Japan Earthquake/Tsunami
Japan Earthquake/Tsunami
Does anyone know how long it takes for a reactor to meltdown? It really looks like this is un-reversible at this point...
How bad are the reactors right now? I mean are we just looking at vapor release, or are we talking major environmental disaster/meltdown?
I saw a report somewhere that said experts were predicting actual meltdowns if they don't get the temperatures and pressures down, but I can't find it now... (still looking...)
So, yeah, major disaster. Especially considering how tiny and densely populated Honshu is.
Edit: This isn't what I saw earlier, but it's along the same lines.
So, yeah, major disaster. Especially considering how tiny and densely populated Honshu is.
Edit: This isn't what I saw earlier, but it's along the same lines.
Quetzalcoatl.Kanjirou said:
Does anyone know how long it takes for a reactor to meltdown? It really looks like this is un-reversible at this point...
Basically it would depend on how many rods there are, how much water there is used, and to some slight extent the temperature the water was kept at before the cooling systems shut down.
I think at that plant it was the lack of working mechanical coolant (was shut down without backup due to the earthquake damage.) They put more power units on line to help activate the cooling system, but the pressure (heat on irradiated coolant water) was very high, prompting them to release the radioactive water vapour (in small amounts, supposedly.)
According to the articles previously posted, this is still a somewhat far state from a full meltdown, which is where the reactor housing itself is compromised and nothing is there at all to cool the rods.
According to the articles previously posted, this is still a somewhat far state from a full meltdown, which is where the reactor housing itself is compromised and nothing is there at all to cool the rods.
Fenrir.Schutz said:
I think at that plant it was the lack of working mechanical coolant (was shut down without backup due to the earthquake damage.) They put more power units on line to help activate the cooling system, but the pressure (heat on irradiated coolant water) was very high, prompting them to release the radioactive water vapour (in small amounts, supposedly.)
According to the articles previously posted, this is still a somewhat far state from a full meltdown, which is where the reactor housing itself is compromised and nothing is there at all to cool the rods.
According to the articles previously posted, this is still a somewhat far state from a full meltdown, which is where the reactor housing itself is compromised and nothing is there at all to cool the rods.
That's a little reassuring. I hope they get the situation really under control.
Now there's a fire at a third plant, in Miyagi. :|
Edit: Nevermind, apparently that was 14 hours ago.
Edit: Nevermind, apparently that was 14 hours ago.
i squashed the reactor thing hours ago in this thread, but i'll repost.
As its been explained to me, the problem wasn't about whether the nuclear plant was going to explode. The problem was that the quake knocked out the generators that actuate the cooling water and the reactor wasn't cooling. This would cause warped and bubbled metal in the reactor core. If any of the cooling water that IS there came in contact with the radioactive materials, they would have a serious HAZMAT situation.
unless we're talking about a completely different nuclear power plant (which I'm not sure why, otherwise we US Military would have ER'ed out of here in the event of a possible meltdown, and we havent) then its not going to blow
As its been explained to me, the problem wasn't about whether the nuclear plant was going to explode. The problem was that the quake knocked out the generators that actuate the cooling water and the reactor wasn't cooling. This would cause warped and bubbled metal in the reactor core. If any of the cooling water that IS there came in contact with the radioactive materials, they would have a serious HAZMAT situation.
unless we're talking about a completely different nuclear power plant (which I'm not sure why, otherwise we US Military would have ER'ed out of here in the event of a possible meltdown, and we havent) then its not going to blow
Wait, so there are things they can do which they've still not done because they'd have to replace the core after they do it?
That kind of speaks to their confidence. I actually feel a lot better knowing that. I mean, clearly, if they felt things were in immediate danger, they'd use those methods. If they feel safe enough to actually stop and think about things like saving money, then there's probably no reason to panic, here. Cool.
How would we know if they started using some of these methods, though?
That kind of speaks to their confidence. I actually feel a lot better knowing that. I mean, clearly, if they felt things were in immediate danger, they'd use those methods. If they feel safe enough to actually stop and think about things like saving money, then there's probably no reason to panic, here. Cool.
How would we know if they started using some of these methods, though?
Catastrophe, you really seem to know your stuff. What should we be watching for? What are these last resort methods?
My prayers and thoughts go out to the Japanese people.
[+]
Asura.Catastrophe said:
If they start charging raw seawater into the systems, then its probably a lost plant.
lol ...God, it's awful that I laughed at that.
That's good to know, though.
@BBCBreaking via Twitter said:
0256: More on the nuclear fears: James Acton from the Carnegie Endowment tells the BBC that releasing vapour from the reactors shouldn't damage the environment.
@BBCBreaking via Twitter said:
0258: Mr Acton adds: "If there is nothing worse than radioactive steam being released into the environment, then there's unlikely to be significant lasting damage to people outside of the plant. If the integrity of the core is lost and the core starts to melt, and much more radioactive steam is leaked out into the environment, then we could be in an extremely serious situation."
Catastrophe, are you a nuke-eng student or something? I was a math and physics undergrad but we never went into this much depth on reactor design (obviously.) It's re-assuring to get a glimpse of the inside workings of these sorts of places, though.
Asura.Catastrophe said:
Quetzalcoatl.Kanjirou said:
Catastrophe, are you a nuke-eng student or something? I was a math and physics undergrad but we never went into this much depth on reactor design (obviously.) It's re-assuring to get a glimpse of the inside workings of these sorts of places.
I operated and maintained nuclear reactors for the US Navy on their aircraft carriers in a past life so to say.
Really now? I thought you were a plumber in a red jumpsuit.
/badmariopun
Basically you got to keep the rods submersed in coolant and/or water.
Well, I think you've made it pretty clear by now that there truly is a very long way to go before we have to worry about a real meltdown, and I'm totally relieved for that. I wish they'd say these things on the news, or at least less-technical versions of these things. The way they're presenting it, it's as if engineers are scrambling to keep up with an unpredictable situation, not that they're going through the very, very early stages of an already well-established system of fail-safes with (by design) little to no consequences. Which, of course, makes a lot more sense, but you know how it goes.
Unfortunately people are already in a panic. Some guy came to my pharmacy today telling me he had to have Potassium and Iodine. Like, he was ready to jump the counter for it :/
Asura.Ebry said:
Unfortunately people are already in a panic. Some guy came to my pharmacy today telling me he had to have Potassium and Iodine. Like, he was ready to jump the counter for it :/
... Wut?
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