8.9 Earthquake in Japan

[Wooz]

Has there been any Godzilla sightings yet?

Well, consider this: They've already had an earthquake, a tsunami + flood, and a nuclear power plant is close to meltdown.

If Sim City 2000 taught me anything, is that the next disaster is either Godzilla or a giant volcano.

Dibs on 'GOJIRA!!!'

 

[Atomkilla]

the next disaster is either Godzilla or a giant volcano.

It ain't giant, but they already got a volcano all right.
Only Gojira left.

 

[Crni Vuk]

would it be wrong to play Tokyo now in Sim City ?

 

[Walpknut]

And Aliens.

 

[Atomkilla]

would it be wrong to play Tokyo now in Sim City ?

Gojira will eat you if you do.

 

[Kilus]

poor japs. It seems that the reactor at least had a partial melt-down. It seems that there are no accurate informations (you cant look inside the reactor afterall) but the measurements give the impression that the worst case happend.

Worst case is that they use seawater and damage the reactors beyond repair(which is what they are doing). They always had this option, it's a last measure in the same way amputation is a last measure for a ingrown toenail.

 

[DammitBoy]

I blame Obama.

 

[mobucks]

yeah damn obama just fuckin everything up lately.

 

[Crni Vuk]

poor japs. It seems that the reactor at least had a partial melt-down. It seems that there are no accurate informations (you cant look inside the reactor afterall) but the measurements give the impression that the worst case happend.

Worst case is that they use seawater and damage the reactors beyond repair(which is what they are doing). They always had this option, it's a last measure in the same way amputation is a last measure for a ingrown toenail.

I dont think so. It just shows that they gave up on the reactor by now. But the worst case already happend. A meltdown or at least a partial meltdown - If what they say here about is true of course no one can know it as long he hasnt seen the situation by him self. As experts already said here in TV (and I thrust them) what they do now is something "you dont find in a manual" which shows that they already gave the reactor up and is a very strong sign that the worst case already happend a melt down. What they have to do now is cool it down as good as possible and dissipate the energy 10 000 Megawatt are quite a lot. The bigest danger right now from how I understand it (dont know if I am correct) is that the elements from the reactor start to eat trough the ground and expose the groundwater to radiation. A second explosion or leak from the preasure exposing the enviroment directly to the radiation might happen as well. But no one really beliefs we will face another chernobyle. Even though it seems the nuclear fuel in the Japanese reactor has more radioactivity compared to the one used in chernobyle (around 10 times more ? not sure).

 

[.Pixote.]

...(and I thrust them) ...

Sorry Crni Vuk, but that's too good not to highlight...

 

[Crni Vuk]

oh Geez. You guys will kill me some day.

 

[Kilus]

A meltdown is a vague term that isn't officially used. The cores have been damaged by heat and this falls under the umbrella of meltdown. There hasn't been any large scale release of radioactive materials and if there had been no one could lie about it because there are just too many ways to detect it.

The cores have their control rods in place and large scale nuclear fission has been stopped. Decay heat is still going but as time goes on the heat produced by that drops dramatically.

Using Sea water is in the manual and at any time they could have used that option.

 

[Crni Vuk]

A meltdown is a vague term that isn't officially used..

A vague term ? Well if a meltdown is not a "meltdown" what is it then ? I already mentioned that it might be a partial meltdown or that the reactor might be in the begining of it. But that is not even the point. Thing is that engineers here said that using water to cool the reactor from the outside (what they claim to do now) is some very high sign that Japan gave that reactor already up and now is trying to prevent the core (or what ever is left from it) to contaminate the groundwater or geting in contact with the enviroment. As said. That is all just speculation. But I would assume people with the correct knowledge can make somewhat accurate claims.

There hasn't been any large scale release of radioactive materials and if there had been no one could lie about it because there are just too many ways to detect it.

