit wads at the problem and hoping one sticks.
Certainly, a bury head in Honshu beach sand denial mode on the part of certain FReepers is absurd.
I pray also that Japan gets a handle on this soon.
If I understand it correctly, you need the water to be purified and filtered or else you’re simply spreading the radiation.
They were pumping raw seawater into the reactors though.
You are correct, that is why sea water is last resort option besides the corrosive nature.
“Our media is in PANIC MODE. I dont know if they can take much more if this.”
Actually our media is in “KEEP EVERY BODY IN A PANIC MODE.” While there is legitimate concern, don’t think they aren’t fanning the flames as high as they can, and laughing all the way to the bank.
I’m not gonna go along for the ride.
Wonder if local high radiation levels in the air could be activating or warming the Spent Fuel Rods in the nearby buildings ? Not a nuclear scientist myself.
Man it must be getting near time to find volunteers to start pouring concrete.
No. The spent fuel rods stored from reactor 4 would most likely be stored in a water pool to keep them cool since they still generate some heat from residual decay of radioactive isotopes. Normally that pool water would be circulated to keep it cool. Since that apparently hasn't been happening they probably boiled away a bunch of the water and started to get really hot. They need to have water dumped on them.
So the Tsunami/Earthquake stopped the cooling water flow to all the Spent Fuel Rod Pools in all 6 reactors ? Or just some of them ?
As someone who does a lot of rad effects work on electronics, the gamma and neutron environment near a even partially melted core would snuff a robot about as quickly as it took me to make this post.
So the Japanese made robots for pleasure, not for working around nuclear reactors ?
Apparently so.
Although at lower levels, robots can function fine in an environment that is still too hot for humans. Even in those conditions, some parts are just too sensitive. CCD imagers used in digital cameras and video cameras become worthless at pretty low levels, reducing image quality to near incomprehensible.
Must be NASA orbital technology that would be applicable, not that it is readily available (understatement). Those close orbit solar probes have seen a cosmic storm or two.
Come to think of it, here at Hanford the contractors have specially designed robotic units which immerse themselves in the old radioactive storage basins and scrape sludge off the bottom and sides of the pond. Not that those are any more available, and they are special purpose and the radiation level is generally much lower. But it is possible to design such a thing within reason.
Proof that they are crafty & technical, but not too smart.
Hard to know for sure unless you are on-site, but typically they use electric powered pumps to circulate the water so unless they are running a pump via a portable generator or using some other scheme there would not be water circulation. However, the amount of heat being generated in a pool depends on the number of spent fuel rods and how long they have been sitting there. For older fuel rods the net heating effect may not be significant.
They've got plenty of problems at Fukushima, but so far the other spent fuel storage pools don't seem to be causing trouble.
Exactly. And thank you. That’s the first accurate posting I’ve read on this thread.
Honestly, so many who just wanna flap their jaws (via fingers poking keys) quite irresponsibly. Kydo News & Japan Live TV in English (Google ‘em) offer the most current ACCURATE information. TEPCO can’t make their press releases current cause they’re a bit busy fighting the whole situation to be transmitting reports very often. As well, READ and distinguish between Fukushima Dai-Ichi Plant (No.1) & Fukushima Daini Plant (No.2), which is 7 miles so. of Dai-Ichi. And that Dai-Ichi has 6 reactors - all with troubles, while Daini has 4 reactors, some of which had trouble, none currently as reported (Kyodo News).
Also, someone else discussing pumping raw sea water ... probably not. The sea is full of crud that would clog any pump sooner than not, if not immediately. There was an explanation at one site (uncertain just where now) that the sea water is being pooled and filtered as it enters pump lines.
You are clear as mud.
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