Fukushima Cleanup Plan details

[Bonobo]

Here is a very detailed post about the continuing project of cleaning up Fukushima reactor #3.

http://ex-skf.blogspot.jp/2014/01/fukushima-i-npp-reactor-3-debris.html

From the 242-page document presented at the December 26, 2013 meeting of "Roadmap to Decommissioning" (pages 152-158):
(link to report: http://www.tepco.co.jp/nu/fukushima-np/roadmap/images/d131226_07-j.pdf)


The slide says:
In order to remove fuel assemblies from the Reactor 3 Spent Fuel Pool, removal of large-size debris in the Spent Fuel Pool started (December 17).

Reinforcing bars and deck plates that won't interfere with the Fuel Handling Machine [number 8 in the 3-D model] will be removed by the first half of February 2014.

The incident that caused the video camera to drop into the pool has been investigated and the countermeasures put in place.

The order of large-size debris removal:

0. Measures to prevent [additional] debris from falling into the pool (by covering with liners)
1. Remove reinforcing bars, deck plates (1->2->3) - Current work
2. Remove masts, trusses (4, 5, 6, 7)
3. Remove the Fuel Handling Machine (8)
4. Remove the end-track on the west side of the Fuel Handling Machine (4)
5. Remove debris from the cask area (10)



3-D debris map from a different angle, and the location of the video camera that dropped into the pool in November last year:



Kyodo News reminded readers on its 12/2/2013 article that there are 52 new (not irradiated) fuel assemblies and 514 spent fuel assemblies in the Reactor 3 spent fuel pool.

Kyodo also reports that two cranes will be used, and up to 11 monitoring cameras will be used. All the work will be done by remote-controlled vehicles and equipment. No information whether the human workers are to be posted near the work for further safety monitoring.

All of the MOX fuel that TEPCO had at the plant was in the reactor itself at the time of the accident.

[longship]

1. Information defuses speculation and fear mongering.

Thanks bonobo.

R&K

[WowSeriously]

2. So does disinformation. I don't trust the source of the documents, Tepco.

[Bonobo]

3. Yeah, probably better to rely on anonymous bloggers with no access to the site. nt

[WowSeriously]

4. Yeah, you're right. Tepco, like BP, definitely will keep us informed.

[MineralMan]

6. And your expertise on this disaster and cleanup derives from what,

exactly?

[WowSeriously]

8. I have no expertise on the cleanup.

Nobody does. And I'm not citing any expertise on cleanup. I'm simply relying on past behavior of large corporations and there reporting on cleanups of disasters of their own making.

What is your expertise?

[MineralMan]

9. I looked through the document linked to in the original post.

It demonstrates a great deal of planning and shows what a difficult situation it is that has to be dealt with. Who else do you suppose is going to perform this operation, and how are they going to do it until a plan is in place?

See, the thing is that I'm opposed to nuclear power generation, and have been since the 1960s. I've been involved in trying to stop plants from being built, and have even testified at public hearings on the matter. I don't like nuclear power generation one bit. But, many such plants have been built, and Fukushima is a huge disaster that now must be mitigated.

I'm not a nuclear engineer. I'm not a disaster mitigation specialist. However, I can read information on planning for such mitigation and understand it. In this case, if you actually bother to look at the actual information, you'll understand why this is such a complex issue. Can TEPCO do it successfully? I certainly hope so, because it must be done before another catastrophic earthquake makes it even more difficult.

You don't like TEPCO. I don't either. But I sure hope their planning and mitigation work goes well. You should, too.

[WowSeriously]

10. Doesn't matter what I hope. There had never been

Corporation that was involved in a disaster that came clean on the resolution of the disaster.

Bully for them they appear to have a plan. I'd like to see plans from experts outside the nuclear power industry. I'd like total transparency during the entire process.

They can start with streaming the feeds of their eleven cameras, and to come clean on the reports that the homeless in Japan are being recruited (kidnapped) for cleanup duty.

[MineralMan]

11. Somehow, I doubt that they will accommodate your demands.

[WowSeriously]

12. Of course not. No upside from their point of view.

[MineralMan]

13. That's probably true.

I can't think of an upside, either.

[MineralMan]

5. It looks like a great deal of planning was needed before

this could be undertaken. They appear to have done extensive 3-D mapping to help them in that planning. Thanks for posting this information. It's a daunting task that absolutely has to be done.

[spanone]

7. K&r...