Topic: Nuclear crisis in Japan at level 7

[neurotraveller]

That's short for California or Cali Colombia?

California.

[Shibboleth]

Can't they just send in Kobayashi to eat the entire power plant?

[Webbstre]

They didn't abandon it, they just withdrew the workers temporarily to let it air out a bit at one point. They are back now. That's from the local news here in Japan, so I don't have a link.

[Shibboleth]

They didn't abandon it, they just withdrew the workers temporarily to let it air out a bit at one point. They are back now. That's from the local news here in Japan, so I don't have a link.

You make it sound like someone broke wind. They had to leave due to a spike in radiation and are back now. The government increased the amount of radiation the workers are allowed to work under so I think it might be a combination of the radiation coming back down a little bit and the regulations being eased.

[jaypee]

I guess I would have the same reaction if they reported they all died.   Time for some hero action.  But where are the heroes?

We should send in Steven Seagal.

That would kill two birds with one stone.

[andrewclunn]

Okay, I know this won't be a global radiation thing, but how far is this likely to spread?  I mean how much of Japan could become a high infertility high leukemia zone?

[Shibboleth]

Okay, I know this won't be a global radiation thing, but how far is this likely to spread?  I mean how much of Japan could become a high infertility high leukemia zone?

From what I understand even with Chernoble they didn't see a big jump in leukemia. The greatest increase was in thyroid issues.

[Chew]

The reason Chernobyl exploded was because of the materials that were used to cool the core. Daiichi does not have this same problem, and in addition, there are other measures in place to contain any potential fuel leakage. So, sorry, no poisonous gas cloud will be hovering over the horizon any time soon.

You are confusing "cooled" with "moderated". "Moderated" in the context of nuclear power means it slows down neutrons, enabling fission to occur. Chernobyl was water-cooled and graphite-moderated.

The explosion at Chernobyl blew the 2000 ton cap off. A containment building around that reactor would not have prevented the disaster it would become.

The reason Chernobyl exploded was a combination of many things. The graphite moderator fire helped spread the melted down fission byproducts over a much greater area than it would have if the graphite had not caught fire.

[Belgarath]

Okay, I know this won't be a global radiation thing, but how far is this likely to spread?  I mean how much of Japan could become a high infertility high leukemia zone?

Possibly the plant itself, I would bet not much more than that, if even that.

[Chew]

Worst case scenario would be if the core melts, melts through the reactor vessel, the concrete base cannot contain it all, and the containment building fails from the heat. Stuff (lead and sand) would be dumped on it to reduce the spread of the fallout. An exclusion area of probably around 10 km would need to be set up around the plant for the next couple of hundred years.

[♫♪ FX ♪♫]

     The plutonium fuel used in the one reactor means it's a lot longer than that.  But they certainly need to build a bigger tsunami wall.  Starting now.  There is no reason another tsunami won't be happening in the near future.

[Jeremy's Sea]

I guess I would have the same reaction if they reported they all died.   Time for some hero action.  But where are the heroes?

We should send in Steven Seagal.

That would kill two birds with one stone.

I'm so glad I read thru the thread before posting because I was going to say the exact same thing. Twins!

It's my understanding that the difference between the Japanese reactors and the Chernobyl reactor is that the reactors in Japan are inherently stable because of the water system and they just need to avert fission from occurring and the reactor at Chernobyl was inherently unstable because of the graphite type of management system.
I really hope they get this under control quickly, I would hate to see this kill off the nuclear industry. Though some applied lessons learned will be a very good thing!

[Shibboleth]

Every time they show the workers I am surprised that they aren't in white jump suits with white helmets. It's stupid because not once did I ever think that is what they actually wore.

[Chew]

It's my understanding that the difference between the Japanese reactors and the Chernobyl reactor is that the reactors in Japan are inherently stable because of the water system and they just need to avert fission from occurring and the reactor at Chernobyl was inherently unstable because of the graphite type of management system.
I really hope they get this under control quickly, I would hate to see this kill off the nuclear industry. Though some applied lessons learned will be a very good thing!

To be more accurate, the Chernobyl reactors are inherently unstable at low power. Of course, it helps to hasten a disaster if you bypass every single safety system that was installed. Ironically, it was during a test to make the Chernobyl plant safer when the accident happened. The reactor tried to scram itself several times during the test but the operators overrode the safety systems.

[♫♪ FX ♪♫]

       Now problems with other reactors at a different plant have been reported, and evacuation of that area is taking place.

    This shit just keeps getting worse.