Japan Earthquake

Japan Earthquake | Page 1207

Does Japan Need Nuclear Power?

The image pushed by the nuclear industry and its proponents is that nuclear power occupies an irreplaceable, crucial intersection between energy needs and self-sufficiency here. Certainly, the Japanese archipelago is resource-poor, with few fossil fuel reserves that the nation can comfortably rely on. Without its own reserves of these resources, Japan is at the mercy of other nations, meaning that to maintain any degree of energy independence, nuclear power seemingly becomes an attractive option.

Of course, nuclear power isn’t the only source Japan relies on: geothermal energy, fossil fuels imported from overseas, and a smattering of renewables such as hydroelectric and wind power all contribute to keeping Japan ticking. But while Japan doesn’t want to rely on imports for its energy needs, hydro, wind and even geothermal options offer unpredictable output. Nuclear power, in contrast, provides a steady source of electricity. All this suggests that nuclear power is absolutely necessary in Japan.

But is it really? It’s worth looking at some of the key arguments point by point...

the-diplomat.com
by Rob in SF 5/16/2011 10:13:39 AM

Fortunately, water in a reservoir at the bottom of the pressure vessel seems to have halted the meltdown. The situation remains precarious though, as the further meltdown of the fuel—past the pressure vessel and through the concrete base—remains highly possible.

What’s perhaps surprising is that this information was even released in the first place. Considering the delay between this official announcement and what people have purportedly known for weeks, the release of this information won’t help TEPCO's public image at all.

the-diplomat.com

the-diplomat.com
by Rob in SF via The-diplomat 5/16/2011 10:21:42 AM

Foreign powers are putting a lot of pressure on TEPCO, US, China, and Russian and S. Korea to name a few.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:26:05 AM

It all will be known eventually, so the policy of hiding data has diminishing returns.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:27:18 AM

@ralph I would like to see France and the UK in the list but fear the wait will be long
by elainekirk 5/16/2011 10:27:20 AM

Areva is French they are the first on the list that is hiding data, they sold them the MOX fuel.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:28:07 AM

@ralph so many threads to the web
by elainekirk 5/16/2011 10:29:26 AM

Like everything about the juke industry, it is confusing, MOX is reprocessed fuel so it reduces nuke waste, a good thing. It is dangerous though, a bad thing.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:33:04 AM

Lower melting point and a higher level of energy can lead to problems, but it is more potent.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:34:25 AM

Workers pour concrete into a pit to stop contaminated water leaking from the reactor building Photo: TEPCO/AFP/Getty Images

"We will have to revise our plans," said Junichi Matsumoto, a spokesman for Tepco. "We cannot deny the possibility that a hole in the pressure vessel caused water to leak".

Tepco has not clarified what other barriers there are to stop radioactive fuel leaking if the steel containment vessel has been breached. Greenpeace said the situation could escalate rapidly if "the lava melts through the vessel".

However, an initial plan to flood the entire reactor core with water to keep its temperature from rising has now been abandoned because it might exacerbate the leak. Tepco said there was enough water at the bottom of the vessel to keep both the puddle of melted fuel and the remaining fuel rods cool.

Meanwhile, Tepco said on Wednesday that it had sealed a leak of radioactive water from the No.3 reactor after water was reportedly discovered to be flowing into the ocean.

www.telegraph.co.uk

i.telegraph.co.uk
by Rob in SF via I.telegraph.co.uk 5/16/2011 10:39:18 AM

Without re-processing and breeder plants we will run out of uranium, just as we might run out of oil eventually. We will never actually run out of either substance, but it will cost more to get it then the energy it might produce.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:39:34 AM

Sandbagging might be more efficient then pouring concrete, if there is a leak, it will make a channel through the concrete before it can set. Or use bagged concrete.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:42:33 AM

@rob what I dont get is how they can possibly mop up the water that is leaking everywhere , surely having a pump in a pit would be more logical as the only thing they are achieving is hiding a possible leak - water could carry on leaking beneath the pretty concrete topp
ing
by elainekirk 5/16/2011 10:43:37 AM

