Japan Earthquake

Japan Earthquake | Page 1482

just found this board (thanks - it's awesome). Been following Fukushima closely for some time. Some of you seem knowledgeable - was wondering if you might have comments on why there appears to be so much steam (or is it fog) on the live cams?
by Darren 6/3/2011 2:48:07 AM

also, general question - is this guy a quack? www.fairewinds.com some of his videos seem really informative, a few seem really hyped up. I can't tell...
by Darren 6/3/2011 2:49:02 AM

@Darren Welcome Darren!
No, Gundersen seems to be right on target.
by Reed 6/3/2011 2:51:14 AM

@Darren pbadupws.nrc.gov Gundersen is in this report
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 2:52:01 AM

@darren NRC gave him only 5 minutes!
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 2:52:30 AM

@all I felt NRC disrespected Gundersen.
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 2:53:05 AM

@AustralianCannonball Agreed. The phone testimony was a very bad idea.
by Reed 6/3/2011 2:55:08 AM

@Darren i would have to agree from some of the other site i follow that are also tech refer to him both ways... up and down...
by fitter 6/3/2011 2:55:48 AM

@reed I cant help but think some of it was genuine phone conference issues but only giving him 5 minutes!. The guy is a genius. They just dont want to hear it for some reason. He exposes their short comings.
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 2:56:31 AM

Whatever people think he made it on Deepak Chopra!
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 2:57:20 AM

@Reed the phone interview reminded me of the college professers and many smart people, they know the subsitance but not how to use the equipment... I think that created alot of the problems with the noise.. and papers...
by fitter 6/3/2011 2:57:53 AM

fairewinds.com
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 2:58:28 AM

That links to the video. About an hour.
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 2:58:50 AM

Mainly discussing Indian Point.
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 2:59:08 AM

Potential disaster.
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 2:59:27 AM

@AustralianCannonball I know he spoke to the NRC. But read this: atomicinsights.com sort of interesting. I don't try to promote Drama but I couldn't help read this & then question the accuracy of it all...
by Darren 6/3/2011 2:59:35 AM

@fitter Good analogy.
by Reed 6/3/2011 3:00:12 AM

@AustralianCannonball indian point is a NPP that needs a lot of adressing.. he is on point with the concept of reliencing and increasing of the power output...
by fitter 6/3/2011 3:00:43 AM

@Reed sat in to many of those!!!
by fitter 6/3/2011 3:00:54 AM

anyway, back to my real question - fog or steam on those live cams right now? It's SUPER thick. I live in San Francisco and experience lots of fog so that wouldn't surprise...
by Darren 6/3/2011 3:00:56 AM

@Darren my guess would be fog, I've never seen the steam anywere near that.... and if it was you could probably turn on CNN
by fitter 6/3/2011 3:02:34 AM

nite all
by fitter 6/3/2011 3:02:58 AM

@darren I just read it quickly. Nothing wrong with a 39 year old uni degree. He has real world experience. He was a main witness at TMI. I trust he knows what he is talking about 100 percent.
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 3:04:08 AM

@darren I wouldn't do uni over!
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 3:04:26 AM

@Darren Regarding the Atomic Insights article, remember that the author is self-described as 'pro-nuke' in his bio, and that Gundersen has been attacking the NRC and the industry for quite a while.
by Reed 6/3/2011 3:04:38 AM

@Reed - yeah, good point. I must say, I see all this as really interesting science (yes, I'm aware it's a disaster, but still fascinating science). But digging for accurate information has been a real chore! There is an AWFUL lot of politics and drama mixed in with almost every article.
by Darren 6/3/2011 3:05:35 AM

so do you all have backgrounds on this stuff of any significance? seems like you all are quite knowledgeable. Would you mind answering random questions I have?
by Darren 6/3/2011 3:06:41 AM

@Darren I am a network engineer but Fukushima speaks for itself. The situation is clearly out of control. Ask me whatever question you wish and I will see if I can come up with a comeback - In fun of course.
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 3:08:33 AM

