Japan Earthquake

Japan Earthquake | Page 1157

@bo Insane from a human standard, makes total sense from a military strategy standard, sad as it is.
by lillymunster 5/14/2011 3:00:41 AM

TEPCO concealed radiation data before explosion at No. 3 reactor: www.asahi.com
by bo 5/14/2011 3:01:37 AM

@bo The interview I saw where they interviewed the head engineer trying to run things at the plant. He explained how he was trying to get temporary tsunami walls put in front of 3 & 4 to protect their already fragile state and how he had to prove his case hard to the corporate office to get permission.
by lillymunster 5/14/2011 3:02:11 AM

cc.readytalk.com
This 'Japan Webinar' from American Medical Association
talks about Medical and public health implications of a radiation emergency'
and the speakers touch on hands-on medical/diagnosis/prognosis aspects of radiation injuries
The link opens with a prompt for some very basic user input (I just gave a name) and then proceeds to play back the webinar.
by ALBLEE 5/14/2011 3:03:19 AM

Thanks bo! It says in #3 shortly before the blast, "levels were well above the upper limit of 250 millisieverts for an entire year under the plant's safety standards for workers." Wonder if that means there'd been a core-melt through. Or could exposed spent-fuel rods in a fast-drying pool account for such high levels?
by Ian 5/14/2011 3:19:24 AM

@All: The magic moving pole is probably the mast of a groud water rig sampling.
by DonnerT 5/14/2011 3:20:55 AM

@DonnerT Thanks. Our fabulous Nancy suggested the same thing. I'm all for groundwater sampling!
by LM 5/14/2011 3:22:56 AM

@Ian no expertise, but I too wonder the same thing. Anyone here have an informed guess?
by bo 5/14/2011 3:25:52 AM

@LM: My apologies to The Nancy. I didn't see her post.
by DonnerT 5/14/2011 3:30:35 AM

Taiwan animators take on pop stars
by bo 5/14/2011 3:32:08 AM

@DonnerT no apologies needed :-)
by lillymunster 5/14/2011 3:34:06 AM

@DonnerT I'm sure no apologies are necessary. It always feels better when we're not the only one with a particular idea and Nancy has a lot of good ideas.
by LM 5/14/2011 3:34:26 AM

More on the worker who died, he was in his 60s: news.smh.com.au
by bo edited by Angie 5/14/2011 3:36:32 AM

@Ian @bo I will definately pre-warn that this is a guess (who's really informed with all the mis-information and/or lack of). Even though my posts usually seem off topic, tonight I actually think they meld with the revelation that Tepco did conceal radiation data on #3 prior to the explosion. I believe that the high radiation has to do with the presence of MOX in the reactor core (yes, core melt happened quickly after 3/11 event), and I believe that MOX fuel assemblies potentially exist in the SFP.
by smoss 5/14/2011 3:39:16 AM

@smoss thanks
by bo 5/14/2011 3:41:41 AM

@smoss There probably was a breach in #3 before the explosion.
by Bobby1 5/14/2011 3:45:01 AM

@all Interesting documentation on European loading proceedures for MOX fuel and detailed steps on fuel receipt per US Energy Northwest. www.nonukesyall.org
by smoss 5/14/2011 3:45:26 AM

@smoss If I had money to bet I think yours would have good odds. :-) From what I have read MOX has a higher volatility and a lower melting point. Something pretty major happened in 3 that is different from 1 & 2

by lillymunster 5/14/2011 3:45:58 AM

@Bobby1 Yes, would definately agree with that
by smoss 5/14/2011 3:46:04 AM

This has got to be criminal, to not tell workers the conditions when you know them!! The unpublished information shows that at 1:17 p.m. on March 13, 300 millisieverts of radiation per hour was detected inside a double-entry door at the No. 3 reactor building. At 2:31 p.m., the radiation level was measured at 300 millisieverts or higher per hour to the north of the door.

