Meltdown Likely Under Way At Japan Nuclear Reactor

[bkkjames]

If containment vessel is damaged at Fukushima nuclear plant it could be major disaster, but it hasn't happened yet: Japan's ambassador to UK /BBC

It would be nice if the authorities started publishing useful information instead of brain-dead statements like this.

Hate to say this (as an ex PR person) but this statement above yours by the Ambassador appears to be classic pre-conditioning in nature.

[Chopperboy]

If containment vessel is damaged at Fukushima nuclear plant it could be major disaster, but it hasn't happened yet: Japan's ambassador to UK /BBC

It would be nice if the authorities started publishing useful information instead of brain-dead statements like this.

Hate to say this (as an ex PR person) but this statement above yours by the Ambassador appears to be classic pre-conditioning in nature.

Exactly what I thought - lets start by introducing the idea gently.

[webfact]

U.S. moves 7th Fleet further to sea after radiation detected on USS Ronald Reagan near Japan /CBSNews

[warfie]

Translation from the news ticker of German-language online newspaper in Switzerland:

2011-03-13 13:32 UTC

Radiation biologist Edmund Legnfelder of the radiation institute in Munich believes that the consequences of a meltdown will be worse than 25 years ago in Chernobyl. The occurrence is different but population density is two to three times higher than in the area around the Chernobyl reactor: "I assume that it will be worse than Chernobyl" Lengfelder said to Spiegel Online.

I have assumed the contrary, on the grounds that at Chernobyl, there was an explosion within the reactor, and a large fraction of the core contents were vented to atmosphere, whereas I believe that the cores have remained in place in the current incident. I doubt my facile and ignorant assumptions will be repeated as news around the world, though... Of my professional reputation was at stake, I think that I would try to make a omre considered judgement, rather than an off-the-cuff assumption.

Anyway, it certainly makes you appreciate some of the safety features of the reactors in question - the secondary containment, the negative temperature coefficient of reactivity, the diverse shut-down methods... it certainly could have been a lot worse...

At hydro-electric stations, what is the normal response to a loss of containment accident?

SC

you might try using a spell checker too

[webfact]

Tokyo Electric Power says it has begun power outage in area covering some parts of Tokyo, 8 prefectures, affecting 333,000 household /MCOT

[Crushdepth]

At hydro-electric stations, what is the normal response to a loss of containment accident?

You mean like this one? About the same as for an incoming tsunami - warn people to leave, if you can.

Edited March 14, 2011 by Crushdepth

[webfact]

The JNTO has set up a 24-hour helpline (English/Chinese/Korean) for foreign tourists in Japan: 03-3201-3331 /RT @veen_NT: RT @TimeOutTokyo:

[bkkjames]

That's all for me for today - let's hope they get a handle on things there soon!!! Thanks John and everyone for the updates.

[animatic]

If containment vessel is damaged at Fukushima nuclear plant it could be major disaster, but it hasn't happened yet: Japan's ambassador to UK /BBC

It would be nice if the authorities started publishing useful information instead of brain-dead statements like this.

Hate to say this (as an ex PR person) but this statement above yours by the Ambassador appears to be classic pre-conditioning in nature.

Exactly what I thought - lets start by introducing the idea gently.

Yes exactly. If it is shortly, or has started going critically bad,

best not to add panic to the masses, but start feeding them enough info to willing be moved to safer places without chaos and injury from mass panic. Even if the Japanese are not typically prone to panic it is a real possibility and easily could make all efforts to save the most people from the most danger even harder to do effectively.

Edited March 14, 2011 by animatic

[jfchandler]

fyi, there is as direct connection bt the rotating power outages in Tokyo and the Fukushima reactor problems.

In normal times, these same reactors are a major power supply to the area.

But now, with sea water injection for cooling, Daiichi 1, 2 and 3 are toast

[MJP]

1125: Worrying news, this: The operators of the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant say it's possible that cooling water at one of the reactors has evaporated, Reuters reports. The company says it can't rule out the possibility that the nuclear fuel rods in Number 2 reactor were now exposed and could be at risk of meltdown.

BBC.

[jfchandler]

A bit of an update and recap on Monday's developments from NHK:

TEPCO struggles to cool down reactors at Fukushima

Cooling system failures continue to plague two nuclear power stations in earthquake-hit Fukushima Prefecture.

