Japan earthquake/tsunami

[nightfighter]

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

U know what is the scariest part. They are the most prepared country for this type of natural disaster in the world and they got their lunch handed to them. This happening off the west coast would be many times worse. Scary stuff.

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

my point exactly you can't be prepared for such devastation and the same situation elsewhere would probably result in even worse results. They plan for this and have exercise's on what to do when it happens and what to do after. Imagine how a place that has no plan would fair. 10 to 15 minutes I heard. Roads were clogged in some towns as they tried to flee and people on trains that are missing, 4 trains completely vanished,, never knew it was coming probably. The situation is the worst ever so the end result is going to be worst case I'd say. Nuclear plants were built to withstand an earthquake 5 times less than what they got so they screwed up big time there. I heard the ground was shaking so violently that you had to crawl as standing up was impossible.

Can you imagine what kind of meetings are going on at US nuclear plants and agencies? Going to be some massive new regulations coming out of this. Japanese will probably move future plants inland, away from coast and imminent tsunami threat. But they will still need a source of water. I believe they are on the coast to utilize the seawater to cool the cooling (fresh) water circulated in the reactors. The country has massive debt, even before this diaster. Yes, even more than the US, by a lot. Contingency plan for something like this could never have been considered. Heck, what have we done in light of Katrina? But if any of the three crippled plants' reactors meltdown........it's just going to be bad, real bad.

[JohnR]

Big difference between what is happening in Japan and say, Chernobyl.

Actual failure of the reactor core is unlikely:

You should read this: https://morgsatlarge.wordpress.com/2...lear-reactors/

[nightfighter]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Big difference between what is happening in Japan and say, Chernobyl.

Actual failure of the reactor core is unlikely:

You should read this: https://morgsatlarge.wordpress.com/2...lear-reactors/

I don't think we are getting enough info to really know, John. Just had a blast at Reactor #3. Hydrogen explosion that blew out the concrete exterior. And the experts say this is actually a good thing as it relieves the building pressure. It tells me that it is out of control....
Also a new tsunami warning just put up for 3 meter waves.....

[Nebe]

damn...

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Nebe

damn...

Man this footage is unreal !
At around 1 minute that what I'm guessing a 60ft boat sucked under the bridge is amazing !
Looks like a toy getting tossed around !
Looked like the 2nd bigger boat was about to get sucked under bridge and you can see cars driving over the bridge.

[JohnR]

4th reactor was reported down for service with 5 and 6 so hopefully this is just facility based and the reactor is supposedly offline.

Problems on 2 are reported to indicate a breach in the primary containment unit. This is bad. Not Chernobyl bad but worse than T.M.I. bad.

[JohnR]

From one of our carriers in Yokosuka (close to Tokyo, about 150mi SSW of the plant):

From the CO, Fleet Activities Yokosuka:

****** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE *******
.by Commander Fleet Activities Yokosuka on Monday, March 14, 2011 at 6:44pm.At approximately 0700 local (Japan) time, 15 March 2011, sensitive instrumentation on USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN 73) pier-side in Yokosuka, detected low levels of radioactivity from the Fukushima Dai-Ichi Nuclear Power Plant. While there is no danger to the public, Commander, Naval Forces Japan is recommending limited precautionary measures for personnel on Fleet Activities Yokosuka and Naval Air Facility Atsugi, including:

A. Limiting outdoor activities.

B. Securing external ventilation systems as much as practical.

These measures are strictly precautionary in nature. We do not expect that any United States Federal radiation exposure limits will be exceeded even if no precautionary measures are taken. We are continuing to analyze the situation and will update you as we learn more.

[PRBuzz]

Originally Posted by JohnR

4th reactor was reported down for service with 5 and 6 so hopefully this is just facility based and the reactor is supposedly offline.

Apparently it doesn't matter that reactors 4, 5, & 6 were off-line, they all still have fuel inside and are also overheating. ALL 6 REACTORS ARE IN JEOPARDY!!!

The Unit 4 reactor at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant caught fire earlier Tuesday and is believed to have caused a release of dangerous levels of radioactivity in the immediate area. Elevated radioactivity readings in surrounding regions were not high enough to pose a health threat, the government said.

Unit 4 was not operating at the time of the tsunami, but its backup power systems failed afterward, preventing cooling systems from working properly. Three reactors already have been wrecked by explosions and nuclear officials confirmed that temperatures in two other reactors that had been shut down for inspections were also rising.

The temperature of the water in the spent fuel storage pool for Unit 4 was 183 degrees Fahrenheit (84 degrees Celsius) on Monday, when it was last measured. No measurements have been available since then, Nishiyama said.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

I don't think we are getting enough info to really know, John. Just had a blast at Reactor #3. Hydrogen explosion that blew out the concrete exterior. And the experts say this is actually a good thing as it relieves the building pressure. It tells me that it is out of control....
Also a new tsunami warning just put up for 3 meter waves.....

Ross, read the link I posted. I'm no nuke but some of the nukes I've been following recommend that article as a pretty good primmer on whats happening.

Short version, none of the cores is going to go critical, they are all slowly cooling down. The 2 with the major issues now are being cooled with far from pure saltwater. The heat in the reactor, well short of creating fission and cooling, is still enough to separate the H2O into hydrogen and oxygen. When that is vented to the atmo/outer containment building (not pressure containment) that is what is exploding. The cores are still cooling down but are taking longer due to the tsunami and quake wiping out primary, secondary, and tertiary cooling systems.

[nightfighter]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Ross, read the link I posted. I'm no nuke but some of the nukes I've been following recommend that article as a pretty good primmer on whats happening.

Short version, none of the cores is going to go critical, they are all slowly cooling down. The 2 with the major issues now are being cooled with far from pure saltwater. The heat in the reactor, well short of creating fission and cooling, is still enough to separate the H2O into hydrogen and oxygen. When that is vented to the atmo/outer containment building (not pressure containment) that is what is exploding. The cores are still cooling down but are taking longer due to the tsunami and quake wiping out primary, secondary, and tertiary cooling systems.

I read it, John. Just not a believer. Another explosion just now in #2. Rods are exposed. I think a breach is possible, and that is, IMO, critical. No infrastructure to get whatever materials they need to fight this into place. I think they're screwed as far as keeping that plant under control. As I said, we are not getting the real story in realtime.

[striperman36]

NPR reported this morning no gas for firetrucks

[BigFish]

Not that the firetrucks can drive anywhere due to the debris everywhere!

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by nightfighter

I read it, John. Just not a believer. Another explosion just now in #2. Rods are exposed. I think a breach is possible, and that is, IMO, critical. No infrastructure to get whatever materials they need to fight this into place. I think they're screwed as far as keeping that plant under control. As I said, we are not getting the real story in realtime.

I understand, but it is not a Chernobyl-case type incident. It really sucks and it will really suck even more with the potential to greatly suck. But it is not Chernobyl. There is also a lot of significantly bad info out there...

[striperman36]

Just had another explosiion at #2 717pm