Both levels were well above the upper limit of 250 millisieverts for an entire year under the plant's safety standards for alorkers. But the workers who were trying to bring the situation under control at the plant were not informed of the levels.

www.asahi.com
by Shadow edited by lillymunster 5/14/2011 3:46:10 AM

@ Bo think the suicide mission thing is a great idea. I think it's totally reasonable.
by carabnr 5/14/2011 3:47:34 AM

@Shadow They also didn't have dosimeters for all the workers in the first days.
by lillymunster 5/14/2011 3:48:06 AM

Love the birds on the tippy cam.
by carabnr 5/14/2011 3:48:06 AM

What happened to the now-you-see-it now-you-don't crane thing in the trees? (I had to go put up a tent in the rain and it was gone when I got back.)
by Mart 5/14/2011 3:49:48 AM

If I knew I was going to die a miserable death and had the opportunity to go out in a blaze of fire. He.. ya. I'de be ready.
by carabnr 5/14/2011 3:50:01 AM

@smoss That's actually the worst case, a high-temperature reaction from the zircalloy with concrete and structural materials would have released all sorts of nasty isotopes, before being blown sky-high.
by Bobby1 5/14/2011 3:50:03 AM

@lillymunster @smoss It does make sense that the Mox played a role in the differences at 3.
by LM 5/14/2011 3:50:08 AM

@lillymunster I remember that, but they had dosimeters for team leaders and they measured the high levels and didn't inform the workers. It's not ignorence, it's criminal.
by Shadow 5/14/2011 3:51:16 AM

@carabnr technically only 18% of suicide missions end up being blazes of glory. But with no alternatives, I suppose them's pretty good odds!
by bo 5/14/2011 3:51:19 AM

There were forewarnings those suits would kill someone. They've had a lot of workers suffering from heat exhaustion. There are pricier, air-conditioned suits that use freezer ice-paks, IIRC.

Heat stroke adds to Japan nuclear plant workers' woes

This story was published Monday April 18th 2011

The Yomiuri Shimbun

TOKYO -- Heat stroke is posing yet another threat to workers dealing with already hazardous working conditions at the Fukushima No.1 nuclear power plant.

Some workers have suffered heat stroke while working in heavy protective suits in radioactive areas with no air conditioning.

As a countermeasure, Tokyo Electric Power Co. is considering setting up air-conditioned prefabricated buildings as makeshift rest stations for workers.

Workers in charge of checking power supply and clearing debris inside and around turbine buildings wear protective suits and full-face masks.

Because they are not allowed to take off the masks during work, they cannot even drink water. Temperatures inside the suits rise sharply after only 30 minutes of exertion. Most of the air-conditioning system at the plant was made unusable by the tsunami. Only one structure at the plant is air-conditioned, a quake-resistant building where about 250 workers stay at night.
by Rob in SF 5/14/2011 3:54:57 AM

@ Bo the plight of the children near fukushima is so sad. Vermin, really? Children can be so mean. I hope someone can find a way to diminish their stigma.
by carabnr 5/14/2011 3:55:46 AM

@ Bo you know if it were me it would be a blaze of glory despite the odds.
by carabnr 5/14/2011 3:56:54 AM

@Shadow I think more will come out showing the what and how, but it is criminal because someone was withholding that information, likely from more than just the media.
by lillymunster 5/14/2011 3:57:00 AM

@carabnr that is why I am going into battle with You!
by bo 5/14/2011 3:58:25 AM

Im ready all I need is some do so I can quit my job and come to Japan. Im ready...
by carabnr 5/14/2011 3:59:19 AM

nite all see you in 8
by lillymunster 5/14/2011 3:59:21 AM

Night Lilly
by carabnr 5/14/2011 3:59:55 AM

@lillymunster sleep well!
by Angie 5/14/2011 3:59:55 AM

@lillymunster Good Night! Thanks for all your great work!
by smoss 5/14/2011 4:00:23 AM

@Night Lillymunster!
by LM 5/14/2011 4:00:24 AM

@lillymunster I know, I'm trying to chill. "sigh" The workers deserved a choice. Nite, And take care.
by Shadow 5/14/2011 4:01:26 AM

Gundersen makes the point I did about ambient temps increasing steam www.youtube.com He also makes several important points about the Unit 3 question. Is anyone familiar with the source for the claim of fuel-rod piece found 2km away? He calculates for that to be, it would have to've had an initial velocity of 900 to 1000 mph. Yet the ejecta (visible from the camera's pov) from Unit 3 travels slower than ejecta from Unit 1.
by Ian 5/14/2011 4:02:59 AM