SimplyInfo » Entries tagged with "unit 2"
Rats Vs. TEPCO, The Rats Are Winning
[Translate] TEPCO’s new arch nemesis, the influx of rats that have taken up residence at the plant, are causing more problems. Two rats were found dead inside the electrical equipment being used to power unit 2′s spent fuel pool cooling system. This time it didn’t knock out power to the system but did require the cooling system be shut down for most of a day to work on the electrical box. TEPCO cleaned out the box and applied some sort of putty or foam around the entry point of the wires. Unless this material has steel wool or something similar in it to deter rats or mice from chewing, it may not be an effective solution. The IAEA recently inspected the plant, declared nothing of substance and suggested TEPCO continue to handle the disaster … Read entire article »
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MSIV Inspection At Unit 2
[Translate] TEPCO did a robot inspection of the MSIV room of unit 2. No video of the work has been released but a handout and some photos were given to the press. What is most notable about this inspection is the absolute lack of visible damage. There appears to be no damage, or heat or water degradation. The radiation levels are unusually low. The highest reading in this room being 9.6 mSv/h. This inspection at least rules out the area and this section of the related pipes as being heavily involved in the reactor failure and meltdown. MSIVinspectionu2_handouts_130416_06-e This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other … Read entire article »
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Unit 2 Final Investigation Of Torus
[Translate] TEPCO has completed the last portion of the investigation of the torus and downcomer pipes in unit 2. The walking robot and the tethered mini robot were able to complete repeated trips into the torus. No significant visible damage was found in the areas they could inspect. TEPCO cited some areas on the south side of the torus where there was some evidence of possible water leakage in the past but no current flow of water. The red arrows show the downcomer pipes TEPCO saw evidence of possible past water leakage. TEPCO assumes area 1 or 2 may have leaked in the past. They currently do not have a way to view closer up into the area. The work at least confirms there is no current large volume leak. TEPCO handout U2_torus_finalinspection_handouts_130315_01-e This article would not … Read entire article »
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Unit 2 Torus Inspection March 13, 2013
[Translate] TEPCO inspected another section of the torus of unit 2 today. It appears TEPCO intends to eventually inspect the entire torus. The inspections have focused on the downcomer vents, bellows joints and sand pocket drains looking for signs of damage or water leakage. So far there has not been any considerable leakage found. The tops of some of the downcomer vents showed what looked like small amounts of water drips on the top side. This may be from condensation or smaller water leaks but so far TEPCO has not found a “smoking gun” leak in the torus. This does not rule out a leak on the under side of the torus tube. Radiation levels in the torus room have been quite low by comparison making the idea of a failure … Read entire article »
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New Torus Inspection At Unit 2
[Translate] TEPCO sent the unnamed walker bot back into unit 2′s torus room for another inspection effort. This trip looked at a torus downcomer vents and the bellows joint on that vent. The downcomer vents inspected include the east side of the building and the south east corner of the reactor building. The south east vent is assumed to be the one facing the pedestal door inside containment. This was followed by an additional inspection March 6th. They have now inspected half of the torus downcomer vent tubes. This south east tube is significant as the pedestal door is the known likely route for corium (melted fuel) to spread out on to the drywell floor inside containment. The grouping of tubes inspected on the east side of the reactor building represents the group … Read entire article »
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TIPS Probes To Unit 2 Reactor Blocked
[Translate] TEPCO has been trying to insert a new thermometer into the unit 2 reactor vessel by way of the TIPS lines. These are probe lines used to insert sensors into the reactor vessel during operation. In recent work they found that the lines were all blocked. The blockages could be melted metal, fuel or salt build up from the sea water injection. Whatever the blockage is prevents going further with a probe or camera. TEPCO stated they will be reexamining what to do next. TIPSprobe_handouts_130301_04-j This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome the sharing of … Read entire article »
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New Paper: Gamma Radiation Damage To Fukushima Units 1- 4 Spent Fuel Pools
[Translate] SimplyInfo.org has released another new paper taking an in depth look into the ongoing challenges at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. This new work investigates the technical issues involved with the ongoing degradation of the spent fuel pools. Gamma radiation is an ongoing problem for the steel and concrete that composes the spent fuel pools. Aspects of the disaster have drastically changed that damage mechansim. The paper can be found online and also in PDF format for download or reading on book readers. Gamma Radiation Damage To Fukushima Units 1- 4 Spent Fuel Pools http://www.simplyinfo.org/?page_id=9353 This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced … Read entire article »
