Japanese reactor crisis

Martina · 03-19-2011, 02:19 AM

Questions for our science geek:

So are 5 and 6 getting water circulation by way of generator power? i just read that the generators are configured to do that. i am confused.

i also read that TEPCO said not to be optimistic about the pumps working in 2. Then there is 4, which is leaking. And there is no more likelihood that the pumps will be working in1, 3 and 4.

If they are indeep pumping, does the fact that the pumps are working in 5 and 6 mean anything re the other units? i feel like i am doing a close reading of all this and am still not getting it. Some of it is the science, some of it is the fact that there is so much confusion, and some of it is obviously the rotten communication coming from TEPCO and the Japanese government. Even the journalism is weak. i can't see why there isn't some story laying out the possible scenarios. Is it that people just don't know?

So i finally found mention of what would happen if the cooling systems are not functional. People would have to go in and fix or replace them. Is that doable without it being a suicide mission?

i don't understand why unit 4 has a 4 rating while 1, 2, and 3 have a 5. Is it because 4 was shut down before the earthquake hit so there is no fuel in the reactor? It seems like the fact that the unit 4's pool is leaking poses a more immediate danger. i read that if those fuel pellets fall in a heap, fission could resume and that pure water can accelerate fission. i read that the reason they are concentrating on 2 is the radioactive steam that keeps coming out, but at least that means there is water in there. Clearly the pool at 4 may have next to no water inside it. How long can that go on without stuff happening?

So again this is something i have pieced together -- and i am so annoyed that i keep having to do this -- but the mox in some of the spent fuel rods in unit 3 is not a problem because plutonium is so heavy that it is unlikely to disperse in the air and because it won't aggregate enough to explode?

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03-19-2011, 02:19 AM	#18
Martina Senior Member How Do You Identify?: * Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: * Posts: 4,999 My Photo Gallery Thanks: 13,409 Thanked 18,285 Times in 4,167 Posts Rep Power: 21474854	Questions for our science geek: So are 5 and 6 getting water circulation by way of generator power? i just read that the generators are configured to do that. i am confused. i also read that TEPCO said not to be optimistic about the pumps working in 2. Then there is 4, which is leaking. And there is no more likelihood that the pumps will be working in1, 3 and 4. If they are indeep pumping, does the fact that the pumps are working in 5 and 6 mean anything re the other units? i feel like i am doing a close reading of all this and am still not getting it. Some of it is the science, some of it is the fact that there is so much confusion, and some of it is obviously the rotten communication coming from TEPCO and the Japanese government. Even the journalism is weak. i can't see why there isn't some story laying out the possible scenarios. Is it that people just don't know? So i finally found mention of what would happen if the cooling systems are not functional. People would have to go in and fix or replace them. Is that doable without it being a suicide mission? i don't understand why unit 4 has a 4 rating while 1, 2, and 3 have a 5. Is it because 4 was shut down before the earthquake hit so there is no fuel in the reactor? It seems like the fact that the unit 4's pool is leaking poses a more immediate danger. i read that if those fuel pellets fall in a heap, fission could resume and that pure water can accelerate fission. i read that the reason they are concentrating on 2 is the radioactive steam that keeps coming out, but at least that means there is water in there. Clearly the pool at 4 may have next to no water inside it. How long can that go on without stuff happening? So again this is something i have pieced together -- and i am so annoyed that i keep having to do this -- but the mox in some of the spent fuel rods in unit 3 is not a problem because plutonium is so heavy that it is unlikely to disperse in the air and because it won't aggregate enough to explode?