Tell me spent fuel isn't stored on the 4th floor of US Mk 1 reactors.

[denem]

Please.

[Skip_In_Boulder]

1. See Thom Hartman Interview of Paul Gunter here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x563757

It looks like all of those models of reactors have a spent rod pool on the top of them.

[BeFree]

2. It is in Japan

Makes it easy to replace the core's rods.

See this Junkdrawer thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=656766&mesg_id=656766

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. According to the guy on Thom Harmann's show, they are.

All 6 of the reactors.
4 of which had explosions and 2 of which are now boiling off the spent fuel pools on the reactors.

He said " We are looking at a"Global Contamination".

[TheWraith]

4. Spent fuel in the US is stored either in cooling ponds under 20 feet of water...

...or in "dry cask storage" once they've cooled off, which is essentially a steel and concrete canister.

[denem]

5. are they in the reactor enclosure?

[Statistical]

7. no they are outside primary containment and inside secondary containment.

Secondary containment is the building that exploded in reactors #1 and #3, and two gaping holes were ripped in reactor #4.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Pic:

[denem]

11. Yes I know.

Can they be moved out of that location, to purpose built pool on site. Does anyone do that?

[Statistical]

13. There is a pool on the site.

Eventually they can and will be moved but if they don't get them cool it won't really matter. Moving fuel rods isn't something you can do half assed. It will require extensive equipment, cranes, remote operated machinery, and shielding. Likely will take 60-90 days to set something like that up.

If they don't get the fuel rods cooled it won't really matter because they are going to ignite and rather soon.

[denem]

16. Got it. Thank you.

Not happy, but can't imagine how the Japanese are feeling.

[denem]

10. But do that have to be in the building?

[Statistical]

12. Yes and according to TEPCO they are.

When fuel comes out of the reactor it is VERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRY hot. They don't mess around with it.

They simply open reactor, grab fuel, lower it into the cooling pond. Once it has cooled down they transport it to cooling pond outside. Then finaly to dry casks.

These reactor designs have the cooling pond 4 stories in the air on top of the damaged reactor. I wish that was joke because typing it makes it sound so stupid but that is the reality.

[denem]

15. Shit. Just shit.

[Statistical]

18. Yeah the MK I are all around horribly dangerous designs.

Here is the MK I diagram. Notice the fuel storage pond under the crane. That is 4 stories up in the air. Just brilliant design.



Here is a more modern (circa late 1970s) design.



The fuel storage is in a separate building with a tunnel connecting them. In an emergency the tunnel seals izolating the fuel pond from the reactor proper. Also the pond is at ground level not 4 stories in the air.

[Statistical]

6. The bad news is that on these antiquated MK I reactors that cooling pond....

is four stories in the air above the reactor.

[denem]

8. But surely they can be out to a pool on site,

purpose built, or is that too expensive.?

[Statistical]

14. There is a pool on site. I am not sure what you are asking.

Each reactor has a primary pool above the reactor and then there is one unified storage pool onsite.

[denem]

17. I understand now, thank you.