BS: Japan Nuclear plant disaster, 2011

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: GUEST,999
Date: 15 Mar 11 - 12:27 AM

Sandy's post is just what we needed about now, imo.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Mar 11 - 12:22 AM

Why?
IT may be against treaty regulation but we are still building nuclear weapons. Breeder reactors are and always have been the PU factory that keeps on giving. We refine it at several locations. WAshington COlorado and TeNnesee. War is is racket and you can't have one without weapons.

We have a grand surplus especially from Russian missles we dismantle.
We do have a tritium shirrtage.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 15 Mar 11 - 12:16 AM

U235 or U236 is not as potent as U238 but if you add PU and add certain temps and pressures from say 100 tons, it can cause an atomic like blast. Not well known but even 3 MIle Island faced near detonation levels. My only contention is that it is not true that there is 0% chance of atomic proportion explosions. Maybe it is best to leave that one untested possiblilty to "never say never".

I fully expected that Chicken Little would enter into the conversation. When I speak with unabashed honesty the charge of irresponsible is in my book over the top. But everyone has a different idea what the top is I suppose.

I admit I do not like nuclear plants. I never did even when I did not have a personal reason.


The personal reason I have had a vitriolic attitude toward nuclear power plants and radiation hazards, is the fact my only sister was killed by radioactive poisoning. During the cold war she was a test subject in the Army WAC for radioactive Iodine experiments. The 26 year horror of the slow necrotic death is too savage to tell in detail.

From the video I just saw of reactor #2, I believe my eyes over the polite but tense words of the TEPCO comapany spokesman who said the workers are evacuated, further release of radiation is expected and the levels are now immediately hazardous to human health. Stay indoors. If possible extend the evacuation area to 26 miles.


One last word about irrespondisibility.

In the face of these latest nuclear events, don't you dare direct irrespondsibility charges at me.

All of us will eventually come to know the people and companies who are truely irrespondsible, even if only for the most simple and ignoranat mistake.

Go ahead and believe Sen Alexander or Bret Baier or even Glen Beck if you think it is the right point of view or the right thing to do.

I have been as forth coming and as honest as I know how to be.
In critical matters I continue to believe it is paramount to be critically honest and still try to find the time to laugh when we can.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Sandy Mc Lean
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 11:33 PM

I should stay out of this discussion but there are a few things that I will say. The disaster in Japan has torn at everyones heart in the last few days and I am no exception. The force of the tidal wave (yes,I know it has a different name now)was beyond belief! God only knows what the final count of those lost will be but it is going to be in the tens of thousands from direct effect of the quake alone. As for the power plants in question if there is an emission from radioactive debris like cesium many more lives could be lost spanning decades to come.
I am no scientist but I do not believe that it is possible to create any atomic blast from fuel grade enriched uranium melted down or otherwise. I say this because this grade of refinement of uranium is not pure enough to create an uncontrolled chain reaction like a bomb. In order for a reactor to attain fission many fine tolerances must be met and in order to create fission of uranium of less than about 85% U-235 neutron bullets must be slowed down in order to gain a collision with its neighbour atom. These requirements do not happen by chance but require intentional input.
That being said any chemical based explosion releasing debris into the air is no trivial concern! I do however believe that to run around like Chicken Little proclaiming an impossible situation is irresponsible.
I am at a bit of a loss to comprehend why Japan would ever allow a light water enriched grade reactor on its soil. The plutonium by-product has attraction for nations wanting that element for weapons but Japan has no nuclear weapon use or manufacturing ability.
The CANDU system mentioned earlier has less volatility because it uses natural uranium which requires no enriching centrifuge and can be quickly shut down by inserting dampening rods into the reactor core as well as by replacing the deuterium bath with light water. I believe that the system is fail-safed to do this automatically in an emergency. It is also my understanding that a large pool of light water sits above the reactor core ready to spill in in an emergency situation as well requiring no powered pumps.
Many things in nuclear physics are beyond my feeble comprehension but I do understand panic!
               Sandy

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: GUEST,999
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 11:20 PM

The Japanese are both proud and tough. Our rational action is to send    emergency workers now, and allow the Japanese to refuse entry.

Sorry folks, but Canada has offered people (volunteers, all of 'em) who are no-shit nuclear we got a problem types. The Japanese have so far not called.

Zaibatsu, call home!

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 11:11 PM

The PM of Japan has admitted that vast mounts of radiation capable of immediately harming human health is now being released.