For a melt-down or partial meltdown it is not needed that radioactivity leaks to the outside. That is not how most reactors work. From my understanding a reactor could be in the situation of a complete meltdown without much radiocitivity leaking to the outside (see Three Miles Island). One of the bigest risks are the outer shell not whistanding the heat or possible explosions from waporated water (detonating gas). The contamination of groundwater was some risk which was present in Chernobyle even after the explosion when the reactor was still burning and why they even tried to dig up a tunnel under the reactor to instal a cooling system.

 

[PainlessDocM]

Another explosion at the Fukushima plant...



"1125: Worrying news, this: The operators of the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant say it's possible that cooling water at one of the reactors has evaporated, Reuters reports. The company says it can't rule out the possibility that the nuclear fuel rods in Number 2 reactor were now exposed and could be at risk of meltdown."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12729138

 

[Yoshi525]

it is not needed that radioactivity leaks to the outside. That is not how most reactors work.

You figure?

There's no realistic risk of that reactor exploding in a Chernobyl like manner, or any other manner.

edit: Hmmm, seems someone posted an update seconds after I posted that Still, they say the reactor is intact. Let's hope that me and that reporter have the truth of it

 

[fedaykin]

I blame Obama.

I blame Republicans.

There's no realistic risk of that reactor exploding in a Chernobyl like manner, or any other manner.

Well, since they're having such problems as shit blowing up and shit not getting properly cooled, I think that is a possibility.

 

[Kilus]

Chernobyl is not a possibility.

A meltdown is a vague term that isn't officially used..

A vague term ? Well if a meltdown is not a "meltdown" what is it then ?

In the same way a fire is a fire but not every fire is a forest fire.

I already mentioned that it might be a partial meltdown or that the reactor might be in the begining of it.

The cores have had a partial meltdown. That means they have been damaged by heat. But now with control rods in there is no large scale fission and only decay heat going on.

But that is not even the point. Thing is that engineers here said that using water to cool the reactor from the outside (what they claim to do now) is some very high sign that Japan gave that reactor already up and now is trying to prevent the core (or what ever is left from it) to contaminate the groundwater or geting in contact with the enviroment.

The reactor is worth billions. They always had the option of using sea water and it would have always worked. Using sea water destroys the reactor therefore it a billion dollar option when there are other coolant option around.

As said. That is all just speculation. But I would assume people with the correct knowledge can make somewhat accurate claims.

The media as a whole doesn't know how to report on nuclear power. The people with the correct knowledge are the plant operators so listen to what they say.

There hasn't been any large scale release of radioactive materials and if there had been no one could lie about it because there are just too many ways to detect it.

For a melt-down or partial meltdown it is not needed that radioactivity leaks to the outside. That is not how most reactors work. From my understanding a reactor could be in the situation of a complete meltdown without much radiocitivity leaking to the outside (see Three Miles Island). One of the bigest risks are the outer shell not whistanding the heat or possible explosions from waporated water (detonating gas). The contamination of groundwater was some risk which was present in Chernobyle even after the explosion when the reactor was still burning and why they even tried to dig up a tunnel under the reactor to instal a cooling system.

Chernobyl is so different to this situation that there is nothing comparable. Beyond that if there are no significant leaks who cares if something is in meltdown or not?

 

[Yoshi525]

Well, since they're having such problems as shit blowing up and shit not getting properly cooled, I think that is a possibility.

That's just excess hydrogen They maintain that the reactor containment shield is intact, they have plenty of sea water as an emergency coolant, they have the capacity to vent the hydrogen (although something clearly went wrong there). There really, really shouldn't be serious event. Some radiation will be escaping, very little of this should be from I-131, Cs-134 or Cs-137 (these are the alpha emitting radioisotopes responsible for the vast majority of health incidences in a worse case scenario). All should be well.

The cores have had a partial meltdown. That means they have been damaged by heat. But now with control rods in there is no large scale fission and only decay heat going on.

Also this.

 

[Loxley]

Going to take a wild guess and say that the fans or whatever that was made to fan the reactor buildings were knocked out either by the tsunami or the lack of electric power.

Either way..the need for power will sooner or later overshadow the fear of meltdown and more reactors will be built..tsunami and quake proof this time.

 

[mobucks]

i dont think they use fans to cool a reactor.