Japan says no choice but to flood reactors

[highplainsdem]

Source: The Telegraph (Australia)

Japan says no choice but to flood reactors
March 29, 2011


JAPAN has no choice but to keep pouring water into reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant to limit a huge meltdown, the government said today, despite fears it could cause highly radioactive leaks.

"We need to avoid the fuel rods from heating up and drying up. Continuing the cooling is unavoidable ... We need to prioritize injecting water," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said.

-snip-

But as a consequence of this emergency measure, since Thursday radioactive water has been found in the basement of all four reactors' turbine buildings and in underground tunnels linked to them.

-snip-

"We are making utmost efforts to keep the fuel rods from heating up while using as little water as possible," Mr Edano said. "But fundamentally we are faced with a situation where we need to remove the water as quickly as possible."

-snip-

Read more: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/breaking-news/japan-says-no-choice-but-to-flood-reactors/story-e6freuyi-1226030189500

[ClarkUSA]

1. What a terribly hellish dilemma. But they are right. These workers are unbelievably brave.

[Selatius]

11. Those workers are doomed at this point, but most of them probably realize that.

The same was true of the plant workers at Chernobyl. Several hundred died before they were able to bury the ruined reactor at Chernobyl.

[midnight armadillo]

23. Actually it was 35.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deaths_due_to_the_Chernobyl_disaster

But let's not let facts intrude.

[redwitch]

35. From The Guardian:

But other reputable scientists researching the most radiation-contaminated areas of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine are not convinced. The International Agency for Research on Cancer, another UN agency, predicts 16,000 deaths from Chernobyl; an assessment by the Russian academy of sciences says there have been 60,000 deaths so far in Russia and an estimated 140,000 in Ukraine and Belarus.

[reformist2]

25. This isn't Soviet Russia. Why haven't they all quit?

[Snoutport]

31. there was an article out saying they use a lot of transient labor, let them get the yearly dose

then send them on their way. theyprobably die later on and nobody is the wiser

[grahamhgreen]

12. Send in the GE executives.

[Sherman A1]

19. I really really like this idea, but

they would simply get in the way of any progress. That said, I do believe they need to be on-site to "assist" with the effort and perhaps the design team as well.

[grahamhgreen]

32. They could collect the radioactive water in buckets and store in in the basement of their houses.

[Sherman A1]

33. Nice touch!

I like it......:evilgrin:

[grahamhgreen]

13. No nukes, period.

[closeupready]

30. +1000.

nt

[Kablooie]

2. God. What happens when these workers become too sick to continue.Who will volunteer to replace them?

[Sirveri]

3. I would if I spoke Japanese. Put that Navy education to good use.

Might as well do something with my life...

[Rowdyboy]

5. Enough of them speak English so that you could seriously consider it....

but that's not something I would consider lightly. There are many ways to use a navy eduction without dying from radioactive poisoning.

The people working there today are heroes. If you want to be one too and have some kind of background I'm sure they could find a use for you. Its grim but I guess what matters is where your head is.

[Sirveri]

6. I could always drive supplies in and out, seems like they're short on that.

Make sure they have their KI pills and some decent food.

[Rowdyboy]

7. If you got nothing to lose and are willing to say what the fuck......

But thats pretty big decision.

[Sirveri]

8. I've always been a fan of putting my money where my mouth is.

That and I don't think I'd die, they're still limited to only 250mSv.

[Rowdyboy]

9. Babe enough radiation over extended periods can get ANY of us....

Excuse my familiarity to someone I don't really know but I would take a lotta time making that decision.

[madokie]

21. You need help with that plane ticket?

I think in this case hand signals will suffice.

[Raschel]

4. "Despite the fears that it could cause highly radioactive leaks" How highly radioactive?

Anybody know? Are they going to be a little more specific for the Japanese people, for the world?

How will this affect the drinking water? The ocean? The air?

[Art_from_Ark]

10. According to this article, they are doing what they can to prevent leakage

into the ocean. But it's a big juggling act right now, because they need to clean up the contaminated water and keep the cooling water running at minimum levels. But if the level of the cooling water is too low, the reactor will become too hot.

http://news.goo.ne.jp/topstories/business/428/15dcec2d45e5ce540f94624e829e4e1e.html

[jtuck004]

14. "That work is proceeding in a dilemma."

I like Google translate, most of the time. I suspect you read Japanese, however.

Thanks for the link. It serves as a reminder that not only is this third hand stuff, but has to be translated.

Hope you are getting along ok.

[Art_from_Ark]

15. Google Translate can come up with some wacky translations of Japanese

The longer the sentence, the wackier it gets :)
There was one translation in particular that was so wacky, I had to take a screen shot of it. If I can find it, I'll post it. And yes, I can read Japanese.

