Capt Worley PE
Run silent, run deep
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Are the Japanese Nuclear plants melting down?
- Thread starter Capt Worley PE
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wilheldp_PE
PE, LEED AP, SPAM KING
She better ship them some pneumatic fluid too.
D
Dexman PE
Blinker fluid?
Capt Worley PE
Run silent, run deep
She's still trying to find a gallon of prop wash.
I don't know how many would get this one, but I think the prop wash is next to the "red chit oil"
snickerd3
Taking suggestions
Capt Worley PE
Run silent, run deep
me too.
FusionWhite
Epee ~)----- Fencer
Im no expert in nuclear power plants, but a couple guys here at the office come from nuclear backgrounds and said there could be a couple of problems. One is the reactor core is no longer pressurized and no longer circulating the coolant which is causing the water in the core to boil. As the water boils off the core becomes exposed and melts. The other problem could be that the secondary (the steam generating) loop is not circulating water and thus not cooling the primary coolant.
As the primary coolant boils away in theory they could simply dump more water in, but if there coolant pumps are not functioning then its only a matter of time before they boil away all the water in the core. The guy here at the office said the "coolant" we may have shipped them may be some sort of neutron moderator (heavy water or boric acid are often used) which would both cool the core and slow down the generation of heat in the core by absorbing neutrons that keep the fission reaction going.
Again, thats second hand information from a couple of former nuclear guys in my office, Im by no means familiar enough with nuclear power plant operation to say if they're right or wrong so please feel free to call bullshit or chime in otherwise.
As the primary coolant boils away in theory they could simply dump more water in, but if there coolant pumps are not functioning then its only a matter of time before they boil away all the water in the core. The guy here at the office said the "coolant" we may have shipped them may be some sort of neutron moderator (heavy water or boric acid are often used) which would both cool the core and slow down the generation of heat in the core by absorbing neutrons that keep the fission reaction going.
Again, thats second hand information from a couple of former nuclear guys in my office, Im by no means familiar enough with nuclear power plant operation to say if they're right or wrong so please feel free to call bullshit or chime in otherwise.
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Flyer_PE
Jr. PE / Sr. Company Pilot
What they are describing is a Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA). All of those systems are both electrically and mechanically redundant. One of the things I'm not sure of is whether they have the boron injection systems that we have here. Basically, for boiling water reactors, there's a tank of boric acid isolated from the reactor by squib valves. If the rods don't go in, blow the valves and start the positive displacement pumps. Then call the concrete tucks because you just trashed the unit.
The thing is, they have an ocean right there and if you're desperate to cool a core, you stop caring about water chemistry pretty damn quick.
The thing is, they have an ocean right there and if you're desperate to cool a core, you stop caring about water chemistry pretty damn quick.
engineergurl
Resident Sweet Cheeks
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I brain dumped a lot of my nuclear knowledge as I crossed the brow of my submarine for the last time, but that's pretty accurate. I spent a lot of time shutdown/cooldown and we operated the plant like this a lot when we were in the shipyards getting overhauled. I just dont see what kind of "coolant" they'd be using that needed the Air Force to bring in unless it's a non water based reactor (ie. liquid sodium).
engineergurl
Resident Sweet Cheeks
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Flyer_PE
Jr. PE / Sr. Company Pilot
I just did a little reading and it appears that two of the nuclear units over there are in a real-deal Station Blackout (All Diesels failed - all you got is batteries). The stations are designed to withstand that but they will likely be venting some contaminated steam. The risk of a melt-down is minimal but that won't stop the media from screaming it from the roof-tops. The article I read indicated they are trying to get portable diesels in place for temporary power.
wilheldp_PE
PE, LEED AP, SPAM KING
Can somebody tell me how a damned nuclear power plant can be cut off from electricity? It MAKES electricity. Why didn't they use the diesels to run the water pumps and fire the reactors back up to produce more energy?
