From Business Insider: Nightmare Scenario

[TomClash]

Update: 4:29 PM ET: Anti-nuclear expert Kevin Kamp explains the nightmare scenario in Fukushma, via Forbes and the Institute for Public Accuracy:
“The electrical grid is down. The emergency diesel generators have been damaged. The multi-reactor Fukushima atomic power plant is now relying on battery power, which will only last around eight hours. The danger is, the very thermally hot reactor cores at the plant must be continuously cooled for 24 to 48 hours. Without any electricity, the pumps won’t be able to pump water through the hot reactor cores to cool them. Once electricity is lost, the irradiated nuclear fuel could begin to melt down. If the containment systems fail, a catastrophic radioactivity release to the environment could occur.
“In addition to the reactor cores, the storage pool for highly radioactive irradiated nuclear fuel is also at risk. The pool cooling water must be continuously circulated. Without circulation, the still thermally hot irradiated nuclear fuel in the storage pools will begin to boil off the cooling water. Within a day or two, the pool’s water could completely boil away. Without cooling water, the irradiated nuclear fuel could spontaneously combust in an exothermic reaction. Since the storage pools are not located within containment, a catastrophic radioactivity release to the environment could occur. Up to 100 percent of the volatile radioactive Cesium-137 content of the pools could go up in flames and smoke, to blow downwind over large distances. Given the large quantity of irradiated nuclear fuel in the pool, the radioactivity release could be worse than the Chernobyl nuclear reactor catastrophe of 25 years ago.”
Meanwhile, Kyodo is reporting that local radiation levels are 8 times more than normal.


Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/fukushima-nuclear-plant-2011-3#ixzz1GKXFy4Kh

Kyodo is now reporting radiation is 1000x normal.

[bluestateguy]

1. That's a lot of engineering jargon

A little help please for those of us who've never so much as taken a college class in this subject.

I managed to avoid physical sciences for my gen eds.

[TomClash]

5. The nuclear core in the reactor is too hot

and they haven't been able to cool it down using the back-up diesel or battery power to power the pumps.

[Recursion]

Delete

Odd.

[Recursion]

8. The fuel gets very hot so that it boils water to make steam to make power

But if you can't keep water flowing over it the fuel will basically explode.

Note that the water itself isn't coming out radioactive (just very hot), but if the fuel gets too hot the explosion could conceivably leave a lot of radioactive material everywhere.

[rhett o rick]

13. Not saying there isnt a problem but this article is a lot of mumbo jumbo and not engineering jargon.

We need to know what the emergency systems are. Usually there are numerous back ups. First I am sure that this is the number one priority for fixing the electrical grid. Second, what's the matter with the diesel generators? How long to fix? Third are there alternate water supplies that dont need to be pumped? Like city water? Also, how long of time do you have after shut down before core temperatures are a problem? And I believe that most plants have methods of killing the core.

Reports of high radiation is suspicious. Radiation levels wouldnt get high from shutting the plant down.

This story wasnt written by an engineer.

[yourout]

2. This is why liquid fluoride thorium reactor(LFTR) is the future of nuclear power.

With LFTRs a meltdown is virtually impossible.

[closeupready]

6. OMG, give it a rest.

:eyes:

[Zorra]

12. Nuke-Away works much better.

But we don't have it on this planet yet.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

3. Double the official report of levels...

...just to be super-conservative.

[Scurrilous]

4. Thanks.

K & R :thumbsup:

[drm604]

7. Not good.

Who the hell designs a system that is meant to prevent that kind of absolute catastrophe and makes it dependent on a continuing supply of electricity and intact pipes? Especially on an island in an earthquake and tsunami prone region? :banghead:

[LiberalEsto]

11. People

Unfortunately, humans are fallible.
That should teach us not to fuck with stuff that's this dangerous.

[coyote]

9. Evacuation zone increased....

2131: Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan has just announced that residents living within 10km (6.2 miles) of the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear station must evacuate their homes, according to the Kyodo news agency. Engineers are trying to fix the cooling system of one of the plant's reactors, which was damaged by the earthquake. The authorities had earlier told some 3,000 residents living within 3km (1.9 miles) to leave.

BBC twitter.

[Zorra]

10. Not to worry. "They" have told us that nuclear power is clean power

and we need to build more nuclear reactors in order to fill our energy needs.

So don't worry;:) it's safe, everything is fine! Nothing to see here.

[Hannah Bell]

14. kr

[hootinholler]

15. Cue Blue Oyster Cult

Oh NO! There goes Tokyo!...

-Hoot