@Ralph Unger Yeah, I'm dubious their concrete and crystals are up to the task.
by Rob in SF 5/16/2011 10:44:10 AM

Where they gonna pump it too?
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:44:13 AM

@ralph ahyou said it lol
by elainekirk 5/16/2011 10:44:27 AM

@Ralph Unger Megafloat™
is on the way!!!

www.tepco.co.jp
by Rob in SF via Tepco.co.jp 5/16/2011 10:45:07 AM

Bagged concrete has a chance to be a sandbag until it sets and can be quite effective in stopping water leaks.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:45:17 AM

The place is a rat's nest of holes...

www.tepco.co.jp
by Rob in SF via Tepco.co.jp 5/16/2011 10:46:37 AM

@ralph I think we are just being optimists they don't want to stop the leak it is just a PR stunt 'look we care' should read ''lets cover it up ''
by elainekirk 5/16/2011 10:47:34 AM

@rob journo's should be demanding they explain the logic of pouring conctete in
by elainekirk 5/16/2011 10:48:22 AM

Like the tentsaround the reactors? To keep in the dust? Or keep out the prying eyes? :-)
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:48:38 AM

I think they would blow up if they actually installed them, never gonna happen, but if it did, exchanging that much air to keep the hydrogen levels down would be a huge task. The fuel is still making hydrogen even if the fuel cladding is all gone. Knock a oxygen atom off some water and what do you get?
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:53:21 AM

They're definitely trying to appear to be proactive by sticking their fingers in the dike.

Scary, knowing some of the things that might happen next.

Which is first, China Syndrome on #1, SFP collapse on #4 or Joker's Wild on #3? Picks your poison...
by Rob in SF 5/16/2011 10:53:38 AM

Get some heavy water.
by Rob in SF 5/16/2011 10:54:53 AM

Or perhaps 2 hydrogen atoms and 1 oxygen atom. Which tends to make a lot of hydrogen.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:55:45 AM

The added oxygen in the mix probably won't help much either.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 10:58:14 AM

OK I dont know my subject so hoping will be patient , if they intent to keep water in the pools etc and put a tent over it wouldnt there be cavitation that would shred the tent?
by elainekirk 5/16/2011 10:59:10 AM

by Rob in SF via Astroprofspage 5/16/2011 10:59:50 AM

Gotta keep it wet, but cavitation? That would be circulation in the pools or what?
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 11:00:36 AM

@Rob lemme add pure oxygen to the conflagration, I bet it would have gone up in 15 secs instead of 33.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 11:03:04 AM

They plan to put up a large steel frame and then stretch the material over that. It will take them forever to do this, and people will probably die doing it.
by Rob in SF 5/16/2011 11:03:37 AM

If not , they will die after doing it, apart from my gas concerns, it would also concentrate the radioactivity.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 11:04:54 AM

Yes, but there's BIG money to be made decommissioning Daiichi. Just the bottled water concession/contract for 30 years will be a goldmine...
by Rob in SF 5/16/2011 11:06:16 AM

S.Korea has that I think. The water concerns.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 11:06:56 AM

@Ralph Unger - FWIW, We want to concentrate the radioactivity.
by Rob in SF 5/16/2011 11:07:05 AM

And they're theoretically filtering the tent air, removing hydrogen and radiation.
by Rob in SF 5/16/2011 11:08:29 AM

Then you cannot work at the site to remediable the radioactivity.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 11:08:39 AM

Remediate...
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 11:09:08 AM

In the plant it is at 1 sV or more. That means 8 mins of work??
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 11:10:30 AM

Until death, not hitting the max for exposure, we are talking about getting instantly sick.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 11:11:29 AM

@Ralph Unger Yup. You've heard how many workers they used at Tchernobyl. Will be tough for Japan though. And they can keep raising the max rad level... 1 Sv is 1000 mSv, no? 250 mSv is 15 minutes...
by Rob in SF 5/16/2011 11:13:06 AM

100 mSv was the norm per year before the disaster, my concern is that TEPCO is now using the raised 250 mSv as a per shift , not a per year exposure limit.
by Ralph Unger 5/16/2011 11:14:56 AM