Japan Earthquake: Nuclear Plants at Fukushima Daiichi

AI Thread Summary
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is facing significant challenges following the earthquake, with reports indicating that reactor pressure has reached dangerous levels, potentially 2.1 times capacity. TEPCO has lost control of pressure at a second unit, raising concerns about safety and management accountability. The reactor is currently off but continues to produce decay heat, necessitating cooling to prevent a meltdown. There are conflicting reports about an explosion, with indications that it may have originated from a buildup of hydrogen around the containment vessel. The situation remains serious, and TEPCO plans to flood the containment vessel with seawater as a cooling measure.
  • #11,351
@cockpitvisit: the water is in direct contact with hot fuel. it washes away all kinds of decay products. these products, mainly cesium-137, are carried with the "dirty" water steam outside. it is not tritium that makes problems. it is everything from iodine over xenon to plutonium, as long as there is criticality. but the steam is not tritium steam.
furthermore, nobody knows where the fuel is located now. the thermometers are mainly located around the rpv, they do not show the fuel temperature. when they spray the vessel, the temperatures may decline, but this does not mean much towards the corium state.
 
Last edited:
Engineering news on Phys.org
  • #11,352
Where is the 'hot stuff' going from U3?

In U2 after the CSS started the S/C CAMS data also started rising. But in U3, I could not find anything similar.
Where is the water going?

Ps.: the problem is the same for temperatures. In U2 the S/C related temperatures are rising now: in U3 there is no change.
 
Last edited:
  • #11,353
Edano said:
@cockpitvisit: the water is in direct contact with hot fuel.
the water is in direct contact with hot corium.
FTFY
 
  • #11,354
Edano said:
@cockpitvisit: the water is in direct contact with hot fuel. it washes away all kinds of decay products.

I understand that the water is highly contaminated. What is unclear, is how these products make it from the liquid water into the steam. Isn't the water being distilled during the evaporation? Can chemicals be dissolved in steam at all?

When I boil water containing NaCl at home, the water remains "contaminated" with the salt, but the vapor isn't - it is clean. Why is it different in Fukushima?
 
  • #11,355
indeed, that's a valid question. "highly volative particles" are entrained in the steam.

from wikipedia: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Destilliertes_Wasser#Herstellung

"distillied water is produced by distillation (evaporation and recondensation) of normal water. it is free of salts, organic material and microorganisms. it can still contain small amounts of highly volative particles and compounds."
 
  • #11,356
In the earlier phase of the accident, the emissions were mostly volatile fission products, noble gases plus cesium and iodine.
I do not know if the cesium compounds are still the largest contributor to the ongoing emissions.
TEPCO may have provided a comprehensive analysis at some stage, but if so, I've missed it.
 
  • #11,358
LabratSR said:
Plan to cover SFP of Unit 4

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts_110927_01-e.pdf
Rad survey of Units 2 and 3 first floor

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts_110927_02-e.pdf
Pretty serious readings.
An hour's work to max out in some places, at best a shift in others.
This cleanup is going to be like WW 1, trench warfare for a very long time, with brutal human costs.
No quick fixes, no expedient solutions.

The cover of the SPF is presumably to keep out debris as the wreckage around the pool gets cleaned up.
As long as the pool is kept cool and full, that cover should be the nearest thing to a low radiation zone on that floor.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,359
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,360
Rive said:
That floor has no known 'high radiation zone'. The most recent survey map I could found: http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts_110630_03-e.pdf

Thank you for that helpful link.
I had assumed the floor was dangerous to work on based on TEPCOs decision to jury rig a remote cooling system for the SFP after discovering piping damage.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,361
It's dangerous, but not on radiation basis. IMHO, it's more dangerous than the 5th floor of U2 which is expected to be seriously contaminated...
 
  • #11,363
amusing that they have a hole in the "floats" to observe water level... surely if they are using floats, they would notice the floats dissapearing down a hole if the water lever were to fall?
 
  • #11,364
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu-fukushima/20110929/index.html The hydrogen concentration in unit 1 PCV spray line was found to be 61~63%. The remaining more than 30% is thought to be nitrogen added after the accident.

