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Explosion at Japanese nuclear plant

Discussion in 'General' started by RichB, Mar 12, 2011.

  1. RichB

    RichB Well-Known Member

    One of the nuclear plants in japan affected by the quake had an explosion a few minutes ago. No details yet but appears worse than media reporting, the scale probably admitted to only because the explosion was caught on video pardon my skepticism. 20km radius evac zone I just heard. I'm not a scientist but it looked like something under pressure popped pretty badly, like a reactor vessel. the visible pressure wave prior to the explosion/cloud was decent. fingers crossed for all.
     
  2. Fuzzy317

    Fuzzy317 a Crash Truck near you

    story of the explosion is on CNN already
     
  3. 2Fer

    2Fer Is good

    Video and story on fox news right now
     
  4. Chumbucket

    Chumbucket Well-Known Member

    Keeeee-ripes...

    This is nuts:

    "The powerful earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami Friday appears to have moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet (2.4 meters) and shifted the Earth on its axis."

    I'm not sure the term "earthquake" adequately sums up any force that shifts the Earth on its axis, we're a cosmic knuckleball...

    "Reports from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology in Italy estimated the 8.9-magnitude quake shifted the planet on its axis by nearly 4 inches (10 centimeters)."

    http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/12/japan.earthquake.tsunami.earth/index.html
     
  5. got40

    got40 On hiatus...

    News saids reactors not damaged is the preliminary report.
     
  6. BigBird

    BigBird blah

    Hope the motorcycles are ok....and the people too.
     
  7. Motofun352

    Motofun352 Well-Known Member

    This is apparently quite an explosion. Not nuclear in nature, rather chemical or steam...still very large. It appears to have damaged the secondary containment structure, otherwise known as the reactor building. This is the structure that surrounds the primary containment which in turn surrounds the reactor and other primary reactor systems. The secondary containment contains the emergency core cooling systems, the multiple trains of safety systems, etc. If I had to guess, I'd say this was a chemical explosion just because there should not be enough steam in the secondary containment systems to generate that much energy.
    They are also reporting that radiation levels are dropping and that IF a worker was to be exposed to the radiation for a whole work year...ie 2000 hours he would receive 3 times the NRC allowable for a worker in the US....This equates to 15 REM divided by 2000 hrs or 7.5 millirem per hour. My numbers are VERY approximate but still 7.5 millirem per hour is NOT a great deal of dose so I'm believing that the core is intact and contained. They should be relieving the decay heat from the core to the suppression pool within the primary containment and this water may be the source of the radiation they are discussing.
     
  8. Quicktoy

    Quicktoy Is it Winter yet?

    That's crazy. It shifted Japan and the Earth on it's Axis? Any Conspiracy theorists like myself thinking 2012???? Glad I'm stock piling Gun Powder, Bullets, cases and primers for reloading
     
  9. Mongo

    Mongo Administrator

    Nothing new there. Big quakes move the planet.
     
  10. Resident Plarp

    Resident Plarp drittsekkmanufacturing.com

    The recent big quake in Chile moved the Earth's axis as well.
     
  11. SGVRider

    SGVRider Well-Known Member

    It just shows how piddling and insignificant a species we are compared to the power of nature. That's just the power of geological forces, let alone astronomical. I wonder what was the total energy released from that quake. I'd wager it was many orders of magnitude larger than the combined force of the world's nuclear arsenal.

    EDIT: I was bored so I figured it out. An 8.8 magnitude is the energy equivalent of 2 million Hiroshima bombs. That works out to an 8.9 being the equivalent of about 36,500 megatons.
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2011
  12. tzrider

    tzrider CZrider

    Wow, after Chile, New Zealand and now Japan, ...I'd be worried in Ca.
     
  13. 418

    418 Expert #59

    Wow.
     
  14. corsameltin

    corsameltin Well-Known Member

    I wouldnt be trusting what the government reports. I see a reactor blow like that I am long gone. What are they supposed to say? The core is exposed and melting down but dont panic and try to leave the island.
     
  15. Motofun352

    Motofun352 Well-Known Member

    A lack of knowledge leaves you exposed to either trusting the government or distrusting them...either position is based on an emotional response and hardly satisfactory.....Oh by the way, I distrust government too....:eek:
     
  16. caferace

    caferace No.

    CNN is reporting (breaking news) Fukushima reactor four could be melting down...

    -jim
     
  17. corsameltin

    corsameltin Well-Known Member

    Without power to the cooling systems there is a risk that they all could meltdown. They detected high levels of cesium which only happens when the rods are exposed. Lets hope it doesnt drift over any population centers if it does meltdown
     
  18. TheRedBaron

    TheRedBaron Well-Known Member

  19. RubberChicken

    RubberChicken PimpMasterT

    It's OK, chuck Norris blew it out like a birthday candle. Then he made a wish.
     
  20. Steeltoe

    Steeltoe What's my move?