Anderson Cooper continues to drone on about overturned cars in the town of Sendai..

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 11:07 PM

I just watched the explosion of the containment vessel fo #2 .
It was a TREMENDOUS BLAST sending steel concret and qoo tons of Plutonium and uranium 1000 feet into the air.

This was unlike all of the hydrogen gas pops.


Reactor 4 is on fire becasue the new rods to be instaled in dhutdown reactor 4 and the spenmt fuel rods are exposed to air and hundreds of tons of nuclear fuel is now on fire.

Every worst case meltdown scenario is now taking place

Short of a a fssion explosion this is a fission explosion in slow motion involving unimagined amounts of nuclear fuel.

There remains more reactors that are in the same shape that these 4 reactors were in 2 days ago.

There are virtually no more workers to do anything on site such as pour seawater and boron.

From here on out any workers who try to dump boron on the scene will do so at the cost of their lives within 30 days.

Nuclear industry spokespeople who have spun the wonderful safty backup plans and total impossibility of anything like Chernobyl should now shut the fuck up. That includes Glen Beck who said no one was ever hurt by the the private nuclear industry be it 3 mile Island or even Japan.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 10:40 PM

The fire reported by Japanese Prime Minister is in the spent fuel pool of Unit 4 at the Fukushima complex. I've mentioned that as a possible major problem up above. This is very bad.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: GUEST,999
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 10:24 PM

We lived through Chernobyl, and we'll live through this.

A breach of the containment wall would be dangerous for people within a radius that does NOT include North America.

I could be wrong.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Jack Campin
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 10:19 PM

From rt.com (Russia Today): "4th reactor at damaged nuclear plant on fire, more radiation released - Japan official"

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 10:18 PM

Fire in the 4th reactor. Japanese PM is telling people to stay at least 19 miles away.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 10:16 PM

New update from NIRS:

"UPDATE 7:30 pm, Monday, March 14, 2011. Tokyo Electric Power is holding a press
conference at this hour. Video stream is at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/nhk-gtv2. NHK
TV reports that there has been an explosion at Unit 2 at Fukushima Daiichi. There is
speculation that this explosion has damaged the primary containment (inside the concrete
containment building, which is the secondary containment. Tepco is evacuating some non-
essential personnel from the reactor site. 2.5 meters of the core are currently uncovered by
water—which means it is almost certainly melting. Winds from the site are currently blowing
toward the North. "

The accident is now being characterized by MNBC nuclear spokespeople as worse than Three Mile Island, which was a partial meltdown of the core without a major release of radiation to the environment. Japanese plant workers are still onsite attempting to cool all three reactors with sea water. Non-essential utility staff have been evacuated.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Jeri
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 10:16 PM

He also mentioned that one doesn't have to take iodine tablets, as the radioactive iodine only gets into people who eat stuff that comes out of cows after cows eat contaminated grass. Cows in Japan, not the US.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 09:26 PM

The spokesman for the Union of Concerned Scientists, David Laughbaum, is worried now of MNBC that the primary containment of Unit 2 has ruptured, given that the pressure has dropped dramatically inside since the explosion. If that is true, we're now in a whole different class of nuclear incidence.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 09:13 PM

Charley are you saying that sll three reactors are now without the outer buildings?

first 3 went then 1 then 2 was heard to have an explosion and NHK TV showed a picture soley of the containment vessel and explained that pressure dropped and radiation increased,

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 08:42 PM

NHKworld English here:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/index.html

NHK is the official Japanese broadcaster. The latest story, dated March 15, 0:11 UTC, reports that TEPCO failed to raise water level in reactor Number 2, and fuel rods remain exposed.

Updated 07:48 UTC- Seawater was let into the reactor starting 1:00AM, but "as of 3:00AM, the water level remains low and the fuel rods remain exposed."
A TEPCO official (at 04:27 AM) said fuel rods may have overheated and begun melting.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 08:16 PM

Unit 2 has blown its roof and walls off. No one is certain what else has happened.

Take a deep breath.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Jack Campin
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 08:13 PM

According to the BBC weather page, the wind is currently blowing straight from Fukushima towards Tokyo and will stay that way for a day or so. Rain tomorrow night. If the thing blows soon this is about the worst weather situation imaginable.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 08:00 PM

ABC coverage of second explosion

This third explosion happened within the hour.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 07:49 PM

for lack of a nail a war was lost.



