EPTThis is why you need to cool down a nuclear plant even if it is stopped.
Crisis in Japan - Page 116
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Thread is about the various issues surrounding Japan in the aftermath of the recent earthquake. Don't bring the shit side of the internet to the thread, and post with the realization that this thread is very important, and very real, to your fellow members. Do not post speculative and unconfirmed news you saw on TV or anywhere else. Generally the more dramatic it sounds the less likely it's true. | ||
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Maggeus
France277 Posts
This is why you need to cool down a nuclear plant even if it is stopped. | ||
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Kadrix
21 Posts
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naim
41 Posts
On March 14 2011 23:21 Fawkes wrote: Could someone explain the crisis dealing with the possible meltdown? From what I am understanding that the plants are actually "offline" and not operating, which is why there hasn't been anything extremely serious. However why and how are they still overheating? Is there a concept about nuclear plants that I am missing? you can't just simple pull a plug and switch it off. Nuclear energy is the result of a chain reaction, this chain reaction is not activated any further (i refuse to use the word stopped), but still only slowly running out. Thus still producing energy (heat) and keeping itself alive. Sufficient cooling would reduce this heat and take away the energy, to make the whole reaction stop faster, but this is where its getting problematic... | ||
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Ropid
Germany3557 Posts
On March 14 2011 23:21 Fawkes wrote: Could someone explain the crisis dealing with the possible meltdown? From what I am understanding that the plants are actually "offline" and not operating, which is why there hasn't been anything extremely serious. However why and how are they still overheating? Is there a concept about nuclear plants that I am missing? The whole point of nuclear power plants is that fuel rods start heating each other up by themselves. The heat is used to boil water that drives turbines which produce electricity. "Offline" means that control rods are put between the fuel rods to slow down the particles of the radiation that is being emitted by the fuel rods. The reactor in "offline" mode still needs constant cooling and working pumps to keep the water moving. | ||
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FLu
Germany147 Posts
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Kadrix
21 Posts
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Rising_Phoenix
United States370 Posts
On March 15 2011 00:05 FLu wrote: I'm just wondering, what's the worst case scenario for this? Worst case is that all 6 reactors explode and leak a huge amount of radiation and then the wind spreads the radiation all over japan and also spreads it into the West Coast of the US. Basically forcing all of Japan to immigrate. | ||
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chaoser
United States5541 Posts
On March 15 2011 00:08 Rising_Phoenix wrote: Worst case is that all 6 reactors explode and leak a huge amount of radiation and then the wind spreads the radiation all over japan and also spreads it into the West Coast of the US. Basically forcing all of Japan to immigrate. Light Water Reactors can't explode even if there is overheating | ||
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helvete
Sweden276 Posts
On March 15 2011 00:08 Rising_Phoenix wrote: Worst case is that all 6 reactors explode and leak a huge amount of radiation and then the wind spreads the radiation all over japan and also spreads it into the West Coast of the US. Basically forcing all of Japan to immigrate. That's a very selfish worst case scenario. In an objective humanitarian worst case scenario the radiation spreads to korea/eastern china, affecting a LOT more people than if it were to spread over an entire ocean to affect western US days later. | ||
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Rising_Phoenix
United States370 Posts
On March 15 2011 00:14 helvete wrote: That's a very selfish worst case scenario. In an objective humanitarian worst case scenario the radiation spreads to korea/eastern china, affecting a LOT more people than if it were to spread over an entire ocean to affect western US days later. What I just remember reading a news report about the potential of radiation spreading to the west coast. I really wasn't giving a thought about eastern china and korea. | ||
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Rus_Brain
Russian Federation1893 Posts
15:17 DJ: Tepco: Closed Vent Suspected Factor In Falling Water Level - Kyodo ------------------------------ 15:16 DJ: Tepco: Daiichi No 2 Reactor Vent Closed For Some Reason - Kyodo ------------------------------ 15:05 DJ: Tepco: Daiichi No. 2 Reactor Fuel Rods Fully Exposed As Of 1400 GMT - Kyodo ------------------------------ 15:00 DJ: Japan Nuclear Agency: Fukushima Daiichi No. 2 Reactor Situation Improved Quite A Bit ------------------------------ 13:54 DJ: Japan Nuclear Agency: Much Heat Dispersed From Daiichi No. 1 Reactor Rods ------------------------------ 13:54 DJ: Japan Nuclear Agency: Daiichi No. 3 Reactor Rods Still Retaining Heat ------------------------------ 13:53 DJ: EU Energy Official: Japan Nuclear Accident "Changed World" ------------------------------ 13:23 DJ: Japan Nuclear Agency: Daiichi No. 2 Reactor Pressure Dropping As Of 1234 GMT ------------------------------ | ||
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Rus_Brain
Russian Federation1893 Posts
On March 15 2011 00:17 Rising_Phoenix wrote: Right now low area (cyclone) is moving east of Japan. Western part (Korea, China, Russia) is being covered by high area, which means a potential "cloud" [IF WOULD EVER HAPPEN!] will be blown away to pacific oceanWhat I just remember reading a news report about the potential of radiation spreading to the west coast. I really wasn't giving a thought about eastern china and korea. + Show Spoiler + ![[image loading]](http://imoc.co.jp/wxfax/asas_00.gif) | ||
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arbiter_md
Moldova1219 Posts
Isn't it easy to just evacuate all the radioactive materials from the area? In this case there shouldn't be any risk for nuclear explosion, and from the regular explosion there wouldn't be much radiation spread in the air. Am I getting something wrong? | ||
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tenacity
1587 Posts
it was very very informative. that guy is really speaking up. i appreciate his honesty! | ||
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NarutO
Germany18839 Posts
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Maggeus
France277 Posts
On March 15 2011 00:28 arbiter_md wrote: A nuclear explosion can not happen with a reactor. Those are two entirely different things. The risk is a regular explosion that could break the containment building. Radioactive materials are in the core of the reactor. You can't evacuate it with magic, it's radioactive, nobody ever comes near it in a plant. | ||
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Rus_Brain
Russian Federation1893 Posts
On March 15 2011 00:28 arbiter_md wrote: You cannot just put the nuke fuel off like gasoline from the carI don't understand, is the risk of nuclear explosion, or a risk of some regular explosion? Isn't it easy to just evacuate all the radioactive materials from the area? In this case there shouldn't be any risk for nuclear explosion, and from the regular explosion there wouldn't be much radiation spread in the air. Am I getting something wrong? | ||
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arbiter_md
Moldova1219 Posts
On March 15 2011 00:31 Maggeus wrote: Radioactive materials are in the core of the reactor. You can't evacuate it with magic, it's radioactive, nobody ever comes near it in a plant. So the risk is that "only" the radioactive material from inside the reactor could be spread? How much material could there be? Hopefully the radioactive materials from supplies have been evacuated from the area. | ||
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LetoAtreides82
United States1188 Posts
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Rus_Brain
Russian Federation1893 Posts
DJ: Tepco: Don't Know If Water Being Pumped Into Reactor Yet ------------------------------ 15:33 DJ: Japan Police: Quake, Tsunami Death Toll Now At 1,886, Missing At 2,369 As Of 1300 GMT ------------------------------ 15:27 DJ: Tepco: Daiichi No. 2 Reactor Emergency Vent Now Open ------------------------------ | ||
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