I have been reading this afternoon that the fuel rods of perhaps three of the damaged ***anese nuclear reactors are in the process of melting down. This sounds to me like an uncontrolled phenomenon. If the rods melt down, the fuel may pool in the bottom of the reactors, create great heat, burn through containment, burn down to the water layer, and generate a massive steam explosion spewing radioactive material into the atmosphere. This sometimes been referred to as "the China syndrome." There was a movie made of this title in the 1970's starring Michael Douglas and Jane Fonda.
In normal nuclear plants, nuclear fuel generates heat by sustaining a controlled nuclear reaction. The key word in that sentence is "controlled." Control is a good thing. Typically control is maintained by interposing some sort of buffer material that attenuates propagation of energetic particles that can stimulate fissions -- splitting of the atoms -- which release energy. The water in some of these reactors is present not simply to conduct heat for transferring energy (typically a primary coolant in intimate contact with the core transfers heat via a heat exchanger to a secondary coolant that is isolated from the primary coolant), but additionally to provide buffering -- control -- of the nuclear reactions. From what I've been reading, it sounds like these damaged reactors are having a hard time either circulating or maintaining water on the cores and moderating the reactions. This, I think, is why they are experiencing these fuel rod melts.
Not to be an alarmist, but this is pretty spooky. As I suggested above, this would seem to be a largely uncontrolled process that is taking place. You don't countenance melting of fuel rods. The precise results that can ensue upon such melting is not well understood. The possible results could be quite severe. I will hope for the best.
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John Adams “The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.”
Ronald Reagan: 'Everybody that is for abortion has already been born'
"I never said I was worth it. I only said I wouldn't do it for less " William F. Buckley Jr.
The backup cooling systems at some of those nuclear power plants failed. Some
plants backup generators were damaged or destroyed by the earthquake. All of the plants have battery backup system that is for eight hours.
There have been explosions of hydrogen gas at some power plants, at least one containment building was destroyed by an explosion. Some plants may be in meltdown mode.
I don't know what's worst about the earthquake troubles the ***anese people, GOD BLESS THEM, are having to go along with the nuclear melt down of some of their power plants. It might be as bad as our Political melt down in Washington D. C. I really don't know which will take longer to fix. Jim
It is not clear to me what the consequences of a melt down are. One possibility is that the subject reactor is irredemiably damaged. Not good, but could be worse. There is no possibility of a fission motivated explosion: the radioactive material in such reactors is not enriched sufficiently to provide the necessary runaway reaction. I heard one guy on the tube say that the melted down fuel cannot burn through the containment. At Three Mile Island the melt only proceeded about 5/8" through 5" of steel. I'm not sure that makes me entirely comfortable, but I'll let that pass.
What I hear is a little confusing. One guy characterized it as a simple matter of hot stuff that needs to cool down. Once cooled down, everything is coppecetic, according to this guy. What was not touched upon -- and which is one of my concerns -- is that in an uncontrolled situation that the nuclear reaction will not be moderated and will heat up uncontrollably.
In commercial reactors heat is generated by CONTROLLABLY bringing U-235 into proximity to undergo fissions which release energy. Control is provided by maintaining a separation between fuel rods and by modulating the intervening moderating material. In some cases, I think the primary coolant -- water -- acts as part of the moderator, not simply as a means for transporting heat away from the core. In any case, while not a nuclear engineer, I am an engineer and I understand the basic principles of nuclear reactions. It does not comfort me to know that these fuel rods may melt down and come into uncontrolled proximity to each other. This bespeaks to me the possibility that the nuclear reaction can rage to a heat that is far beyond the design limits of the reactor.
Again, I don't want to be alarmist. But what I'm hearing isn't answering what I think are natural questions. THe answers are just a bit to blithe. Perhaps it doesn't matter, because we are going to get to see how it turns out -- one way or the other.
I have a minor in Nuclear Engineering. It's been a long time since school. However, there are so many save guards and over engineering when it comes to nuclear power plants, I have no fear regarding whats happening over there. I truly believe its the media run amuck once again to sell advertising and have viewers clued to your channel. The real shame is that it detracks from the real problem of the suffering people and the amount of damage/distruction done over there. We need to come together and offer our assistance by making donations to the Red Cross.
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John Adams “The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.”
Ronald Reagan: 'Everybody that is for abortion has already been born'
"I never said I was worth it. I only said I wouldn't do it for less " William F. Buckley Jr.
I have a minor in Nuclear Engineering. It's been a long time since school. However, there are so many save guards and over engineering when it comes to nuclear power plants, I have no fear regarding whats happening over there. I truly believe its the media run amuck once again to sell advertising and have viewers clued to your channel. The real shame is that it detracks from the real problem of the suffering people and the amount of damage/distruction done over there. We need to come together and offer our assistance by making donations to the Red Cross.
I don't dispute what you say. At the same time, seemingly credible sources are saying that for several hours the fuel rods in reactor #2 have been fully uncovered. They have TRIED to pump in sea water into this reactor, but valves needed to release built up steam in the containment are not working and are preventing pumping water in. THAT doesn't sound good to me. Sounds like the back-ups and safeguards aren't working. I'm reading between the lines and consulting multiple sources. I read in Le Figaro that the head of the French nuclear agency, whatever that is, that he believes the severity is graver than has been heretofore acknowledged (I'm reading this in the on-line original French -- not some flaky translation by a New York liberal). France generates 80% of its electrical power from nuclear plants: they're not prone to unreasoned fear of nukes there.
Personally, save incidents like this, I would say I'm appreciative of the benefits of nuclear energy. Seems to work in France. I really don't know what the price point is for nuclear generated electricity. This is really the key to understanding energy -- price points. We could fuel our cars with hyrdogen or electricity or what have you tomorrow (OK, I'm stretching it a bit) . . . but you wouldn't like the price point for driving 100 miles. It is the nature of our economy that the most economic goods survive in the markets . . . oh, except when some government subsidy gets involved, like ethanol. But, it is possible that nuclear energy is competitive with coal fired electricity generation. I don't know.
I just read that they succeeded in opening the formerly stuck steam valves, permitting lowering pressure in the containment of reactor #2, and pumping additional sea water into that containment. So that is positive.
bottom line, the cement and steel core of those reactor are built to contain a melt down should one occur.
__________________
John Adams “The moment the idea is admitted into society that property is not as sacred as the laws of God, and that there is not a force of law and public justice to protect it, anarchy and tyranny commence.”
Ronald Reagan: 'Everybody that is for abortion has already been born'
"I never said I was worth it. I only said I wouldn't do it for less " William F. Buckley Jr.
Latest report I have read says the nuclear plant workers are bugging out. It is too dangerous for these guys to try to remediate the situation. Que sera, sera, baby! Just leaving a largely uncontrolled set of four or five nuclear power plants unattended when they are in various stages of meltdown and combustion. Hmmm. Doesn't sound good. Granted the reactors all scrammed at the time of the earthquakes last week, but it has been these same scrammed reactors that have been so troublesome. See the attached link for some further information on this.
Now Reuters is reporting the workers have been allowed to return, in view of lowered radiation emissions. It sounds like they were away from the facilities for about an hour.
Nukes in meltdown: waz up wit dat?!!!