At one point the portable generator brought on site could not be used because the plugs did not match.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 07:47 PM

Perhaps only a vlave has burst. They suspect that air from the containment vessel is coming out. They can not be sure about the bottom of the containment vessel but they mentioned that the vessel has lost its water.

100 tons of 95% uranium and 5% Plutonium shoudld not be allowed to collect into one giant ball.

Despite the danger boron and water should still be poured on this mess despite the risk of steam explosions and drastic radiation release. ITs better than the small chance of criticality growing into a runaway chain reaction. Yes I know they say this is impossible but at temps over 5000F we have no experiments to refer to.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 07:40 PM

A new evacuation distance has been ordered.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 07:38 PM

Japanese TV has reported a containment vessel breech and a sharp increase in radiation

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Jack Campin
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 07:36 PM

Al-Jazeera reports a new explosion, at Fukushima Reactor 2 this time.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 07:29 PM

mg, I am speechless.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Jack Campin
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 07:26 PM

if the valve is u/s and the fuel is dry... are we talking a nasty SPEW?

Luckily this kind of thing doesn't happen often enough to estimate the likelihood.

Maybe, maybe not. It's worse than Three Mile Island now, but not as bad as Chernobyl or Kyshtym. That's about all anybody can say on the facts we've got.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: GUEST,mg
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 07:14 PM

So the fate of Japan and possibly the world depends on one firetruck that ran out of gas? Why wasn't there more gas standing by? I know gas is short but this should be top priority. THere seem to be lots of fishing boats floating about..capture gas from them.

Whoever engineered this thing that could be stopped by a firetruck running out of gas should be stripped of her professional certification. mg

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: gnu
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 07:06 PM

Charley... what about the CANDU? It's the safest design there is from what I have read (I am NOT well read on this subject). It's more costly and you can't build a lotta nuclear bombs with them, but...?

Sorry for the thread drift.

Back to the thread... if the valve is u/s and the fuel is dry... are we talking a nasty SPEW?

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 06:15 PM

Here's the latest update prepared by the Nuclear Information Resource Center:

UPDATE 12:30 pm, Monday, March 14, 2011. According to our colleagues in Japan, Tokyo
Electric Power states that Fukushima Daiichi-2 "has again lost its coolant (sea water was
pumped in but is dropping). They cannot ease the reactor pressure because the relief valve is stuck closed. Air dose rate on site (outside the reactor building) was 3,130 at around 9:30pm."
We believe the 3,130 figure means 3130 MicroSievert/hour, which would be highest reading yet recorded—about 310 millirems/hour. For comparison, the U.S. EPA allowable dose to a member of the public from a single reactor is 25 millirems/year, the U.S. NRC's allowable dose is 100 millirems/year from all nuclear sources.

From the regular media reports it appears that the Japanese have been able to resume pumping saltwater into Unit 2 at Fukashima, the plant where fuels rods were being exposed. That is better news in a dire situation.

I've watched Wolf Blitzer get outmaneuvered by an expert from a nuclear industry lobby just now. He claims that US nuclear plants in earthquake zones are built to standards appropriate to the conditions where they are located. Well, that was also true of Fukushima and the other troubled nuclear complexes in Japan, and the standards have proved inadequate. His back-up position was that we need to learn lessons from this event and move on with a new generation of improved nuclear plants. Well, there's something to be said for that, if the nuclear industry is willing to shut down all their existing plants for recertification. But Blitzer winged it to another aspect of the disaster.

Other "experts" are advocating fusion plants, a theoretically interesting concept but unproven as operational systems.

At this point I'd entertain the concept of switching to whale oil as an alternative (hey, whales, I'm only joking!), before plunking for fusion.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 05:54 PM

IAEA update - International Atomic Energy Agency

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 03:25 PM

I heard on the radio coming back from errands that the fire truck providing the pump for the salt water for Unit 2 at Fukushima had run out of gas...the fuel rods were exposed and pressure was building up again in the reactor chamber.

Ads a note to everyone, looking closely at the cutaway diagram at Wikipedia for this type of reactor, there is a reactor chamber within which the fission reaction happens and heats the water coming in to boiling. The steam escapes out a pipe at the top and is used for running the electrical turbines. The entire reactor chamber is encased in a reactor containment vessel which evidently has not been breached. The reactor building was an additional layer of containment but the hydrogen blast blew out the roof and upper walls.

The saltwater is still being pumped in around the reactor chamber in Unit 1 and 3. It's unclear what is happening to the saltwater afterwards, whether it's being drained back into the bay. There are not a lot of good options left for dealing with that problem.