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts_110928_02-e.pdf "Unit 1 Re-measurement of hydrogen density in plumbing for spray of primary containment vessel"

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts_110928_03-e.pdf "Unit 1 Replacement of nitrogen at connector of gas monitoring system of containment vessel"

tsutsuji said:
http://www.tepco.co.jp/cc/press/betu11_j/images/110812d.pdf Report in Japanese about worker exposure at Fukushima Daiichi. The positions (green, orange, pink circles) and movements (red and black arrows) of the workers inside control rooms and the direction of the wind (blue arrows) are shown on the maps on page 53 (units 1&2 control room) and 54 (units 3&4 control room) (pdf page numbers). Pages 35, 36, 52, 53 provide detailed timelines of the tasks performed by four workers named "C", "D", "E", and "F". The table on page 40 describes the exposure circumstances for twenty workers (A ~ F, ア ~　セ). The column 1 on the left is their internal contamination in mSv, column 2 says if they wore a mask, column 3 if they ate or drank(有=yes, 無=no), column 4 if they wore glasses (temples may create an interstice through which contaminated air can leak), column 5 if they worked near the door. The table page 42 provides the radiations in cpm measured at units 3&4 control room on 13 March from 10:00 AM to 01:30 PM. Column 1 (on the left) at the front door, column 2 at the emergency door, column 3 at the desk unit 3 side, column 4 at the desk unit 4 side.

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/betu11_e/images/110812e14.pdf Full English translation of the above mentioned report
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,365
Cold shutdown - http://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/basic-ref/glossary/cold-shutdown.html
The term used to define a reactor coolant system at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature below 200 degrees Fahrenheit [100 degrees Centigrade] following a reactor cooldown.

Don't read more into it than the temperature.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ2011092111472
Asahi said:
Sep 21 - Under the government's conditions for cold shutdown, the Fukushima reactors' temperatures must remain under 100 degrees and authorities must confirm that new radioactive materials are not being released.

The temperature at the No. 1 reactor was about 82 degrees on Sept. 20, while the No. 3 reactor had a temperature of about 88 degrees. The temperature at the No. 2 reactor was about 112 degrees, but officials plan to increase the volume of cooling water pumped into that reactor.


http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ2011092912644
Sep 28 - Water at 3 Fukushima reactors under 100 degrees for first time
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,366
Asahi :

Sep 21 - Under the government's conditions for cold shutdown, the Fukushima reactors' temperatures must remain under 100 degrees and authorities must confirm that new radioactive materials are not being released.

It would seem we are still far from reaching 'cold shutdown' by this definition, as the current emissions of radioactive material were stated to be around 200,000,000 bequerels.
Are these emissions likely to be concentrated in the steam plumes shown earlier in the videos of reactors 2 and 3 or is it just remobilization of pollutants spewed out earlier?
 
  • #11,367
etudiant said:
Asahi :

Sep 21 - Under the government's conditions for cold shutdown, the Fukushima reactors' temperatures must remain under 100 degrees and authorities must confirm that new radioactive materials are not being released.

It would seem we are still far from reaching 'cold shutdown' by this definition, as the current emissions of radioactive material were stated to be around 200,000,000 bequerels.
Are these emissions likely to be concentrated in the steam plumes shown earlier in the videos of reactors 2 and 3 or is it just remobilization of pollutants spewed out earlier?
I'd like to know the radionuclides being monitored. The article contains insufficient details, and I haven't confirmed if they got it right. It's possible that some of that is Kr-85 (noble gas), Cs-134, Cs-137 (in form of hydrated hydroxide), which could be in steam. Cerainly the water being flushed through the units will be contaminated with solubles and particulates.

From the Asahi article of Sept 21
Asahi said:
Officials have estimated that the amount of new radioactive materials released into the atmosphere from the reactors is now about 200 million becquerels per hour, about one-four-millionths the level immediately after the accident started on March 11.

The annual level of radiation at the entrance to the Fukushima plant was detected at 0.4 millisieverts, which is lower than the 1 millisievert objective for cold shutdown, according to officials.
In order to convert Bq/hr into mSv/time, one would need to know the isotopes.

