Reactor #2 At Fukushima Detonates (third reactor explosion...now fourth!)

[snip]

BREAKING NEWS: Higher radiation levels measured in Ibaraki -- south of Fukushima (08:28)

Kyodo News

reply to post by Chakotay


They'd better start pouring concrete if it isn't already too late.

Second Line.

the official story in laymans terms boils down to the fact that these reactors heat steam to in turn turn a generator thus producing electricity, however since the heat buildup is being resisted by seawater there is too much heat and thus pressure, and thus the water explodes.

thats the official story. it doesn't actually take that much heat to explode water, you can do so with a microwave via a technique called superheating, or by applying voltage and high current...youtube fire from water or something.

i'm not sure that I entirely buy that though, they say the cores cannot explode, but...well, i'd rather not jinx it.

[[snip]]

# BREAKING NEWS: Radioactive materials feared to be leaking: safety agency (08:33)

Kyodo News

Time for people to get the hell out of Tokyo, just in case!

I was worried as soon as I saw the tsunami, now I am afraid that worse case situations will arise, that thier containment and cooling efforts although valiant will not suffice... I am well aware of further implications that would arise if this comes to pass. I know this would not be a problem for those in fallout areas only. Im sorry but this would create far greater geologic instability for the EARTH. Einstien was no fool, things hidden by him through asumed errors in calculation, was instead wisely done to protect Mankind. May the hand of the Almighty stop this from happening. In my opinion, its time for a miracle...

There is a thread with this link but some people here might not have seen it Tokyo Gieger counter live it just got re-set.


ETA looking for the thread to link it.....

Originally posted by IamAbeliever
This is what CNN is reporting on their website. No link to the story yet though.

An "explosive impact" occurred at the No. 2 reactor at a quake-damaged nuclear power plant in Japan, plant's owner says.

Exactly what is an "explosive impact"?

that was my exact reaction. I checked several other news sources and although they all said there was an explosion, CNN was the only to say explosive impact.

Originally posted by FlyingJadeDragon
reply to post by Chakotay

 

They'd better start pouring concrete if it isn't already too late.

Second Line.

Plenty of sand down, there, when that hits the molten core it'll glass over. What you can't prevent however is the core leaking underneath and flashing over from the groundwater. Erupting into 'vents' outside the reactor building itself. Think of Yellowstone but those Geysers are clouds of deadly radiation, xthousands of units than seen at Chernobyl.

I was reading the other day that these model GE units do hold expended fuel rods in the outer container section.. near the top of the unit and that Hydrogen gas coming from them may be responsible for the explosions.

Either way, looking at the damage to the first unit shows quite a lot of damage to the outer container.. and in the region of where the expended fuel is stored.

I think there is far more to come from this... and I will try to find the link to this info again.

I posted this in another thread, but thought I should post it here as it's very important. I hope you can excuse it this time mods!

The most worrying thing for me in that pic, is how close reactor number 2 is to both the other reactors. Don't be mistaken people, number 2 is their biggest worry, because the fuel has already been exposed twice due to running out of water from the cooling pumps. Why does that worry them so much? Because once the fuel has been exposed it very quickly weakens and deteriorates, making an explosion within the reactor containment vessel all the more likely if loss of cooling continues to happen. Don't forget that the fuel has been exposed twice! Why do they keep losing cooling at number 2? Well, that little explosion this morning wiped out 3 of the 4 generators they were using for running the cooling pumps on number 2. So what does this mean? Well, you could potentially have a Chernobyl on your hands with number 2 alone, no matter what they tell you. Added to that, an explosion that big, so close to the reactors 1 and 3, which already have weakend housing structures and containment vessels due to their own respective explosions.... I don't think I need to spell out for you what the potential could be. Don't believe me huh? I'm "fear mongoring" huh? You do know the Chernobyl accident happened, not because the plant was running, or the fact it had burnable containment (graphite housing), it was because the cores were exposed, making them deteriorate so quickly they exploded. Do a google on what happens to exposed nuclear fuel rods for yourself...

Link

Please don't star this post, I'm not in it for that.

regarding the gieger counter live, Counts Per Minute which is what its reading relate to bequrels, i'm not really the one to best explain this but right now at 11ish CPM all seams normal ish...imo...stay tuned

# BREAKING NEWS: Lower pressure after blast suggests damage to suppression pool: agency (08:39)

# BREAKING NEWS: Lower pressure after blast triggers damage to suppression pool: agency (08:35)

Kyodo News

Anyone here know what this means?

Short Article on Spent Fuel Pools...

The concern is that if the water in the pools ever drops too low, the zirconium cladding that holds the radioactive fuel pellets would begin to heat up and eventually burn. And if it did, the smoke from the fire could carry radiation away from the plant because the pool is outside the containment.

I'll find a link detailing the amount of radiation and burnability of that spent fuel-- I know it weighs tons, while bomb cores weigh pounds, and it is highly radioactive from being burned in previously active cores.

This is very worrying indeed. An if this following theory is to be believed then I would be pretty worried if I lived on the west coast of America also.


Cover up of Fukushima Chain Reaction underway

Thoughts are with those in Japan.

reply to post by Chakotay


Yes very worrying. In the shorterm I am more worried that the melting fuel (coz that's what it's now doing if the containment is breached), is going to come into contact with a cool liquid of some sort at the bottom of the building. If that happens....BOOM.

I just hope for some bit of luck now.

I'd just like to reassure those that are very worried that I am quite convinced that this indeed is being handled about a thousand times better than cherynobl, there is no evidence that the control rods are melting and nothing can be done, far from it, right now my biggest concern is that a relativly small breach in the newest reactor explosion may have raised RAD levels, all reports seam to hint at that =(

of course if I we're sure, i'd be on a six digit salery, I just hope my guts right on this one.

reply to post by MedievalGhost


The containment unit in which the reactor is housed, may have exploded at the BOTTOM of the containment.

reply to post by madscientistintraining


If you have a runaway melt without cooling on your hands, no kind of organisation or contigency is going to matter. It's flip a coin time Mr.

Has anyone got anything on TV about this? I've flicking channel to channel and no-one is covering it at all, they all seem to be reporting anything but.....

Very sad. We need to rethink coal burners for our energy source. Nukes are being perceived as risky right now and coal is cheaper and plentiful. Not to mention that coal burners have come along way now days in their ability to filter the smoke stacks. Environmentalists will still lobby against it, though. Interesting choices coming our way.