Josepp-

I had hopes you would contribute more to this thread than your own polemics. Shape up or ship out! We're both too old for that kind of nonsense.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 03:07 PM

I stand corrected Bill.
Reuters seems to think the worst is over:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/14/us-japan-nuclear-radiation-risk-idUSTRE72D6UC20110314

Hope they are right.
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: gnu
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 03:04 PM

Just read a bunch of stuff. While it seems like a "who knows?", the fact that the USN has backed off 25 miles kinda gives me the willies.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 02:34 PM

TEPCO released 5 press releases so far today. None give much information. (Google for Tepco- easier than giving links which are soon out of date)

Unit 3- "It is believed that the reactor containment vessel remains intact. However, the status ......"

Unit 2- Applying preventive measures to wall of reactor building to ventilate the hydrogen gas. Reactor core cooling failed, incident reported.

Most of what is posted above by various individuals and news services concerning conditions at the plants is speculation. .....
Could be better, could be worse......

Have a nice day!

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: GUEST,999
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 02:04 PM

Saw a cartoon. About fifty dogs sitting in a line. The lone tree in the frame showed a dog peeing. Like, I can relate, LH.

Once upon a time in the Sahara Forest . . .

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: gnu
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 01:58 PM

And, further... "India: 2 (+13 CANDU-derivatives in use, +3 CANDU-derivatives under construction)"

Essentially, only the two CANDUs can be considered "safe" (well, "safer" than other designs).

Thank goodness our new (last fall) premier shelved a feasibility study for a French light water plant in our province. Our CANDU refurbishment has be delayed many times and it's scheduled to be back on line in the fall of 2012.

As for Japan, I haven't been able to bring myself to check the latest news or watch any of it on TV today. Donuel talked of a helpless feeling. I think the world feels the same way.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 01:46 PM

You have to find yourself on a planet that has no trees left. Then you might begin to relate to the idea of hugging one.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Bill D
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 01:43 PM

"Japan now has five malfunctioning plants."


No.. 5 reactors at two 'plants'.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: gnu
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 01:36 PM

It ocurred to me that India has nuclear weapons. Not easy with a CANDU so I read up. My statements are way outta date! From Wiki...

In terms of safeguards against nuclear proliferation, CANDU reactors meet a similar level of international certification as other reactor designs. However, there is a common misconception that the plutonium for India's first nuclear detonation, conducted in 1974 Operation Smiling Buddha, was produced in a CANDU design. In fact, the plutonium was produced in the unsafeguarded CIRUS reactor whose design is based on the NRX, a Canadian research reactor. In addition to its two CANDU reactors, India has some unsafeguarded pressurised heavy water reactors (PHWRs) based on the CANDU design, and two safeguarded light-water reactors supplied by the United States. Plutonium has been extracted from the spent fuel from all of these sources in the PREFRE reprocessing facility.[18] While all of these reactors could in principle be used for plutonium production, India uses an Indian designed and built military reactor for plutonium production called Dhruva. It is believed that the Dhruva reactor design is derived from the CIRUS reactor, with the Dhruva being scaled-up for more efficient plutonium production. It is this reactor which is thought to have produced the plutonium for India's more recent (1998) Operation Shakti nuclear tests.[19]

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: gnu
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 01:13 PM

"... the Indian PM has assured the citizenry that all their nuclear plants are safe."

I think they have CANDUs, maybe.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: GUEST,999
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 12:32 PM

You're having a good day for a change. I'm happy for you, josepp.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 12:28 PM

Meantime, the Indian PM has assured the citizenry that all their nuclear plants are safe. I will sleep well tonight.

Japan now has five malfunctioning plants. Food and water are in short supply where they are most critically needed. No tree hugging here. Maybe a whine or two for the people suffering most.
SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: josepp
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 12:24 PM

This thread long ago passed from one actually concerned about the distaster that struck Japan to whining and bitching liberal tree-hugger guilt trip bullshit. When liberals start that stuff it's far worse than listening to conservatives whining. At least their whining is funny.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Jack Campin
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 12:17 PM

I have just been looking at an aerial photo of the plant (by AFP):

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/51672000/jpg/_51672113_011525965-1.jpg

You might be able to work in what's left of reactor 1. The reactor 3 building is filled with smoking rubble from this morning's explosion. Any reassurances about the state of the inner containment are pure guesswork when nobody can get near it to see.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 12:08 PM

Meltdown of fuel rods now 'likely happening' in three Fukushima reactors

From the current Guardian blog:


Japanese officials say the nuclear fuel rods appear to be melting inside all three of the most troubled nuclear reactors, according to Associated Press.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said: "Although we cannot directly check it, it's highly likely happening."