"3 mSv/yr (approx) is the typical background radiation from natural sources in North America, including an average of almost 2 mSv/yr from radon in air." - from http://www.world-nuclear.org/education/ral.htm

In certain areas, e.g., along the Appalacian mountain in E. US, radon is at a higher level than most of the country, so I think the typical exposure to natural sources is more like 1-2 mSv/yr for most people.
 
  • #11,368
The report on the 'Status of countermeasures' from the JAIF ( http://www.jaif.or.jp/english/news_images/pdf/ENGNEWS01_1317292903P.pdf ) which is now updated every Thursday,
has this comment qualifying the 'cold shutdown' :
"...public radiation exposure by additional release is being significantly held down".
The plan appears to be for some ongoing releases to be considered acceptable, provided they are relatively small.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,369
As I had previously gone on about suppression chamber water temperature increases at reactor 2, I think I should mention that the temperatures stopped increasing and started to go back down, with the peak on September 25th. The only exception is the suppression chamber gas temperature, which continues to rise at a rate of approx 1 degree C per day.
 
  • #11,371
SteveElbows said:
As I had previously gone on about suppression chamber water temperature increases at reactor 2, I think I should mention that the temperatures stopped increasing and started to go back down, with the peak on September 25th. The only exception is the suppression chamber gas temperature, which continues to rise at a rate of approx 1 degree C per day.
... and #2 torus B radiation still slightly rising, with increased, but very slightly falling torus B radiation.
 
  • #11,373
zapperzero said:
http://www.meti.go.jp/english/earthquake/nuclear/iaea/pdf/20110911/chapter2.pdf

pp 203

Samples taken on June 20 in multiple locations, all approximately 500 meters away from reactor site, show Uranium, Plutonium, Americium and Curium.

EDIT: I don't remember seeing this in the first report to IAEA

Wasn't the first report done before June?

Anyway here is the press release & documents that were released at the time the soil analysis was first published:

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11061105-e.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,374
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu-fukushima/20111002/index.html Tepco's internal investigation committee is preparing an interim report into the accident. According to the draft report, the explosion at unit 2 was not a hydrogen explosion. Whereas the damage at unit 4 and unit 2 occurred almost at the same time, the seismometer readings show only one hydrogen explosion which is thought to be the one which occurred at unit 4. The pressure in unit 2's suppression chamber dropped suddenly and it is thought that, for some reason, the suppression chamber was damaged.
 
Last edited:
  • #11,375
tsutsuji said:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu-fukushima/20111002/index.html Tepco's internal investigation committee is preparing an interim report into the accident. According to the draft report, the explosion at unit 2 was not a hydrogen explosion. Whereas the damage at unit 4 and unit 2 occurred almost at the same time, the seismometer readings show only one hydrogen explosion which is thought to be the one which occurred at unit 4. The pressure in unit 2's suppression chamber dropped suddenly and it is thought that, for some reason, the suppression chamber was damaged.

What else could sound like an explosion, manage to break containment but not be an explosion? Any word on that?
 
  • #11,376
zapperzero said:
What else could sound like an explosion, manage to break containment but not be an explosion? Any word on that?

I guess that what Tepco is saying now is that the sound belongs to unit 4, not unit 2. I can't find more details about what is believed to have caused the containment failure.

Subsequent analysis of the data led the company to conclude that an explosion had occurred at the No. 4 reactor, but it "erroneously recognized" that something akin to an explosion had possibly taken place at the No. 2 unit, according to the report.
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111002p2g00m0dm083000c.html

http://www.nikkansports.com/general/news/f-gn-tp0-20111002-844020.html According to the records of solar-powered seismometer(s), explosion happened only once on 15 March at 06:12 AM. It is inferred that it is the explosion at unit 4. The reason why no hydrogen explosion occurred at unit 2 is that, by chance, [unit 2's] blowout panel was removed by unit 1's explosion, enabling the hydrogen gas to be released to the outside.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,377
""What else could sound like an explosion, manage to break containment but not be an explosion? ...""

a severe "water hammer" in a big vessel like a torus

as cautioned in those ORNL reports that used Brown's Ferry design as example.
Setup for water hammer is venting steam via too few safety valves, driving water in one region of torus up to saturation temperature...
 
