Japan: 9.0 Earthquake-Tsunami-Nuclear Reactor Status #4

[Quiche]

Spraying of water resumes at crisis-hit Fukushima nuke plant

Quote: The operation to cool the No. 4 reactor's spent-fuel pool began Sunday, while the No. 3 unit has so far been doused with over 3,700 tons of water since the unprecedented effort by Self-Defense Forces personnel, firefighters and others to lower the temperature in its fuel tank from outside its damaged building began Thursday.

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/79865.html

 

[not_my_kids]

No gases to be released from No. 3 reactor

Quote: The Tokyo Electric Power Company has decided against releasing gases from the overheating No. 3 reactor...

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20_23.html

Okay, that sort of confuses me. I know if they release gases, it's more radiation in the atmosphere, sort of the last thing they need right now. But, if they don't, doesn't that increase the explosion risk, which would put out a lot more radiation? I don't mean to sound doubtful, but I don't have much faith in their ability to bring it under control if it's already overheating. Just from past experience of the past couple weeks.

 

[Quiche]

Okay, that sort of confuses me. I know if they release gases, it's more radiation in the atmosphere, sort of the last thing they need right now. But, if they don't, doesn't that increase the explosion risk, which would put out a lot more radiation? I don't mean to sound doubtful, but I don't have much faith in their ability to bring it under control if it's already overheating. Just from past experience of the past couple weeks.

Yes, they are vacillating wildly on this point-- first it's a must release, then it's a wait a little, now it's a definitely not now. Idk, I think because it's the MOX fuel reactor the radiation will be really bad. Must be he!! for those men to carry out the corporate decisions.

 

[JBean]

summary table for all reactors

http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/tsunamiupdate01.html/

 

[Reannan]

No gases to be released from No. 3 reactor

Quote: The Tokyo Electric Power Company has decided against releasing gases from the overheating No. 3 reactor...

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/20_23.html

Well, that sounds like a good idea to me!! Geesh! Of course, I guess they are faced with the decision of intentionally releasing gas in a controlled manner vs. an explosion that releases gas in a violent manner! Hard choices.......

 

[PassTheMotrin]

I am so glad to hear that many of you are putting emergency kits together!

This link from FEMA gives a list of basics to include in your kit:

http://www.fema.gov/plan/prepare/basickit.shtm

This link has a section for kids:

http://www.ready.gov/

 

[hollyblue]

This is what I was talking about earlier...the separate facility (dry storage) located at this plant. This is located NE of the reactors and is practically on the shore and facing the ocean. It would have been hit before the reactors. This article is saying it had windows. Lawd have mercy........
NO ONE on any news media I've watched has mentioned this building. That tells me that no one is being honest about what the hey is really happening over there.

We’d be lucky if we only had to worry about the spent fuel rods from a single holding pool. We’re not that lucky. The Fukushima Daiichi plant has seven pools for spent fuel rods. Six of these are (or were) located at the top of six reactor buildings. One “common pool” is at ground level in a separate building. Each “reactor top” pool holds 3450 fuel rod assemblies. The common pool holds 6291 fuel rod assemblies. [The common pool has windows on one wall which were almost certainly destroyed by the tsunami.] Each assembly holds sixty-three fuel rods. This means the Fukushima Daiichi plant may contain over 600,000 spent fuel rods.”

http://therealnewsjournal.com/?p=6288

Here's link to the diagram of the plant and showing the dry storage area. I'll keep digging into this because a common pool does not sound like dry storage to me. Dry storage is for rods that have been cooled and are entombed within concrete, etc. So, theoretically, there would be many more rods that could be exposed.....the ones above the reactors, the common pool, and dry storage. ***Scroll down about an inch.

http://nfrcoalition.blogspot.com/

Found it.... PDF..page 9. (The are/(were) planning a huge storage facility to be built to hold rods from all their facilities by next year.)

http://www.nirs.org/reactorwatch/accidents/6-1_powerpoint.pdf

 

[dsntslp]

Smoke spews from two reactors at stricken Japanese nuclear plant
3-21-2011 7:07 am EDT

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/21/japan.nuclear.reactors/index.html?hpt=T2

Reactors 2 and 3.

 

[SuziQ]

State Department Gives Anti-Radiation Meds to Employees in Japan

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...nt-gives-anti-radiation-meds-employees-japan/

 

[Trino]

I can hardly read about this anymore.

I think I read temporary housing is being erected. I just hope relatives/friends living elsewhere help by taking in those who are in shelters. Where would you go if you lost your family, your house, your clothing, your job - just everything? How long will it take before you are able to get your life back together? Most likely, it will take years. This is incredible to think about.

