TEPCO filling containment vessels; experts raise doubts

[FourScore]

TEPCO filling containment vessels; experts raise doubts
2011/04/26

Tokyo Electric Power Co. started the unprecedented and potentially risky measure of allowing water to flood the containment vessels of three troubled reactors at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, company sources said.

It is the world's first attempt to saturate the entire containment vessel with water with the aim of cooling the pressure vessels inside the containment vessels and ultimately the reactor cores themselves.

So far, TEPCO has been injecting water into the pressure vessels at the No. 1 through No. 3 reactors. Under the new plan, TEPCO will allow the water to overflow from the pressure vessels through valves and ruptured pipes until the water fills the outer containment vessels...

SNIP

...Industry specialists have raised doubts about the effects and safety of TEPCO's new operation.

Since the concrete-made building of the No. 1 reactor may have been weakened by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami as well as aftershocks, it might not be able to bear the weight of the water, which will reach up to 7,400 tons. TEPCO said it is re-calculating the structural strength of the building...


http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104250125.html

[flamingdem]

1. egads

they are soo desperate

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[99th_Monkey]

3. The fact that TEPCO is still even in the picture

.. other than as secondary advisers, is apalling and scandelous.

Is this where all of our worshiping ceaselessly at the alter of "Private Ownership" has brought us?

Gawd forbid. Gawd have mercy.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. They do realize that these things

MIGHT have been damaged by the quake and explosions and... that water does put REAL pressure right?

Yes, this is like physics 101

Here, for those interested.

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/pflu.html

[Paradoxical]

6. I think they understand the concept of pressure.

I'm now starting to realize that you cannot discuss this topic without being condescending.

[FourScore]

7. I don't think nadin is being condescending.

If they understand it the concept of pressure, then why are they doing it? Perhaps they know as well as we do that this is a terrible idea, but maybe it's the only one they have left. In other words, it's an act of desperation. That's not good.

[lonestarnot]

5. Fucking A! BPers now playing with radiation.

[suffragette]

8. Looks very problematic

http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104250125.html

Keiji Miyazaki, professor emeritus of nuclear reactor engineering at Osaka University, said that filling the containment vessel with water would cool the pressure vessel from the bottom, which would likely prevent it from being destroyed by melting fuel.

However, he added that the method is not an effective way to cool the fuel rods.


Also, from the article, they suspect 2 and 3 are still leaking. That's been going on how long now? Any updates on groundwater testing there?

Well. here's an update on the ground, though not groundwater:


High radiation levels detected at Fukushima grounds a month after explosions
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201104250130.html
2011/04/26
High levels of radiation were detected on the grounds of the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant one month after hydrogen explosions spewed radioactive materials, according to Tokyo Electric Power Co.

The findings were shown in a map depicting radiation levels that TEPCO released for the first time on April 24.

Radiation levels in the air around the No. 1 and No. 3 reactor buildings were especially high, mainly because the hydrogen explosions damaged the buildings and spread radioactive materials.



I notice they refer to the piles of rubble starting to be removed, though no mention is made of radioactive materials that were reported earlier to be bulldozed on the grounds.