Massive Quake Hits NE Japan

[Docfeelgood]

Spent fuel pools are a liability. Right now, we estimate there are 60,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel stored beside U.S. nuclear reactors. If levels of water in a spent fuel pool drop, exposed fuel rods can heat up and temperatures can become high enough to ignite the zirconium cladding that encases the fuel rods.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/03/1...ex.html?hpt=C1

Disaster in the making?

[Docfeelgood]

The nuclear situation is complicated, the risks are grave and growing and events are moving too quickly for final judgments or conclusions.

I agree

[Asher]

DFG, you really need to chill out.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Ogie? would it be a good idea to say build nuke plants under ground or under water? I was thinking this last night as a way to make the plants safer. Could even put them inside a mountainside say like NORAD.

Russians were toying with the idea of modular reactors in the north sea tethered to shore via transmissionlines. Worst comes to worst you sink it no different then the nuke sub accidents that have already happened.


Putting it underground yields the same issues as we face today. If it gets out of containment you potentially have gorund water contamination. The steam we are seeing is not a big deal most of the radioacivity is gone within seconds as the half life of the constituent radioactive species is short. If the steam aerosols the melted fuel etc. its a bit more of a concern but the dispersion would be resumably fairly localized. regardless how this plays out the comparisons to chernobyl are not likely. In that instance the burning of the reactor to open air dispersed the contents in a way that is extremely unlikely here.

[Docfeelgood]

DFG, you really need to chill out.

What? my questions too hard? Is this not a PUBLIC forum for discussion or is it a private club for nerds only? I am a member and have been since AUG 1999. I will not chill out because you or anyone else want me to line up and take at face value what is said at this public forum as gospel truth. I have questions and if anyone can't answer my questions then keep your comments to yourself.

[Docfeelgood]

Russians were toying with the idea of modular reactors in the north sea tethered to shore via transmissionlines. Worst comes to worst you sink it no different then the nuke sub accidents that have already happened.


Putting it underground yields the same issues as we face today. If it gets out of containment you potentially have gorund water contamination. The steam we are seeing is not a big deal most of the radioacivity is gone within seconds as the half life of the constituent radioactive species is short. If the steam aerosols the melted fuel etc. its a bit more of a concern but the dispersion would be resumably fairly localized. regardless how this plays out the comparisons to chernobyl are not likely. In that instance the burning of the reactor to open air dispersed the contents in a way that is extremely unlikely here.

I did not think about ground water contamination.

[Asher]

What? my questions too hard? Is this not a PUBLIC forum for discussion or is it a private club for nerds only? I am a member and have been since AUG 1999. I will not chill out because you or anyone else want me to line up and take at face value what is said at this public forum as gospel truth. I have questions and if anyone can't answer my questions then keep your comments to yourself.

I'm giving you advice in general. You worry way too much about things that statistically will mean nothing to you -- H1N1, this quake, etc. You need to chill.

[KrazyHorse]

Why bother giving him advice? He's one of the dumbest posters on Poly

[germanos]

Russians were toying with the idea of modular reactors in the north sea tethered to shore via transmissionlines. Worst comes to worst you sink it no different then the nuke sub accidents that have already happened.

That doesn't sound reassuring .
Do you have any knowledge about the status of the old nuclear waste dumping grounds in the seas? Greenpeace and others (successfully) campaigned hard in the '80's to end those. I remember that the claims were that many vat's broke up and leaked. Has radiation dissipiated (?) and/or depleted through 'halve-time-value' (don't know the proper english word) or do they still continue to pollute the environment?

[Docfeelgood]

I'm giving you advice in general. You worry way too much about things that statistically will mean nothing to you -- H1N1, this quake, etc. You need to chill.

Look, I'm filed with a lot of sadness ( not fear ) because of these peoples plight. If posting is a way of making me feel better is that too much to ask? Nobody is reading my posts, people are just using that as a excuse to exploit there own hostility and stupidity.

[Docfeelgood]

Why bother giving him advice? He's one of the dumbest posters on Poly

example

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

That doesn't sound reassuring .
Do you have any knowledge about the status of the old nuclear waste dumping grounds in the seas? Greenpeace and others (successfully) campaigned hard in the '80's to end those. I remember that the claims were that many vat's broke up and leaked. Has radiation dissipiated (?) and/or depleted through 'halve-time-value' (don't know the proper english word) or do they still continue to pollute the environment?

The value of the proposition is that regardless of what happens to the containment of the radiaoctive species the materials are so dense and insoluble that they remain on the ocean floor. That being said it was simply a thought exercise.

[dannubis]

What? my questions too hard? Is this not a PUBLIC forum for discussion or is it a private club for nerds only? I am a member and have been since AUG 1999. I will not chill out because you or anyone else want me to line up and take at face value what is said at this public forum as gospel truth. I have questions and if anyone can't answer my questions then keep your comments to yourself.

I wish you would do the same.

It was funny in the beginning but right now your uninformed panic drivel is starting to get annoying.

Besides Ogie no one here has hands on experience but getting courses in fundamental physics does make you able to put these things in proper perspective. And with current information available there is no end of the world scenario feasible. If things gets worse and the reactors explode then you have a point but right now the situation appears to be contained to the direct viscinity of the plant.

[Docfeelgood]

I wish you would do the same.

It was funny in the beginning but right now your uninformed panic drivel is starting to get annoying.

Besides Ogie no one here has hands on experience but getting courses in fundamental physics does make you able to put these things in proper perspective. And with current information available there is no end of the world scenario feasible. If things gets worse and the reactors explode then you have a point but right now the situation appears to be contained to the direct viscinity of the plant.

I thank you and Asher for your concern. Due to what everyone is thinking this does not scare me.
I'm just trying to discuss a topic with people who choose to discuss with me. This public forum is here for that.
I am not going away or stop posting just to make the nerds happy.
As above.....
Look, I'm filed with a lot of sadness ( not fear ) because of these peoples plight. If posting is a way of making me feel better is that too much to ask? Nobody is reading my posts, people are just using that as a excuse to exploit there own hostility and stupidity.

[Docfeelgood]

This should make the nerds happy.....
I agree that nuclear power is a necessity.