An explosion shortly before noon on Monday at the Fukushima Number One [Daiichi] plant was the second such blast in three days. The explosion blew off the ceiling and a wall of the Number Three reactor building. Eleven workers were injured.

On Sunday, the coolant water level in the [No. 3] reactor dropped, leaving fuel rods exposed. Japan's nuclear authorities believe Monday's blast occurred in a similar manner to an explosion at the plant's Number One reactor on Saturday, after a massive amount of hydrogen accumulated in the building housing the reactor chamber.

The Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency and Tokyo Electric say no abnormal rise in radiation levels has been detected around the compound of the plant. They say the reactor's vessel is under control and that pressure inside the reactor remains stable.

The utility firm says they will confirm radioactivity levels before resuming the pumping of seawater into the plant to cool the reactor. The procedure was also suspended at the Number One reactor early Monday morning, due to pump trouble.

The Number Two reactor at the same power station lost all of its cooling capability on Monday. This forced the company to report an emergency situation, based on Japanese nuclear law.

The company says the coolant water level was 1.2 meters above the fuel rods as of 3PM local time, but the level is falling gradually.

The power company is pumping in seawater to cool that reactor, and is considering ways to release air from the building, fearing another hydrogen blast.

At the Number Two [Daini] power plant, the cooling systems for three reactors [No.'s 1, 2, and 3] failed. The device to pump seawater was damaged by the tsunami following Friday's earthquake. But the pumps have been replaced for two of the reactors. Tokyo Electric is trying to restore the cooling system for the remaining reactor.

Monday, March 14, 2011 18:39 +0900 (JST)

Edited March 14, 2011 by jfchandler

[jfchandler]

Kyodo News

NEWS ADVISORY: Steam being released at No. 2 reactor of Fukushima nuke plant (20:57)

Top gov't spokesman Edano to meet press around 9 p.m. (7 p.m. Thai time)

[jfchandler]

Cabinet Sec. Edano holding live news conference via NHK.

Re No. 3 reactor, began injecting seawater again after 8 pm... also injecting sea water for No. 1 reactor now.

Water levels are starting to rise, trying to cool down the fuel rods.

Re. No. 2 reactor, cooling system did fail today. But then fuel of water pump ran out today, and water level began to fall, and fuel rods were exposed above the water. But after 8 pm, TEPCO is injecting water again. And reactor is now being cooled again.

[jfchandler]

A bit earlier this evening, Kyodo News reported:

Fuel rods of No. 2 reactor of Fukushima plant may have partially melted: TEPCO

AND

Fuel rods at No. 2 reactor of Fukushima No. 1 [Daiichi] nuke plant fully exposed

TOKYO, March 14, Kyodo Fuel rods at the No. 2 reactor of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant were fully exposed Monday, following Friday's deadly earthquake, Tokyo Electric Power Co. said.

The plant operator said water levels fell as fuel for pumps that are used for seawater injection operations ran out.

Tokyo Electric earlier said the cooling functions of the reactor had been lost and began injecting seawater into the reactor to cool it down.

Edited March 14, 2011 by jfchandler

[jfchandler]

The plant operator said water levels fell as fuel for pumps that are used for seawater injection operations ran out.

You'd think they'd gotta be joking about this... But, they're not... They ran out of fuel???

Just exactly how could that happen under the circumstances?

[jfchandler]

NHK

Countries are bracing for radioactive leaks from nuclear power plants in Fukushima.Russia is monitoring radiation levels every hour round the clock in the Far East. A French team of 12 experts trained to deal with nuclear accidents is arriving in Japan.

[jfchandler]

It sounds like TEPCO has made some kind of statement about radioactive emissions and/or monitoring levels around the plant tonight, apparently associated with the fuel rods being exposed at Reactor No. 2.

But thus far, I'm not finding the details of that... Still looking... That's apparently part of what prompted the just concluded Edano news conference.

[jfchandler]

Reuters:

A roundup of emerging international attitudes towards nuclear power production.

Turkish energy minister Taner Yildiz says his country, itself earthquake-prone, remains determined to build nuclear power plants. The country has previously said it wants nuclear to contribute the majority of its power production, and is looking to build 20 reactors by 2030.

Reuters' own government sources have echoed the reports that German Chanceller Angela Merkel will later today suspend her decision to extend the life of the country's nuclear power plants.

