BBC: reactor dousing doesn't appear to be working...

[brooklynite]

The attempt to use helicopters to dump seawater on to the Fukushima power station is almost certainly unprecedented in more than half a century of nuclear power operations around the world.

And the long-range video images coming in indicate why it is not a method in general use: it does not appear to work.

The helicopters flew in some way above the reactor buildings, and went past without hovering - presumably because of fears of radiation.

Later, at a news conference given by the Tokyo Electric Power Company (Tepco), a spokesman said they were not able to tell whether any of the water had been successfully delivered.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12773350

[truebrit71]

1. A always thought that looked alot like pissing on a campfire...

..I hate to say it but I think that was more for the general public's benefit than anything else..

[Poll_Blind]

5. Since the people doing it are probably shaving years off their lives to do it...

...I view it more as an act of national desperation than theater.

One thing about this desperation is that one of the cooling pools for spent rods was almost entirely boiled off/evaporated, which precipitated this emergency attempt at getting more water in there, by any means necessary. In the light of this, the helicopter water drop is just used to get anything into those spent fuel pools.

PB

[flamingdem]

2. And the water cannons? nt

[xchrom]

3. i don't know what to say...nt

[Xenotime]

4. so scary.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

6. Officials in Japan said it wouldn't work on the 15th

According to NHK television, officials at Tokyo Electric Power Co. decided a hole in the roof of the reactor was "dozens of meters" from the swimming-pool-like chamber where the spent fuel rods are overheating. So a helicopter dump, similar to putting out a forest fire, probably wouldn't reach the pool.

Moreover, officials say helicopters can't carry enough water to do the job. And Japanese Defense Ministry officials are worried about the safety of military personnel on the helicopters, according to Kyodo News.
http://www.ideastream.org/news/npr/134552475

I understand wanting to try anyway, though.

[BumRushDaShow]

7. It would need something like liquid nitrogen to get it cooled down. n/t

[daleo]

8. Liquid nitrogen hitting that stuff and suddenly boiling off

That might be quite damaging, even if you could get that much of the stuff delivered to the necessary location.