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TEPCO Inspects Unit 2 Torus With Walking Robot
[Translate] TEPCO did inspection work at Unit 2 in the torus with the Toshiba walker-bot (it doesn’t have a name apparently) and it’s little buddy robot. The work involved inspecting the torus downcomer vent pipes. TEPCO specifically looked at the torus bellows joint, an area we have previously identified as a potential problem location within the reactors. They also inspected the sand cushion drain pipe. This is a small pipe that sits below the junction of the containment structure and the torus downcomer pipes. This is another area thought to be a weak point and prone to burn through by melted fuel. TEPCO’s inspection of one downcomer did not show any damage to that specific structure but that may not have been the complete point of the effort. This is the first successful … Read entire article »
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Fire At Daiichi Near Unit 1 & 2 Switching Station
[Translate] Last night Yushi (@Yuushi420) reported fire trucks headed somewhere through Okuma and Tomioka. “bus home from 1F. I passed quite a while driving a fire truck, siren rang through Tomioka from Okuma. I wonder also happened in a fire in the warning area … also.” (machine translated tweet) TEPCO reported today there was a fire near the high pressure switching station for units 1 & 2. It burned about a 20 meter by 20 meter section of grass outdoors. TEPCO claims the fire did not raise radiation levels at the plant via the plant monitoring posts. TEPCO handout in Japanese: http://www.tepco.co.jp/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts_121019_04-j.pdf Location of the fire This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original … Read entire article »
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Unit 2 At Fukushima Spewing 8 Million Bq Per Hour Almost 1.5 Years Later
[Translate] TEPCO has admitted the current radiation release levels at the Fukushima Daiichi plant. While these levels are a small fraction of what was being released early on, they still pose a considerable problem. The plant is emitting 10 million bq per hour. With 8 of the 10 bq coming from unit 2 alone. TEPCO officials tried to pass off the high levels as possibly due to “stirring up cesium” that fell on the reactors. This does not explain the high levels coming out of unit 2′s blow out panel as admitted by TEPCO. The image below is from a June 2012 robot inspection of the unit 2 refueling floor. The close up from a larger photo shows clearly the steam plume coming out of the edge of the reactor well. … Read entire article »
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140 New Enhanced Images Inside Fukushima Unit 2 Torus Inspection
[Translate] We have about 140 images from the video investigation of unit 2 on April 18 using the Topy robot. The images include enhanced view with all the robot data plus larger enhanced versions of the actual photo window portion. These may be some of the best quality and detailed images from inside the reactors to date. We are still reviewing these images to determine all that they mean towards the situation at unit 2. Due to the large number of images we have them in a slideshow at our new group Flickr account for easier viewing. opens in a new window. *As always please leave water marks in place if you reuse our images. A link back would be great too. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of … Read entire article »
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Unit 2 Robot Investigation Of Torus
[Translate] TEPCO has released two photos and no other details of the robot investigation into the torus room (suppression chamber) area of unit 2. The two images are of man hole covers on top of the torus. This press release is unusual for the utter lack of any details, other photos or even a mention of forthcoming video. We are also investigating some discrepancies found in the limited information released and should have some follow up information soon. TEPCO press release This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content is copyright SimplyInfo.org. Content may also be copyright of other specific original authors or creators and was reproduced here with limited permission. While we welcome the sharing of information or promoting our work, please … Read entire article »
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TEPCO To Send Robot Into Unit 2 Suppression Pool Wednesday
[Translate] Tepco has stated they will send a robot into the suppression pool area of unit 2 to check for damage. This would be the suppression chamber, or the area that houses the torus in the basement of the reactor. The robot to be used was made by Topy Industries and is capable of going up and down stairs. This may be a new robot to the existing line up of units being used on site. TEPCO has released this document detailing the route and the robot being used. The location of the survey is the area where the suppression chamber faces the turbine building, a possibly weaker portion of the chamber walls. This article would not be possible without the extensive efforts of the SimplyInfo research team Join the conversation at chat.simplyinfo.org All content … Read entire article »
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Our Unit 2 Rough Estimation Of Radiation Levels In Containment
