Possible reactor meltdown in Japan
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totally agreed here....i don't remember the year above ground testing ended but that undoubtedly put much much more radiation in the air than this, not even counting tests by other countries.....including the tsar bomba
although i just remembered that because tsar bomba was meat to be twice it's tested yield, the installed tamper made it one of the 'cleanest' bombs ever detonated
Japanese travelers are setting off radiation detectors at airports -
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-17...-post-says.html
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-03-17...-post-says.html
Originally Posted By: Cause4Alarm
totally agreed here....i don't remember the year above ground testing ended but that undoubtedly put much much more radiation in the air than this, not even counting tests by other countries.....including the tsar bomba
Not really..there are tons and tons of nuclear fuel in the spent fuel pool. If (when) it melts together.. (in the open air) no one knows what will happen or how much could go into the atmospheere. There is many more times plutonium in this fuel than all the H Bombs exploded. Probably hundreds or thousands of times more.
totally agreed here....i don't remember the year above ground testing ended but that undoubtedly put much much more radiation in the air than this, not even counting tests by other countries.....including the tsar bomba
Not really..there are tons and tons of nuclear fuel in the spent fuel pool. If (when) it melts together.. (in the open air) no one knows what will happen or how much could go into the atmospheere. There is many more times plutonium in this fuel than all the H Bombs exploded. Probably hundreds or thousands of times more.
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I can't tell whether you're very concerned about this or you're not, Al. At first you didn't seem to concerned, but now you seem to be. Can you clarify? You worked in the nuclear power industry, didn't you?
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I can't tell whether you're very concerned about this or you're not, Al. At first you didn't seem to concerned, but now you seem to be. Can you clarify? You worked in the nuclear power industry, didn't you?
Well; at first I didn't realize the extent of failed fuel or the breach of containment nor their inability to keep water on it.
What concerns me the most is the fuel pools that contains thousands of fuel assemblies. We are talking 30 or 40 or 50 Reactors worth of fuel. In the open air. That has my attention.
I can't tell whether you're very concerned about this or you're not, Al. At first you didn't seem to concerned, but now you seem to be. Can you clarify? You worked in the nuclear power industry, didn't you?
Well; at first I didn't realize the extent of failed fuel or the breach of containment nor their inability to keep water on it.
What concerns me the most is the fuel pools that contains thousands of fuel assemblies. We are talking 30 or 40 or 50 Reactors worth of fuel. In the open air. That has my attention.
Originally Posted By: Al
What concerns me the most is the fuel pools that contains thousands of fuel assemblies. We are talking 30 or 40 or 50 Reactors worth of fuel. In the open air. That has my attention.
Don't worry, Ann Coulter says it's healthy...
What concerns me the most is the fuel pools that contains thousands of fuel assemblies. We are talking 30 or 40 or 50 Reactors worth of fuel. In the open air. That has my attention.
Don't worry, Ann Coulter says it's healthy...
Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I can't tell whether you're very concerned about this or you're not, Al. At first you didn't seem to concerned, but now you seem to be. Can you clarify? You worked in the nuclear power industry, didn't you?
Well; at first I didn't realize the extent of failed fuel or the breach of containment nor their inability to keep water on it.
What concerns me the most is the fuel pools that contains thousands of fuel assemblies. We are talking 30 or 40 or 50 Reactors worth of fuel. In the open air. That has my attention.
Al, you got any comments regarding the following?
Quote:
...the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), which owns the power station, has warned: "The possibility of re-criticality is not zero".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12762608
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
I can't tell whether you're very concerned about this or you're not, Al. At first you didn't seem to concerned, but now you seem to be. Can you clarify? You worked in the nuclear power industry, didn't you?
Well; at first I didn't realize the extent of failed fuel or the breach of containment nor their inability to keep water on it.
What concerns me the most is the fuel pools that contains thousands of fuel assemblies. We are talking 30 or 40 or 50 Reactors worth of fuel. In the open air. That has my attention.
Al, you got any comments regarding the following?
Quote:
...the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), which owns the power station, has warned: "The possibility of re-criticality is not zero".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12762608
Originally Posted By: Volvo_ST1
Quote:
...the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), which owns the power station, has warned: "The possibility of re-criticality is not zero".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12762608
Yea..it won't explode I don't think but yea...an nd sorry I don't have the answer.
All I Know is that we moved fuel elements (new ones) we were required to have all fire suppression equipment (in the area) turned off. Granted that was overkill. But spent fuel elements are stored in spent fuel pools with around 12 feet of water covering the elements. And that water was borated to 1800 ppm and now they are just pouring unborated water over them? Its beyond me. [plain water is a moderator ...slows down neutrons so they fission] Borated water is a poison.
Quote:
...the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), which owns the power station, has warned: "The possibility of re-criticality is not zero".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12762608
Yea..it won't explode I don't think but yea...an nd sorry I don't have the answer.
All I Know is that we moved fuel elements (new ones) we were required to have all fire suppression equipment (in the area) turned off. Granted that was overkill. But spent fuel elements are stored in spent fuel pools with around 12 feet of water covering the elements. And that water was borated to 1800 ppm and now they are just pouring unborated water over them? Its beyond me. [plain water is a moderator ...slows down neutrons so they fission] Borated water is a poison.
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Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: Volvo_ST1
Quote:
...the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), which owns the power station, has warned: "The possibility of re-criticality is not zero".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12762608
Yea..it won't explode I don't think but yea...an nd sorry I don't have the answer.
All I Know is that we moved fuel elements (new ones) we were required to have all fire suppression equipment (in the area) turned off. Granted that was overkill. But spent fuel elements are stored in spent fuel pools with around 12 feet of water covering the elements. And that water was borated to 1800 ppm and now they are just pouring unborated water over them? Its beyond me. [plain water is a moderator ...slows down neutrons so they fission] Borated water is a poison.
