Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
What is the news on the reactor? it has been 11 hours or so.
Tsunami Gamers Support Thread!
- Thread starter fireinthedust
- Start date
Peraion Graufalke
First Post
Bad news, I'm afraid. Although there have been conflicting reports on whether a meltdown has occurred or not.
BBC News - Japan earthquake: Explosion at Fukushima nuclear plant
The nuclear plants are safe and are not going to Chernobyl or anything silly like that.
While a technical meltdown is occuring it's not a meltdown as is typically invisioned. The vision typically presented is one in which the reaction fuel core goes out of control and melts out of containment. In this case, the fuel core has suffered damage from heat but is still largely intact. No fuel has escaped containment.
As for the explosions, it was a simple steam vent pop. The venting of the hydrogen byproduct was damaged extensively, causing it to build up, ignite, and blow off the outer shell. However, the external shell is more cosmetic then anything else - the actual containment vessel and the reactor are unscathed. There's been no containment breach.
While a technical meltdown is occuring it's not a meltdown as is typically invisioned. The vision typically presented is one in which the reaction fuel core goes out of control and melts out of containment. In this case, the fuel core has suffered damage from heat but is still largely intact. No fuel has escaped containment.
As for the explosions, it was a simple steam vent pop. The venting of the hydrogen byproduct was damaged extensively, causing it to build up, ignite, and blow off the outer shell. However, the external shell is more cosmetic then anything else - the actual containment vessel and the reactor are unscathed. There's been no containment breach.
Flobby
Explorer
I'm in Shizuoka, and other than train delays we are pretty much unaffected. We have family up north that hit hard though. Everyone seems in one piece though. Luckily they are far enough away from the coast.
I don't know if you've heard yet but there has been a second explosion in a reactor.
I don't know if you've heard yet but there has been a second explosion in a reactor.
The second explosion was somewhat expected though, since it's the same thing that happened in the first.
Edit: It didn't happen in the reactor, either. I know it seems like I'm nit picking with words here, but there really is an incredible difference between the two. I'm not trying to pick on you, mind you; there's just a whole lot of misinformation out there, especially present in the western media.
In general, the more one knows and understands about nuclear energy and nuclear reactors, the less scary it is. Sadly, the opposite is true with a lot of other power sources. If Japan were mired in coal and natural gas as the US is, this disaster would've been titanically more horrendous.
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Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
So: still more built up hydrogen that is not vented due to damages from the Earthquake and Tsanami, then.
darjr
I crit!
AT&T makes calling Japan free until the end of March -- Engadget
Looks like AT&T are making it free to call Japan until the end of March. I have not yet confirmed this.
Looks like AT&T are making it free to call Japan until the end of March. I have not yet confirmed this.
fireinthedust
Explorer
good for them! marketing, obviously, but that's nice. Maybe it'll become a habit for phone companies when disasters hit, giving phone service for free.
Still no news from Perrinmiller, but considering he was stuck without trains overnight, who knows what else is being dealt with in his area (wherever that is). Could be busy for a while.
Still no news from Perrinmiller, but considering he was stuck without trains overnight, who knows what else is being dealt with in his area (wherever that is). Could be busy for a while.
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