[Translate] These estimations are very rough calculations. They give an idea about how high the radiation in the pedestal below the reactor could be. These numbers are very rough and not normally something we post on the website. They are worth sharing to give people an idea how incredibly high the radiation inside containment is. We took the radiation sampling TEPCO did during their March 27 scope of unit 2. From there we extrapolated some distance based assumptions to guess at the increases in radiation. The concrete pedestal is about 2 meters of thick concrete. That provides quite a bit of shielding for whatever may be inside the pedestal one year later. Used the inverse square law for calculating the dose as you go closer “halving” factor for concrete is 2.4 inches TEPCO cited 72.9 … Read entire article »
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Unit 2 Scope Results; What We Found
[Translate] The second unit 2 scope project has been completed. TEPCO has released this PDF report on the project. Now in English here. Water was found 60cm above the concrete floor of the primary containment vessel. This indicates water is likely flowing out through the torus vent tubes. The elevation drawing shows where the 60cm of water would be located and it falls just at the lip of the vent tubes. It also shows that water is not staying in the torus as no water has built up and backed up into the main containment vessel. Water is leaving the torus. Water has to also be leaving the torus basement, aka: suppression chamber basement. Radiation is increased lower and towards the middle of containment hinting at some fuel involvement in the pedestal or below the pedestal. Previous years … Read entire article »
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Unit 2 New Robot Inspection Findings
[Translate] Workers sent a robot into unit 2 on the ground floor again. This time it went into the TIPS room. The radiation levels appear to be down compared to the previous inspection. The photos released of the TIPS room appear to be in good condition with the exception of one horizontal crack found in a corner where a wall meets the containment bulb. The crack has obvious rusty discoloration we have seen in other cracks found inside unit 2. Like these from the attempt to check the torus room. The crack in the new images is not clear as to the origin or severity but it appears to have the same tell tale rust marks the other cracks do hinting at some sort of leakage. The crack runs the length of … Read entire article »
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Unit 2 Torus Inspection Video: Images And Analysis
[Translate] Video was also released of the unit 2 torus inspection. The video quality is quite poor compared to the video of 3 but there are a few usable images. Images are from the second location they inspected, quality on the first half of the video was to poor to use. Unit 2 video on YouTube - click on an image for a larger version. Down stairs to the MB (mezzanine basement) Down stairs to MB Taking a radiation reading in the MB Radiation reading in the MB Metal plates on the floor before the airlock door. Airlock door Finding a bag on the floor in the MB Carried the bag out of the MB when they left. Inspecting the bag on the MB as they found it on their way in. The bag appears to be full of demons, or more likely some … Read entire article »
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Workers Enter Units 2 & 3 Basements; Enhanced Images & Analysis
[Translate] Workers entered units 2 & 3 around noon JST. Entry to unit 2 was about 20 minutes. Entry to unit 3 about 8 minutes. Workers were wearing yellow protective suits that may have been lead lined suits seen on a few other occasions. This TEPCO document outlines the location of each image and provides radiation readings. Workers did not attempt to measure inside the torus room of unit 3. Readings outside the door were as high as 75 mSv compared to a high of 35 mSv outside torus room doors at 2. Some things of note. Unit 3′s torus room door is bowed out. There are considerable rusty looking streaks out of concrete seams in unit 2. An air handling vent in the basement of unit 2 appears to have been pushed … Read entire article »
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TEPCO Sending Workers Into Units 2 & 3 Basements In A Few Hours
[Translate] TEPCO intends to send workers into the sub basement of units 2 and 3 on March 14th (a few hours from now) to inspect the torus area. The work will consist of checking for radiation levels, temperature, humidity, water levels etc. and possibly opening the door into the torus room. TEPCO thinks workers will receive a dose of 10 mSv each for the trip. This work could be both risky and significant since there is some speculation that corium or at least very highly radioactive water may reside in the torus. Unit 3 currently shows as .2 sV/h torus radiation Unit 2 currently shows at 16 sV/h torus radiation at the “B” sensor. TEPCO has this flagged as failed. If this reading is accurate that is a very dangerous level of radiation. Sievert to … Read entire article »
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Confusion Over Unit 2 Quince Photo
[Translate] There was some concern and confusion that TEPCO was possibly hiding something in a still photo they released. First was the yellow boxes that appear over the video screen as it scrambles to re-render the image. As it re-renders it duplicates a frame over two positions. TEPCO decided to release this screen shot as a press photo. Why would they do that? Probably the same reason they have been releasing images that give less information than others for months. Either rushing to get information out or just plain sloppiness. Are the hiding something with the repeated image shot? Probably not. There is a very clear shot of that area right before Quince re-renders. Quince 1 and 2 do this yellow panel image reshuffle when they encounter signal problems. In the second video … Read entire article »
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