 

[tehcloser]

Workers flee Japan nuclear plant as smoke rises

By ERIC TALMADGE and MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press


FUKUSHIMA, Japan (AP) -- Gray smoke rose from two reactor units Monday, temporarily stalling critical work to reconnect power lines and restore cooling systems to stabilize Japan's radiation-leaking nuclear complex.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-03-21-08-21-41

 

[Oriah]

I can hardly read about this anymore.

I think I read temporary housing is being erected. I just hope relatives/friends living elsewhere help by taking in those who are in shelters. Where would you go if you lost your family, your house, your clothing, your job - just everything? How long will it take before you are able to get your life back together? Most likely, it will take years. This is incredible to think about.

Temporary housing is coming into place:

http://www.businessweek.com/news/20...ensifies-as-fuel-arrives-roads-connected.html

And even more on the positive side- people who do not know one another at all, have come together to help each other, providing for one anothers basic needs as best they can. There is truly a sense of 'give as much as you can, and take as little as you need' going on.

I could not be more heartbroken for our Japanese neighbors- or more proud of how they are handling this disaster.

 

[hockeymom]

Workers flee Japan nuclear plant as smoke rises

By ERIC TALMADGE and MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press


FUKUSHIMA, Japan (AP) -- Gray smoke rose from two reactor units Monday, temporarily stalling critical work to reconnect power lines and restore cooling systems to stabilize Japan's radiation-leaking nuclear complex.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/storie...ME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-03-21-08-21-41

Because of Libya,Japn is like yesterdays news all of a sudden. They mention it,but not too much. This is bad news.

 

[Oriah]

Because of Libya,Japn is like yesterdays news all of a sudden. They mention it,but not too much. This is bad news.

It does seem like one disaster keeps replacing another.

A reality check indeed.
http://www2.starexponent.com/news/2011/mar/19/reality-check-ar-915634/

 

[Quiche]

Smoke spews from two reactors at stricken Japanese nuclear plant
3-21-2011 7:07 am EDT

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/21/japan.nuclear.reactors/index.html?hpt=T2

Reactors 2 and 3.

Also from your link--

Quote: On Monday, an official with Japan's nuclear and industrial safety agency told reporters that tests are expected to be conducted in the afternoon on how to use what he called a "concrete pump engine."

The engine would pump a mix of mortar and water into the reactor's spent nuclear fuel pool and containment vessel, the official said. The pool contains nuclear fuel rods that could give off radioactive material, if exposed and overheated, while the containment vessel is a steel and concrete shell that insulates radioactive material inside.


Okay, so this is smoke, and not steam? If so, then I'd venture to say it's the spent fuel rods on fire. This is an entirely different situation than the "venting" they were considering yesterday. Man, I guess it is time to entomb-- or maybe past time, if the radiation continues to rise. jmo

 

[Quiche]

Traces of radioactive substances detected in water in 9 prefectures

Quote: Trace amounts of radioactive substances were detected in tap water samples collected Sunday and Monday in nine prefectures but they were all below the intake limits set by the Nuclear Safety Commission, according to central and local governments.

Samples collected Sunday showed both radioactive iodine and cesium were found in Tochigi and Gunma, while iodine alone was found in Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Niigata and Yamanashi, showed a nationwide survey by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/2011/03/80001.html

 

[Quiche]

What the heck are they going to do with this?

http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/tl/photo.htm...AP / The Yomiuri Shimbun, Takehiko Kobayashi)


It's associated with this link, although there's not much of an explanation.

http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/servlet/an/l...ment-effort-110321/20110321/?hub=WinnipegHome

 

[tehcloser]

What the heck are they going to do with this?

http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/tl/photo.htm...AP / The Yomiuri Shimbun, Takehiko Kobayashi)


It's associated with this link, although there's not much of an explanation.

http://winnipeg.ctv.ca/servlet/an/l...ment-effort-110321/20110321/?hub=WinnipegHome

hmmm, that ought to keep the workers working? Kidding I think? :waitasec: What are they going to do with that?

 

[Quiche]

hmmm, that ought to keep the workers working? Kidding I think? :waitasec: What are they going to do with that?

Strange, isn't it? It's not like anyone is trying to bust in there. It must be important though, because those things aren't cheap-- it will be ruined, I'm sure.

 

[Peliman]

Not good news, I posted of the concrete pumpers the other night. What we still haven't heard was news on the extension cord and success of water pumps or not.

I really want to hear what some other countries are doing for Japan, every country should come together to be shipping food and water, necessary items to Japan. There needs to be a distribution network, an extensive one.

Every country needs to step up and lend support to Japans recovery.