japan eartquake of 8.9/tsunami

[BoD]

How long do these things take to cool down? It would appear that as soon as the earthquake hit, the reactors were automatically shut down - ie the control rods were inserted, thus stopping the nuclear reaction. So what we are left with is the heat in the fuel rods that should have been cooled by the cooling system had it not failed

[slinky]

From what I'm reading, it sounds like they need to stay in water in order to cool/remain cool. Even the spent rods are stored in pools to keep them cool and there are issues with those pools losing volume now too.

[BoD]

So there is still some reaction going on? If the rods melt and pool at the bottom of the reactor, does this mean that the rate of the reaction increases as the control rods are no longer having an impact and there is less surface area for the cooling water to act on

[slinky]

From what I understand, it's not a nuclear chain reaction still going on, but somehow they stay hot and heat further unless they are kept in cooling water, so the risk of fire is a big issue for sure. This guy on BBC explains it a bit: Click the video at the top of this story

[Mr Oz]

Such as "the reactor in japan is on the verge of meltdown". That's being hysterical. If I was close, then I'd slap you, and then move aside so the next person could also slap you.

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — The U.S. military authorized voluntary evacuations of eligible family members of Defense Department personnel Thursday from bases in mainland Japan following increasing worries over nuclear reactors damaged in the country’s largest recorded earthquake.
There are about 25,000 people at Yokosuka Naval Base, roughly 19,000 who are Americans or family members with Defense Department ID cards. There are 6,500 people at Atsugi, though the number of Americans wasn’t immediately available.
“The order of departure: Women and children first, non-essential person second, essential personnel third, and then me,” said Capt. Eric Gardner, Atsugi commander, during a broadcast on the base command channel.

http://www.stripes.com/news/pacific/mil ... n-1.137999

Slap away Bobbity. The US military is looking to get out of dodge!

[Mr Oz]

From what I understand, it's not a nuclear chain reaction still going on, but somehow they stay hot and heat further unless they are kept in cooling water, so the risk of fire is a big issue for sure. This guy on BBC explains it a bit: Click the video at the top of this story

Yeap if the water containers can no longer hold water and it goes dry then the rods catch fire and melt then there is a LOCA ie Chernobyl. The rods may remain hot for months or years. It's not there yet but unless they can get the water cooling system back up and the container keeping the rods submerged then water hoses and air drops are only delaying the inevitable. Currently those guys on site are sacrificing their lives to prevent a meltdown. This might explain it. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_of_coolant_accident

[Fat Bob]

[cromasaig]

Currently those guys on site are sacrificing their lives to prevent a meltdown.

Risking, yes. Sacrificing, no. Let's not turn the heroes into martyrs just yet, shall we?

[Lichtgestalt]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_of_coolant_accident

Interesting read. The horror scenario they are currently painting all over the news is that a melted core will make it's way through the building and down to the ground water hence contaminating it. That didn't happen in Chernobyl as it seems but it rather stopped in the basement. Assuming thatn an explosion of the reactor won't happen anymore (the explosion made Chernobyl particularly bad because it threw radioactive material high up into the air) it could be contained with sand and concrete.

[Mr Oz]

[quote="Fat Bob"][/quote]

And in response...

[Mr Oz]

Interesting read. The horror scenario they are currently painting all over the news is that a melted core will make it's way through the building and down to the ground water hence contaminating it. That didn't happen in Chernobyl as it seems but it rather stopped in the basement. Assuming thatn an explosion of the reactor won't happen anymore (the explosion made Chernobyl particularly bad because it threw radioactive material high up into the air) it could be contained with sand and concrete.

I think it was the graphite in Chernobyl that made it so bad (cause of the explosion) that is not present here AFAIK but I don't think anyone really knows what will happen when it melts down. It's not going to be good.

[Mr Oz]

Hey bobbity you sure it wasn't Anne Coulter on that plane you were slapping.

‘There is a growing body of evidence that radiation in excess of what the government says are the minimum amounts we should be exposed to are actually good for you

When neocon mouthpieces start saying high radiation is ok and good for you, you know the shit is about to hit the fan.

[baloo]

Mr Oz, you're premature gloating is really getting on my tits.

You seem to want the worse case to happen.

I have family and friends in Japan. Do you ?

[Lili Von Shtupp]

On the Ann Coulter thing, there is a growing collection of insensitive comments from conservative politicians and commentators around the world that's getting me down. The First Lady of Malaysia said that this happened because the Japanese weren't environmentally conscious, Rush Limbaugh laughed and said that after all Japan's eco-friendly measures, "Gaia" went and did something like this, and he thought that was funny. Other American conservative commentators have said equally insensitive things.

What is the world coming to when public figures can't even show basic common decency and appropriate respect for the suffering of others?

[Sardonicus]

Unfortunately, in addition to those usually toxic-as-Palin people you mentioned, even the Tokyo gov said something equally stupid:

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2011/03/16/ ... %E2%80%9D/

[Lili Von Shtupp]

Unfortunately, in addition to those usually toxic-as-Palin people you mentioned, even the Tokyo gov said something equally stupid:

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2011/03/16/ ... %E2%80%9D/

As if the Earth's mantle has the ability to ponder our insignificant human perceptions of morality. It's insult to injury, in a very literal sense.

[Mr Oz]

Sorry Guys.

Radiation 1,600 times higher than normal levels has been detected in an area about 20 kilometers from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, International Atomic Energy Agency officials said Monday.
Data collected by an IAEA team show that radiation levels of 161 microsievert per hour have been detected in the town of Namie, Fukushima Prefecture, the officials said.

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/80057.html

[Tas]

1. Risk management plans - clearly this is not a good situation, the US govt has a duty of care to it's staff in Japan. There is always doing something and being seen to be doing something. Risk management is not always about whether the worst case scenario is actually happening, but what if it happens. Fire alarms and evacuation practices in buildings in minor odour issues.

2. From what I understand of the technical aspects the build up of hydrogen is what impacts on explosions and distribuion of plumes, and graphite core in the Chernobyl, building containment and a host of other issues make the scenario very different to Chernobyl. Yes the situation is bad, but it is hype and over excitement to continually compare the situation to Chernobly and frankly looks a bit ignorant.

3. WTF would a country with it's own large set of nuclear reactors be doing commenting on any aspect of eco anything where Japan is concerned - he might want to double check this map considering there seem to be a couple or more in California http://www.nrc.gov/info-finder/reactor/#USMap

4. Gawd I hate irrational over emotive blathering. I want to start slapping as well.

[slinky]

Looks like they are planning to cover it in concrete:
http://chronicle.augusta.com/latest-new ... clear-site

[Joseph27]

Hey bobbity you sure it wasn't Anne Coulter on that plane you were slapping.

‘There is a growing body of evidence that radiation in excess of what the government says are the minimum amounts we should be exposed to are actually good for you

When neocon mouthpieces start saying high radiation is ok and good for you, you know the shit is about to hit the fan.

if anyone to deserved to be slapped as hard as that lady on Flying High - its definitely Anne C ulter

[Lili Von Shtupp]

New earthquake and tsunami alert in north-east:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13005110

[Morrolan]

and another 7.1 just struck... sjees...

[Aliya]

We had a 5.7 one today, one of my computer screens fell over. It went on and on and on, was teh worst I have felt since moving here. There was deathly silence in the office when it happened, although we get quite a few down in this part of GodZone, people are definately more conscious of them.