4 to 8 inches of super strong steel

[LiberalEsto]

"(Reuters) - Japan is counting on four to eight inches of super strong steel to prevent the crisis at its stricken nuclear plant from becoming a radioactive disaster.

The steel containment vessel, 60 feet high and 16 feet wide, is the most critical line of defense protecting the outside world from the nuclear core. Most experts are confident the unit can hold, even in the event of a full-scale meltdown.

Still, the design has been tested only once: at the Three Mile accident in 1979. Conditions are far worse at the Fukushima plant on Japan's northeastern coast, rocked by a massive earthquake and tsnumani.

"Will the steel liner hold? That is the million dollar question," said Michael Marriott, head of Nuclear Information and Resource Service, an environmental group based in Takoma Park Maryland."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/14/us-japan-nuclear-analysis-idUSTRE72D8LM20110314

[ixion]

1. A few inches of steel is all that's left

gee, that's reassuring...:nuke:

[Poll_Blind]

2. If not, I'm hoping core-catcher for the win!

PB

[madokie]

3. In some things 8 inches may seem like a lot but this is not one of them

especially the 4 inch part. Under constant pressure and heat as this steel is it has to have fatigued some, lost some of it strength over time.

Have you noticed how for so long now we've been told that TMI was nothing, no big deal and now all of a sudden we're hearing that it was the opposite of that. I mean they're measuring this against TMI. We've been had and continue to be had as long as we keep on using nuclear power as the plants are designed today.
I worry and all I can do is :grouphug:

[FBaggins]

5. Since you mentionedTMI

Remember that a portion of that core pooled onto a thick steel surface as well.

IIRC, it burned through about half and inch of that steel when all was said and done.

Obviously, there are loads of variables and this is a different design and a much older reactor (so all your comments apply)... but is by no means certain that it will burn through.

I mean they're measuring this against TMI.

It's a relevant comparison. It sounds like this one reactor just got to about the TMI level.

I earlier (mistakenly) speculated that the combined event should be rated at about the same level (saying that 2-3 fours must be equal to a five. I have forgotten that the 7-point scale was a pseudo-log scale. Where a five is roughly equal to ten times the level of a four.

[SpoonFed]

7. Well past TMI now...

No 4. experiencing a fire.
No 2. has experienced an explosion of unknown detail.

PM was on TV about an hour ago asking for calm and
a total evacuation of 20-30km radius, including plant personnel.

50 workers are apparently sacrificing their safety to
attempt to continue cooling.

I guess there is still Nothing To Worry About<tm>.
I'd laugh at you but the circumstances are disgusting.

[LiberalEsto]

8. And Unit 4 is one of the ones that was shut down

and supposedly cold. Heaven knows what's going on in there.

[Gregorian]

6. "Fatigue" is probably not something that steel has undergone.

But that may not mean much. I don't know the circumstances. Fatigue of steel is measured in cycles at given stresses. Without knowing the situation it's impossible to even guess what's going on.

It's funny that decades ago I remember my father telling me that if you switch the first two letters of nuclear you get the truth.

[LiberalEsto]

9. It's some kind of special steel

It's supposed to be "super strong", so it's possible that it can withstand a great deal more pressure and heat than ordinary steel.

At least one can hope so.

[midnight]

4. I'm going to hope the luck of the Irish and all that is magical to start kicking in....

Sending lots and lots of good thoughts their way,.....