I'm OK right now. All the research institutes around here that I've checked show data that indicate the radiation levels are not so bad (although they have been pretty high on a couple of days) :hi:

[jtuck004]

17. I was thinking more along the lines of electricity and gas.

Was reading a report about a third of the gas stations empty because about 60% of the fuel delivery was impacted (or destroyed), refinery fire, people unable to get to work, and of course the lack of power from the reactors. The report said the Northern part of the country most affected was cut off from the electrical of the South. One of the videos showed a large food distribution center was destroyed and groceries are short, even the lights not completely on in some of the stores. I wonder if Japanese make more trips to the store for fresh stuff than we do. That has to be a hard change.

In reading the statement above about trying to limit water use, I expect they were thinking they could get power back up to circulate water and cool the fuel, hard to do with tens of thousands of gallons pumping at you. But I think they underestimated the heat they were dealing with, and now have to deal with much more damage and release of radioactive contamination. Now everyone's freakin' out and trying to dump water on it, into tanks that may just be leaking it out the other side (kinda wish they had taken that attitude in the first place, but I am far away. Who knows?).

Pumping in seawater (or even fresh, if there is enough) to try and take the place of huge pumps that circulate water in a pressurized environment is pretty inadequate, better than nothing however. Almost certainly more localized radiation contamination than if they let it burn and let smoke carry it out. I was hoping this could be contained in a couple of months, now I am not so sure.

Take care!

[Art_from_Ark]

18. Electricity was shut off for a while

but now it's back on. Tepco was talking about rolling blackouts for us, but none yet. The mayor says to be prepared for them, just in case.

Water was cut off for a while, but it's back on, too.

There were gasoline shortages, especially in the first 10 days or so after the earthquake. There are still quite a few "24-hour stations" that are closed before noon, and some of the smaller stations haven't been able to get much gas at all. The price has also shot up quite a bit, from about 125 yen/liter before the earthquake, to 150 yen/per liter after. In terms of dollars per gallon, it's like going from $5.80/gallon to about $7.00/gallon.

Japanese do make more trips for fresh stuff than Americans do, on average. Around here, there is enough fresh produce available in the stores. Locally-grown produce isn't selling very well, though, because of radiation concerns. And all of the grocery stores I have been in are at half-lighting.

[clayton72]

16. I don't see any other news sources reporting this

And I really don't want it to be true. Just too sad if it is.

[PoliticAverse]

20. Few good options when dealing with "can't happen" nuclear events that actually happen. n/t

[Vinee]

22. The ending of this story is becoming increasingly clear and it doesn't look to be a happy one. nt

[sofa king]

24. I can't believe they're getting away with this bullshit.

They've pumped a zillion gallons of iodine-laced seawater through those reactors, which are clearly breached, and then they express surprise when radioactive water is found at the scene.

They're going to dump that water straight back into the sea, if they aren't already. And in a few weeks or months, they'll express surprise that a good portion of Japan's staple diet is irradiated.

If I were Japanese, I'd want the asses of the entire apparatus of government, business, and journalism. Because I'm an American who was screwed over by the exact same tactics from the exact same kind of apparatus.

[JJW]

26. Like BP oil spill

this just proves how corrupt and incompetent capitalism is. We need a new understanding of existence and how we determine and measure progress. We mortals really are in control of little or nothing.

[dotymed]

27. With Solar and Wind alternatives available,

it is unbelievable that Nuclear is considered "an option." Solar and Wind are not as easily profited from and therefore not worth the investment.
What an upside down, fucked up world.
Especially in America and the countries that worship at the altar of unfettered capitalism.

[AsahinaKimi]

28. Ganbareyo!

Nana Korobi ya Oki ~ななころびやおき~~ 頑張れ日本 !!

(Fall seven times, stand up eight)

[MineralMan]

29. Hobson's Choice.

Nuclear reactor issues often present such choices, none of which are good ones.

Nuclear power generation is not safe. It has never been safe, and cannot be made to be safe.

[ozone_man]

34. If there is a silver lining

I think renewables will benefit, though there is the risk that coal or oil may be turned to as well. But, that is the challenge, to educate about global warming and that fossil fuels are not the solution. Nuclear, with it's hazards, the extraction costs, storage costs for thousands of years, and terrorist potential, is not the answer either. The answer lies right in front of us, in the wind, the sun, and the waves.

[Art_from_Ark]

36. Speaking of waves

Japanese and other researchers have been conducting some promising research on wave-powered electric generation. For example,

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2008SPIE.6927E..36C