Switzerland has already suspended the approvals process for three new nuclear power stations so that it can revisit its safety standards.

[jfchandler]

NISA news conference on Daiichi Reactor No. 2

At 5:16 pm (Japan time), the water level had fallen so the tops of the fuel rods were exposed.

Then at 6:06 pm, the safety relief valve to release steam was opened, lowering pressure in the reactor.

From 8:05 pm, we began re-injecting sea water...

Company earlier held a news conference that included saying there had been release of radioactive elements.

Edited March 14, 2011 by jfchandler

[elcent]

TEPCO spokesman said in an official statement that the second explosion in unit 3 today produced white smoke. Should I contact an eye specialist now?

[jfchandler]

Kyodo News:

--Water level of about 2 meters recovered at No. 2 reactor of nuke plant

--Fukushima's 3 reactors highly likely facing melting: Edano

--Worst-scenario for Fukushima plant unlikely to be like Chernobyl: Edano

--Radiation around nuke plant at tolerable level for humans: Edano

[elcent]

[/media]

[elcent]

Kyodo News:

--Water level of about 2 meters recovered at No. 2 reactor of nuke plant

--Fukushima's 3 reactors highly likely facing melting: Edano

--Worst-scenario for Fukushima plant unlikely to be like Chernobyl: Edano

--Radiation around nuke plant at tolerable level for humans: Edano

The one in red is a right statement. It will be worse due to higher tensity of the population.

What about the ecological damage so far which were likely caused by chemical, oil etc.?

[StreetCowboy]

I dread to contemplate the loss of life from disease caused by the flooding of the sewer systems n Japan, at a time when medical facilities will be stretched to bursting point.

Let's hope the other reactors that were not so badly affected can be restored to service quickly, and power restored to support the clean-up operations. I'm sure the Japanese will be grateful for the high standards of their seismological research and engineering design standards when the recovery begins.

On my previous-but-one project, we adopted Japanese seismic engineering standards, which stood the job in good stead subsequently

SC

[brahmburgers]

I commend the workers at the disabled Nuke power plant for hanging in there so valiantly.

Also, it's commendable that there haven't been reports of looting. In NYC, if there's a power blackout for just ten minutes, looters come out en masse. You might say, "what's there to loot, when everything is destroyed and covered in mud?" Well, more than a few people keep gold coins and money in their homes, besides other valuables. And yes, Japan's cops and soldiers are to be commended for doing what needs to be done in such catastrophic scenarios.

Re; the damaged plant facilities: To pump vast quantities of sea water, they would need gas or diesel powered generators, as there's unlikely any AC power to the facilities. So they likely need large quantities of fossil fuels to try and do all that pumping. They'll also need at least a few men to stay close to dangerous areas - which harkens back to the first sentence of this post.

and I concur with an earlier poster who expressed concern about all that sea water - now highly contaminated - going back to the sea. Interestingly, most of the proposed Thai Nuke plants are planned to be sited seaside. Good luck to fish eaters - but it's bigger issue than just fish. Many organisms need clean water to grow. This is a bigger issue than just one species (humans) concerned about what's on their dinner plate.

Don't blow up anything while I'm away...

We'll just vent some gas.

Don't do it near where you keep the candle burning at both ends.

Edited March 14, 2011 by brahmburgers

[elcent]

(All times are local in Japan GMT+9)

• Timestamp: 10:20pm Yukiya Amano, the IAEA director general, has released the following statement. We're expecting him to give a press conference in the next few hours. We'll bring you it as it happens.
  

[jfchandler]

Kyodo News:

Fuel rods at No. 2 reactor fully exposed for about 2.5 hours [late this afternoon]: agency

NHK:

TEPCO is considering opening a hole in the reactor housing building to release hydrogen generated by the exposed fuel rods.

Edited March 14, 2011 by jfchandler

[animatic]

Kyodo News:

Fuel rods at No. 2 reactor fully exposed for about 2.5 hours [late this afternoon]: agency

NHK:

TEPCO is considering opening a hole in the reactor housing building to release hydrogen generated by the exposed fuel rods.

Might be a wise move, why have another big explosion you know will be coming. Venting the pressure before it gets too much will cause less damage to surrounding parts of the system.

[Jdietz]

A good article with some decent information about the reactor's construction / containment here:

http://bravenewclimate.com/2011/03/13/fukushima-simple-explanation/