KyodoNEWS ADVISORY: BREAKING NEWS: Pressure successfully released from Fukushima No. 1 reactor

[FedUpWithIt All]

http://english.kyodonews.jp/news/

I hope this is true.

[DearAbby]

1. good news...

I'll take it, yes indeedy. To believe otherwise is unthinkable. I'll take it.

[wtmusic]

2. Releasing the pressure is the easy part

Preventing a core meltdown is the challenge.

[Chris_Texas]

3. I do not believe that this is accurate.

[wtmusic]

4. ok

[FedUpWithIt All]

5. It seems pretty clear that some melting has occured but the pressure relief...

should slow down the melt.

At least i believe that's what they're trying to accomplish.

[wtmusic]

6. How so?

The pressure is in the containment vessel, not the reactor core.

The serious danger from pressure buildup would be that the containment vessel could rupture.

[FedUpWithIt All]

7. I'm certainly no expert but i believe the pressure also aids core temp regulation.

Pressure is controlled in a pressurized water reactor to ensure that the core itself does not reach its boiling point in which the water will turn into steam and rapidly decrease the heat being transferred from the fuel to the moderator.

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

[wtmusic]

11. We're talking about two different environments.

The primary loop circulates water through the reactor core. The water is maintained at a temperature of 600°F, but doesn't boil because it's pressurized (the loop is sealed). If there's a leak, water quickly escapes and turns to steam. Without enough water in the core to modulate neutrons, the fuel rods heat up and can melt into a puddle at the bottom of the reactor vessel.

What's apparently happened is the earthquake has caused a leak in the primary loop. Some pressure has escaped into the outer containment vessel, a concrete room with walls 7ft thick. If this pressure is allowed to build sufficiently it can cause the containment vessel to rupture, resulting in an uncontrolled release of radiation into the environment.

Releasing pressure from the containment vessel is good and necessary thing, but really has no effect on what's going on in the core.

[FedUpWithIt All]

12. Thanks for the clear explanation.

:hi:

[wtmusic]

13. .

:hi:

[Cetacea]

8. State of Emergency issued as per CNN, 2 am

[upi402]

9. 2 nuke plants - state of emergency - need wind speed/direction map real time

:shrug: I must be fail...

[Tx4obama]

10. And check out the Al Jazeera Live Blog too - link below

http://blogs.aljazeera.net/live/asia/live-blog-japan-earthquake#update-10551

[FedUpWithIt All]

14. Thanks for the link Tx4obama

:hi: