Post by Benjamin on Nov 16, 2013 0:22:36 GMT
Commencing Monday, Fukushima's TEPCO will begin removing fuel rods from the damaged #4 nuclear reactor.
This article outlines a series of reasons why this is potentially the most dangerous moment in the history of humanity.
Even if we set aside for a moment the "pick-up sticks" scenario described here, and assume that this process goes relatively well, the dangers are immense. Should even a single fuel rod break or become damaged during this process, or should any of those rods overheat and cause further damage to the (already extremely damaged) reactor and its cooling core, the potential remains for the evacuation of the plant due to unsafe radiation levels.
Should this occur, the situation then plunges back into very dangerous territory. From what I've read, each of the reactors at Fukushima currently requires constant MANUAL maintenance - that is, the cooling systems cannot currently function adequately without human, on-site intervention. Should a forced evacuation take place, the situation at the plant will get worse... much worse. The reactors' cooling systems will fail to adequately cool the nuclear material, and from that point onward, the problems escalate rapidly - ranging from the fusion of fuel rods (thus creating more heat and volatility - and in fact, it is suspected that many of the rods in reactor 4 may have ALREADY fused) to explosions.
Sounds apocalyptic, doesn't it.
Anyway. I'll let you read the link for yourselves:
www.washingtonsblog.com/2013/11/were-in-the-most-dangerous-moment-since-the-cuban-missile-crisis.html
This article outlines a series of reasons why this is potentially the most dangerous moment in the history of humanity.
“Did you ever play pick up sticks?” asked a foreign nuclear expert who has been monitoring Tepco’s efforts to regain control of the plant. “You had 50 sticks, you heaved them into the air and than had to take one off the pile at a time.
“If the pile collapsed when you were picking up a stick, you lost,” he said. “There are 1,534 pick-up sticks in a jumble in top of an unsteady reactor 4. What do you think can happen?
“I do not know anyone who is confident that this can be done since it has never been tried.”
“If the pile collapsed when you were picking up a stick, you lost,” he said. “There are 1,534 pick-up sticks in a jumble in top of an unsteady reactor 4. What do you think can happen?
“I do not know anyone who is confident that this can be done since it has never been tried.”
Even if we set aside for a moment the "pick-up sticks" scenario described here, and assume that this process goes relatively well, the dangers are immense. Should even a single fuel rod break or become damaged during this process, or should any of those rods overheat and cause further damage to the (already extremely damaged) reactor and its cooling core, the potential remains for the evacuation of the plant due to unsafe radiation levels.
Should this occur, the situation then plunges back into very dangerous territory. From what I've read, each of the reactors at Fukushima currently requires constant MANUAL maintenance - that is, the cooling systems cannot currently function adequately without human, on-site intervention. Should a forced evacuation take place, the situation at the plant will get worse... much worse. The reactors' cooling systems will fail to adequately cool the nuclear material, and from that point onward, the problems escalate rapidly - ranging from the fusion of fuel rods (thus creating more heat and volatility - and in fact, it is suspected that many of the rods in reactor 4 may have ALREADY fused) to explosions.
Sounds apocalyptic, doesn't it.
Anyway. I'll let you read the link for yourselves:
www.washingtonsblog.com/2013/11/were-in-the-most-dangerous-moment-since-the-cuban-missile-crisis.html
