Reactor No.2 Smoke Could Be Steam from Spent Fuel Pool or Explosion in Suppression Chamber

[Hissyspit]

Source: Reuters

Reuters: FLASH: Japan nuclear agency says reactor No.2 smoke could be steam from spent fuel pool or smoke from explosion in suppression chamber

No link yet.

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. And from CNN blog

<9:02 p.m. ET Thursday, 10:02 a.m. Friday in Tokyo> Japanese stocks open higher as the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and European Central Bank agree to join Japan to intervene in currency markets.

<8:49 p.m. ET Thursday, 9:49 a.m. Friday in Tokyo> Officials gave contradictory reports about the status of a new cable intended to restore power to reactor Unit No. 2 at the Fukushimi Daiichi nuclear power plant, which was damaged in the earthquake and tsunami has been emitting high levels of radiation. The International Atomic Energy Agency, citing Japanese authorities, said the power cord had reached the unit and that it would be connected once spraying of water on the No. 3 reactor building had been completed. But a spokesman for the Tokyo Electric Power Co., which owns the plant, told CNN the electrical line had not been connected, though officials hoped to get it connected by the end of the day Friday.

It was getting not worst...

[AtheistCrusader]

4. Didn't they specifically state the Suppression Pool was damaged in the

explosion on Tuesday? Specifically further, that it was Reactor 2?

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Four, but yes

[AtheistCrusader]

8. Suppression, not Storage.

Suppression pool is the torus around the base of the containment where pressure is managed.

Even worse because it doesn't appear that the suppression pool can be isolated from the containment. There doesn't seem to be a valve or baffle on any of the public schematics to isolate it.

On the upside, you could probably entomb the lower half of the reactor, sealing off any leak in the suppression pool, while still allowing access to the top of the primary containment for later fuel removal.

But for the moment, that reactor is essentially uncontained. (If the damage assessment is correct, nobody can get in there to see.)

[jimlup]

2. More catastrophy to follow...

I pray that they can get the water pumps restarted. It is portrayed as a glimmer of light, that it is a misrepresentation. It is the LAST HOPE remaining!

[greenman3610]

3. one problem

is when they spray water, it makes steam, steam carries radionuclides out of the plant, the rad count goes up, and the
workers have to retreat. It's a vicious cycle.

[4saken]

5. Steam or melting Mox

I think the steam is less dangerous than the smoke from the plutonium fuel melting.

[AtheistCrusader]

9. Far less, MOX or otherwise.

[Chris_Texas]

6. lol