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Lizzie Cornish 1
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 11:19 AM

Thw world NEEDS to be a different place.

The Hopi People are out there trying to get folks to realise that 2012 will bring their prophecy to fruition, of a massive World Change in how we live, think, act...

There have been many other disasters leading up to this one, but this one will, I think, finally begin to make people terrified of nuclear power...coupled with the financial situations around the world too, which is making people open their eyes to corruption, to absolute shitty behaviour..

Japan will change the world in many ways...be it is we, the people of this beautiful, BEAUTIFUL planet who have to change our ways, our thoughts, our outlooks with more speed and more strength than any tsunami could ever bring....because if we don't, we will also wreak more havoc than all the world's tsunamis put together.

Part 1 of The Indigenous Native American Prophecy

2012 The Indigenous Elders

EVERYTHING is going wrong, not just earthquakes, not just tsunamis, not just The Corporate Bastards..It is everything...even down to the humble bumble bee...who we cannot live without....

We have poisoned this planet, not just with the chemicals we have made and poured over the Land, but with the chemicals within our minds, that have become so out of balance, so destructive....

We do not need cars.

I live a very simple life compared to many, as I do not drive..so therefore I'm very local in where I live, how I live. A day out somewhere far away is a real treat. A trip on a train is exciting.
I've been on a plane, twice...never again, hated it. I don't need to visit every country in the world, I don't need the latest gizmos and gadgets...I'm quite happy even if computers, the internet disappear, to be honest, because much as it's done a great deal of good in connecting us all together, it has also made our lives so complicated..and I'm tired of answering many questions each time I make a phone call....I'm tired of the wa it's allowed evil people to come together, throwing all the good people into the age of suspicion, where all are viewed to be possibly guilty...

I'd love to go back to small communities, simple lives, where our work was mainly for ourselves, tilling the ground, growing our own food, taking care of our families, each other....and satisfaction came, at the end of the day, from a hot meal around a fire, not from a £10,000 computer or a £30,000 car.

We make things deliberately to wear out, so more profit can be made...and all it's ended up diong is wearing US all out with worry and anxiety......

This planet is our Home, the only one we have...and we are desecrating and destroying it. We forget this planet is not just OUR home though, that we share it with every other species under the sun...who have an equal right to be here, to exist on a wonderful planet...

I grieve...

I grieve for all that we are losing, all that we have lost...and all we have yet to lose....

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 11:12 AM

The Diane Rheems show was most informative. The workers have done every procedure to minimize radiaton at a cost of about 3 billion dollars so far. The plutonium fuel is a 5% mix and not meant for these Mark 1 reactors which means they will melt at a lower temperature and be more toxic if a core breech should occur. France uses a 30% plutonium mix in a more advanced reactor. 18 workers have been hurt by blast or exposure. It seems that the chimney is not working so gas built up inside the building.

One could compare it to a 40 year old submarine that is below its design depth. As long as the containment "hull" holds up, the ship will survive.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Mrrzy
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 10:59 AM

They seem to be handling it very well so far - a little venting, a little explosion, a little more venting, another little explosion, nothing major yet, which, considering, is considerable, I think.

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Charley Noble
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 10:07 AM

Donuel-

While I was reading that somewhat comforting quote about "meltdown clean-up" there was this cartoon Power Point presentation playing in my head, narrated by Woody Woodpecker.

I've got to get away from computers and cable for a while.

See you all later.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Nuclear plant disaster looming
From: Donuel
Date: 14 Mar 11 - 09:44 AM

I do not besmirch anyone for wanting to believe what ever gives them comfort.


The industry standard explanation of how safe reactors are is to be expected/

Please note the "Ringer lInk" speaks in the subjective future pluferfect tense...


"After the meltdown, there would have been a waiting period for the intermediate radioactive materials to decay inside the reactor, and all radioactive particles to settle on a surface inside the containment. The cooling system would have been restored eventually, and the molten core cooled to a manageable temperature. The containment would have been cleaned up on the inside. Then a messy job of removing the molten core from the containment would have begun, packing the (now solid again) fuel bit by bit into transportation containers to be shipped to processing plants."



That sounds all well and good but with not water or electricty many of the assumptions made do not apply.