A few technical details on Japan’s nuclear reactors

Greetings all. As you know, Japan has suffered a massive magnitude 9 mega-thrust earthquake and tsunami. One of the problems caused by this disaster is the partial meltdown of three of the reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The reactors were all shut down within moments of the quake, and the technicians on site were in the process of cooling the cores down to a full cold shutdown. The problems began when the site was hit by the tsunami shortly after the quake. The waves wrecked the backup generators and have forced the on site techs to perform some extreme acts to prevent a true disaster. (If thousands lost isn’t disaster enough)

While slumming around the internet I saw this bit posted on Patterico’s Pontifications in the comments section (Number 10 in fact). The poster makes a lot of sense, so I’ve stolen it shamelessly and posted it here.

Here is what the commenter wrote:

The fuel rods are what is melting. They are NOT melting through the reactor vessel. Three Mile Island had the same problem and I just read this morning that the melted rods didn’t even get through the first 1/4? of the TMI core.

Second, the Japanese made the decision to total the reactors in order to prevent really bad things. This was the correct decision to make. Additionally, the reactors were at their end of life and I believe the first one was due to be decommissioned later this year.

Third, the reactors were designed almost 50 years ago. They are several generations behind what they are building today. (Another reason they were being decommissioned)

This was a very rare event. First a magnitude 9 megathrust quake followed by a tsunami. As soon as the first tremors were felt, the reactors were scrammed. The problem was the tsunami, I’ve heard, but can’t confirm, that the fuel for the generators was contaminated by sea water.

Now compare this with Chernobyl.

First, no containment dome.
Second, they had a graphite reactor, not a steel one. It caught fire.
Third, the Russians were morons.

The Japanese knew they were in a major quake zone and designed for it. The might not have anticipated the tsunami, and they didn’t expect a mag. 9 quake.

All in all, they are doing very well under the circumstances. Minor amounts of radiation was released, but it’s no where near the levels of Chernobyl.

The reactors are shut down, now they are just working to cool them down to a full cold shutdown.

And now for some really good news.

Miracle of the baby girl plucked from the rubble: Four-month-old reunited with her father after incredible rescue

Amid the mangled towers of wreckage and flooded debris, a country in despair is grateful for any cheerful news.

And today, the discovery of a baby girl who had survived for three days after the tsunami that devastated Japan provided just that.

Accounts as to how the four-month-old had survived were lost in translation – but it is believed she was plucked helpless from the rubble in Ishinomaki, in the state of Miyagi.

Against the odds, she was rescued apparently safe and unharmed after being spotted by a member of Japan’s Self-Defence Force.

~The Angry Webmaster~

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