Japan: TEPCO blames high reactor temperature reading on broken thermometer(spiked to 285 C)

Japan Today ^ | 02/14/12

[TigerLikesRooster]

TEPCO blames high reactor temperature reading on broken thermometer

National Feb. 14, 2012 - 06:40AM JST ( 10 )

TOKYO —

A rapidly rising temperature reading at one of the reactors in Japan’s crippled Fukushima nuclear plant that sparked fears of another meltdown is probably caused by a broken thermometer, TEPCO said Monday.

Scientists have been watching the equipment for around a week as it slowly rose above 35 degrees Celsius that the two other temperature gauges on the No. 2 reactor showed.

There were concerns when it exceeded 80 degrees that a spontaneous nuclear reaction had started in the reactor that TEPCO had previously declared to be in a state of cold shutdown.

Its sudden elevation to 94.9 degrees on Monday morning and then 285 degrees by mid-Monday afternoon with no other signs of a nuclear reaction led scientists to conclude the equipment was faulty.

[TigerLikesRooster]

P!

[Pearls Before Swine]

A broken thermometer—that’s a possible explanation.

But, who’s going to volunteer to go in there and replace that thermometer so the readings will be accurate again?

[SgtHooper]

Made in China(used to be Made in Japan). Gotcha!

[muawiyah]

Their decision is based on the fact they didn't get fried to a crisp.

BTW, there are three thermometers. One may be broken. Two may be broken. All three may be broken.

It is wrong to conclude that the one showing the highest temperature is broken. It is wrong to conclude that the two showing the lowest temperature are broken.

It is all wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong ~ and they need a much better way of determining the risk of this situation than looking down to see that they have not yet been burned to a crisp.

[tet68]

Hunh, no mushroom cloud, must be a faulty thermocouple.
Say, is my hair glowing like yours?

[muawiyah]

EGGZactly!

[muleskinner]

I'm sure they have a few of these around....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs7hwS9RnUc

[muawiyah]

Range is about 25 ft ~ TOPS!

I ain't gonna go in there and hold that thing!

[Political Junkie Too]

The Pepsi Syndrome?

-PJ

[justa-hairyape]

That is the second temperature sensor that they lost in reactor #2. One started reading high temps in January, then started reading negative temps. Now this second one started reading high temps, then Tepco ran some type of conductivity test, and right after the test the sensor started reading very high temps over 200 C. Now a third sensor is starting to show fluctuations. And the radioactive emissions near Fukushima just spiked up. So, everything is fine. Nothing to worry about. Watch the Whitney Houston tributes. That is what really matters. However, if you live in Tokyo, recommend staying indoors for a couple of days.

Reactor 2 RPV Bottom Temperature at Support Skirt Junction Also Fluctuating Widely

Fall-out intensively increased in Fukushima

Radiation hits Tokyo from 2/13 to 2/15

[tet68]

Somethings fisshiy around here or my name isn’t
Pavel Cherenkov.....

[bgill]

The dog ate my homework excuse.

[justa-hairyape]

The earthquake sensors in Japan still appear to be working. Two quakes off the East coast today. First one 5.4. Second one 6.0 according to US scale. The Fukushima plant experienced moderate movement. The quakes were southeast of the plant. Maybe the shaking will knock the temp sensors back into alignment. /sarc