    Via Correspondant Michael Yon (Currently in Afghanistan but about to head to Japan) I think the last statement is good advice in any case.

    http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11031222-e.html

    Press Release (Mar 12,2011)
    Impact to TEPCO's Facilities due to Miyagiken-Oki Earthquake (as of 3PM)


    Below is major impact to TEPCO's facilities due to the Miyagiken-Oki
    Earthquake that occurred yesterday at 2:46PM.
    *new items are underlined

    [Nuclear Power Station]
    Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station:
    Units 1 to 3: shutdown due to earthquake
    Units 4 to 6: outage due to regular inspection
    * The national government has instructed evacuation for those local
    residents within 10km radius of the periphery.
    * Measurement of radioactive material (Iodine, etc.) by monitoring car
    indicates increasing value compared to normal level. One of the
    monitoring posts is also indicating higher than normal level. We will
    continue monitoring discharge of radioactive material from exhaust stack
    and discharge canal, etc.
    * Reactor of Unit 1 has been shut down and steam in reactor has been
    cooled by isolation condenser, but it is now stopped. Because pressure
    level in reactor containment vessel is increasing, following the national
    government instruction, we have done the measure to reduce the pressure of
    the reactor containment vessels in order to fully secure safety and we
    understand that we have succeeded it at 2:30PM.
    At present, reactor water level is becoming lower and we are injecting
    water accordingly.
    * Reactor of Unit 2 has been shut down and we continue injecting water by
    Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System. Current reactor water level is
    lower than normal level, but the water level is steady. Following the
    national government instruction, we are preparing to implement a measure
    to reduce the pressure of the reactor containment vessels in order to
    fully secure safety.
    * Reactor of Unit 3 has been shut down and we continue injecting water by
    Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System. Following the national government
    instruction, we are preparing to implement a measure to reduce the
    pressure of the reactor containment vessels in order to fully secure
    safety.
    * We are implementing a measure to reduce the pressure of the reactor
    containment vessels, but, one of our employees working in the Unit 1 was
    irradiated at over 100mSv level(106.3mSv). He received a medical treatment
    by a special physician.

    Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station:
    Units 1 to 4: shutdown due to earthquake
    * The national government has instructed evacuation for those local
    residents within 3km radius of the periphery and indoor standby for those
    local residents between 3km and 10km radius of the periphery.
    * At present, we have decided to prepare implementing measures to reduce
    the pressure of the reactor containment vessel (partial discharge of air
    containing radioactive materials) in order to fully secure safety.
    These measures are considered to be implemented in Units 1, 2 and 3 and
    accordingly, we have reported and/or noticed the government agencies
    concerned.
    * Unit 3 has been stopped and being "nuclear reactor cooling hot stop" at
    12:15PM.

    Kashiwazaki Kariwa Nuclear Power Station:
    Units 1, 5, 6, 7: normal operation
    Units 2 to 4: outage due to regular inspection

    [Thermal Power Station]
    Hirono Thermal Power Station Units 2 and 4: shutdown due to earthquake
    Hitachinaka Thermal Power Station Unit 1: shutdown due to earthquake
    Kashima Thermal Power Station Units 2, 3, 5, 6: shutdown due to earthquake
    Ohi Thermal Power Station Units 2, 3: shutdown due to earthquake
    Higashi-Ohgishima Thermal Power Station Unit 1: shutdown due to earthquake

    [Hydro Power Station]
    4 stations in Fukushima Prefecture were shutdown due to earthquake.
    Power stations in Yamanashi Prefecture have been restored.

    [Transmission System, etc.]
    5 substations shown below have been shutdown:
    - Naka Substation
    - Shin Motegi Substation
    - Joban Substation
    - Ibaraki Substation
    - Nishi Mito Substation

    [Blackout in TEPCO's Service Area]
    Total of about 0.6 million households are out of power.
    Tokyo: 0
    Kanagawa Pref.: 0
    Tochigi Pref.: 30,389
    Chiba Pref.: 36,456
    Saitama Pref: 0
    Gunma Pref.: 0
    Ibaraki Pref: 537,288
    Yamanashi Pref: 0
    Shizuoka Pref: 0 (east of Fuji River)

    [Supply and Demand Status within TEPCO's Service Area to Secure Stable
    Power Supply]
    Backup supply from Shinshinano Conversion Station: 600MW
    Backup supply from Sakuma Conversion Station: 300MW
    Backup supply from Higashi Shimizu Conversion Station: 100MW

    Because TEPCO's facilities have been seriously damaged, power shortage
    may occur. TEPCO appreciates customers' cooperation in reducing
    electricity usage by avoiding using unnecessary lighting and electrical
    equipment.

    We are taking all measures to restore power, however, we expect extremely
    difficult situation in power supply for tomorrow as well.
    We kindly ask our customers to cooperate with us in reducing usage of
    power.

    Please do NOT touch cut-off electric wires.
     

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