Well, I didn't really have a question. Was just entertaining the thought of having a core melting through the reactor containment vessel and having the spent rods starting fission. Times one, two, three, four, etc.
Originally Posted By: Volvo_ST1
Quote:
...the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), which owns the power station, has warned: "The possibility of re-criticality is not zero".
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12762608
Yea..it won't explode I don't think but yea...an nd sorry I don't have the answer.
All I Know is that we moved fuel elements (new ones) we were required to have all fire suppression equipment (in the area) turned off. Granted that was overkill. But spent fuel elements are stored in spent fuel pools with around 12 feet of water covering the elements. And that water was borated to 1800 ppm and now they are just pouring unborated water over them? Its beyond me. [plain water is a moderator ...slows down neutrons so they fission] Borated water is a poison.
Well, I didn't really have a question. Was just entertaining the thought of having a core melting through the reactor containment vessel and having the spent rods starting fission. Times one, two, three, four, etc.
Originally Posted By: Volvo_ST1
Well, I didn't really have a question. Was just entertaining the thought of having a core melting through the reactor containment vessel and having the spent rods starting fission. Times one, two, three, four, etc.
I'd imagine if they can effectively fission by itself, it is worth keeping in the core for a bit longer to extract more energy. So it probably won't go critical but melting the cladding and start burning is probably possible.
Well, I didn't really have a question. Was just entertaining the thought of having a core melting through the reactor containment vessel and having the spent rods starting fission. Times one, two, three, four, etc.
I'd imagine if they can effectively fission by itself, it is worth keeping in the core for a bit longer to extract more energy. So it probably won't go critical but melting the cladding and start burning is probably possible.
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
So it probably won't go critical but melting the cladding and start burning is probably possible.
Initial enrichment I think is around 5% U-235 and they remove 1/3 of the core every refueling. In TMI's case the number of assemblies is 177. imagine the old assemblies still have a couple percent Uranium. If all this still lots of Uranium to fission.
At TMI after 15 years or so the fuel can be moved to dry fuel storage.
So it probably won't go critical but melting the cladding and start burning is probably possible.
Initial enrichment I think is around 5% U-235 and they remove 1/3 of the core every refueling. In TMI's case the number of assemblies is 177. imagine the old assemblies still have a couple percent Uranium. If all this still lots of Uranium to fission.
At TMI after 15 years or so the fuel can be moved to dry fuel storage.
Originally Posted By: Drew99GT
Originally Posted By: Al
What concerns me the most is the fuel pools that contains thousands of fuel assemblies. We are talking 30 or 40 or 50 Reactors worth of fuel. In the open air. That has my attention.
Don't worry, Ann Coulter says it's healthy...
Good one! That lady is as nutty as they get!
Originally Posted By: Al
What concerns me the most is the fuel pools that contains thousands of fuel assemblies. We are talking 30 or 40 or 50 Reactors worth of fuel. In the open air. That has my attention.
Don't worry, Ann Coulter says it's healthy...
Good one! That lady is as nutty as they get!
Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8
Good one! That lady is as nutty as they get!
She is an entertainer. She doesn't allow facts to interfere with her agenda. Those who believe she has credibility swallow the whole ball of wax.
Yes there have been some superficial studies that indicated that a certain amount of radiation is good.
But ionizing radiation is the most studied subject on the planet. The well studied documentation/research that weighs against her superficial studies by a factor of a million to one indicate that statistically every additional dose carries an elevated cancer risk. Its an upward curve. But again I wouldn't expect Coulter to dabble in facts against her points.
And I hasten to add I am a Conservative...but I don't ride around on turnip trucks.
Good one! That lady is as nutty as they get!
She is an entertainer. She doesn't allow facts to interfere with her agenda. Those who believe she has credibility swallow the whole ball of wax.
Yes there have been some superficial studies that indicated that a certain amount of radiation is good.
But ionizing radiation is the most studied subject on the planet. The well studied documentation/research that weighs against her superficial studies by a factor of a million to one indicate that statistically every additional dose carries an elevated cancer risk. Its an upward curve. But again I wouldn't expect Coulter to dabble in facts against her points.
And I hasten to add I am a Conservative...but I don't ride around on turnip trucks.
For the first time I am feeling better about this nuclear situation in Japan. They are starting to get a lot of water on some of those reactors and they have electrical power back up in apparently two of the reactors (if the pumps still work we are doing a lot better). I saw the Japanese spraying water big time from a truck on Reactor 3.
But some radioactive particles are getting into the food supply. The amounts are very small but it depends on what gets into the food supply. A microgram of Plutonium 239 anybody?
But some radioactive particles are getting into the food supply. The amounts are very small but it depends on what gets into the food supply. A microgram of Plutonium 239 anybody?
No, the truck was right outside of the reactor (a huge fire truck vehicle) and it was spraying water on the reactor. They could spray water continuously because they are using seawater and they are right near the ocean. It should work a lot better than using a helicopter to drop water (hopefully) on target. And if they are right outside of the reactor than the radiation levels must have gone down.
At any rate, I am a lot more optimistic now than I was even yesterday.
They have electricity there now also, but will the pumps still work and are the water lines still intact?
Unless there is some major setback, things may be greatly better in just a few days. They were talking about spraying Reactor 4 after Reactor 3, and Reactor 4 is where the exposed fuel rods are located.
At any rate, I am a lot more optimistic now than I was even yesterday.
They have electricity there now also, but will the pumps still work and are the water lines still intact?
Unless there is some major setback, things may be greatly better in just a few days. They were talking about spraying Reactor 4 after Reactor 3, and Reactor 4 is where the exposed fuel rods are located.
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