EDITORIAL: It is essential to protect health of workers at Fukushima plant www.asahi.com
by Panserbjorne9 6/3/2011 3:09:04 AM

@AustralianCannonball :-) Ironic, I am a sort-of network engineer, too... I guess Fukushima is a real-life engineering disaster so I suspect I can at least relate to some of the logic components of trying to solve a puzzle.
by Darren 6/3/2011 3:09:38 AM

@Darren As for the steam, the NPP is sitting on the coast with exposed and sometimes boiling SFPs, and they have controlled and uncontrolled ventings from the main reactor buildings. In a humid environment like that temperature differences easily create lingering steam effects, I believe.
by Reed 6/3/2011 3:10:05 AM

@Darren If yourr like me you will sometimes be frustrated trying to explain complex concepts in ways that make sense to the laymen. However what annoys me is TEPCO doesn't even try. None of the governments even try. They insult the intelligence of people who have half a chance of making sense out of it!.
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 3:11:44 AM

Fukushima volunteers are conscious of their amortality
The Japanese pensioners signing up to face radiation risks are a sign that the era when people just faded into dotage is over www.guardian.co.uk
by Panserbjorne9 6/3/2011 3:11:47 AM

@Darren At least Arnie succeed in explaining things.
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 3:13:08 AM

@Darren This is a fantastic group of which to ask questions. I'm sure that we'll try and help find answers for you. If people here do not know the answer they can usually point you to a resource for help.
by Reed 6/3/2011 3:13:59 AM

@Darren.... Actually Reed just said what I was going to say. Like most times. :)
by Panserbjorne9 6/3/2011 3:14:28 AM

So question #1 - I read some reports of the water level dropping unexpectedly today. As usual, the papers just reported this as a fact but without any conclusions or theories. Doesn't this indicate an obvious leak through the containment, or at least a new leak of some sort? www.yomiuri.co.jp
by Darren 6/3/2011 3:16:06 AM

Startup Kurion Ships Nuclear Clean Up Tech to Japan gigaom.com
by Panserbjorne9 6/3/2011 3:16:31 AM

@AustralianCannonball the only credit I'll give TEPCO for now is that I actually hope they're smarter then they appear in the media and we're really just getting the scraps because they're busy trying to fix things.
by Darren 6/3/2011 3:16:56 AM

@Darren also have to know that the typical players on this site come and go throughout the day, so sorry for any delay. Re: water dropping, leakage is exactly what *I* think. And after watching this so closely since 3/11, I will not give Tepco credit for anything other than trying to protect their bottom line and cover their behinds.
by Panserbjorne9 6/3/2011 3:19:46 AM

@Darren I agree they would be smarter. They dont know how to communicate. On your question we are talking about a reactor that has 100 percent melted into a Corium blob. Probably through the concrete and through the sand into the groundwater and leaking out to sea. Thats why they cannot just entomb it. They need to encase it.
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 3:21:28 AM

The water is to cool the blob in the meantime.
by AustralianCannonball 6/3/2011 3:22:03 AM

@Darren "The water level, which had risen 376 millimeters in the 24 hours from 7 a.m. on Monday, fell one millimeter in the following 24 hours, and plunged 79 millimeters from 7 a.m. Wednesday to 7 a.m. on Thursday..." That does show that there could be a new leak. Do you know if pressure or temperature changed as well?
by Reed 6/3/2011 3:22:52 AM

@AustralianCannonball understood on encasing it, but my understanding was that if it seeps too deep into the ground that problems get worse (that was probably question #2 - I'm still not sure I understand what it means if the corium hits the "water table". Maybe a comparison to network equipment and the internet? ;-) ) So I am curious if the drop in water indicates a new leak that's bigger/deeper then before. I'm trying to play chess in my head - if it's a new leak and finally corium seep south, do we have additional chain reactions start occurring?
by Darren 6/3/2011 3:23:42 AM

@Reed I have been searching for data on pressure/temp. There has been some data that temperatures in the other reactors is dropping but I can't find one on reactor #1 (referenced in the quote you list). I'm not sure where else to look.
by Darren 6/3/2011 3:24:58 AM