  • #11,378
"What else could sound like an explosion, manage to break containment but not be an explosion? ..."

torus pressure twice over design for about 24 hours right before the explosion.
http://www.houseoffoust.com/edano/2pre.bmp
 
  • #11,379
jim hardy said:
""What else could sound like an explosion, manage to break containment but not be an explosion? ...""

a severe "water hammer" in a big vessel like a torus

as cautioned in those ORNL reports that used Brown's Ferry design as example.
Setup for water hammer is venting steam via too few safety valves, driving water in one region of torus up to saturation temperature...

yep. i read those too. i was wondering if tepco had a theory of their own.
 
  • #11,380
http://www.aesj.or.jp/information/fnpp201103/chousacom/gb/gbcom_fukuichikamera20111003.pdf An Analysis of Fukuichi live camera as displayed on . It concludes that it is a valuable tool providing confirmation of a number of events such as venting - if not during the night - and that it is a lesson worth learning at other plants.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,381
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu-fukushima/20111006/index.html A worker in his fifties who had been working for 46 days at Fukushima Daiichi, installing water treatment tanks, died on 6 October. He was taken to hospital on 5 October after feeling unwell during the morning assembly. According to Tepco, his radiation record being 2.02 mSv, it is difficult to think that radiation is the cause.
 
  • #11,382
tsutsuji said:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu-fukushima/20111006/index.html A worker in his fifties who had been working for 46 days at Fukushima Daiichi, installing water treatment tanks, died on 6 October. He was taken to hospital on 5 October after feeling unwell during the morning assembly. According to Tepco, his radiation record being 2.02 mSv, it is difficult to think that radiation is the cause.

wrong link ?
 
  • #11,383
Edano said:
wrong link ?

This was the general link for 6 October 2011, with the latest written article always on top. The direct link to the first article of the day is not provided (or I might not be good enough at finding it) until a second Fukushima Daiichi article is written during the same day. Here is the direct link : http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu-fukushima/20111006/1530_sagyoinshibo.html
 
  • #11,384
tsutsuji said:
This was the general link for 6 October 2011, with the latest written article always on top. The direct link to the first article of the day is not provided (or I might not be good enough at finding it) until a second Fukushima Daiichi article is written during the same day. Here is the direct link : http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu-fukushima/20111006/1530_sagyoinshibo.html

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gb7WCiUprUN0gRImtSYgz5Y8mm6w?docId=CNG.ba491593e56407f3b61e1ba743a820a0.4a1

http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/226528/20111006/japan-fukushima-nuclear-plant-radiation-death.htm
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,385
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu-fukushima/20111007/1600_osensui.html Tepco has received approval from surrounding municipalities and fishing cooperatives to perform the spreading of the water from units 5 and 6 after it is purified. The stored quantity has reached 17,000 tons or 90% of the storing capacity of the temporary tanks and the megafloat. Starting on 7 October at 02:00 PM, the water will be desalinated, cesium contamination will be brought to seaside resort standard level, and the spreading will be done at a 100 tons / day flow rate over a 1,200,000 m² area.
 
  • #11,387
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu-fukushima/20111008/1300_hx_kaishi.html Tepco is starting to extract the hydrogen from the unit 1 pipe on midday, 8 October, using nitrogen and a special low static electricity hose.
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts_111008_04-e.pdf page 2: "After the operation, we confirmed increase in hydrogen concentration, and so we are planning to do the replacement work again tomorrow".
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/science/news/20111008-OYT1T00755.htm As a result of the nitrogen injection, the hydrogen concentration dropped from 63% to below 0.1%, but it rose to 3.9% again one or two hours later.

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/news/110311/index-e.html new videos showing upper parts of units 1,2,3.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,388
tsutsuji said:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu...ould nullify any claims of a 'cold shutdown'.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,389
TEPCO says the hydrogen may have redistributed internally

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/09_10.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,390
LabratSR said:
TEPCO says the hydrogen may have redistributed internally

http://www3.nhk.or.jp/daily/english/09_10.html

That would imply the nitrogen purging was not very effective.
Given the severe constraints that TEPCO's people are working under, with very limited access to the reactor plumbing, they may be given the benefit of the doubt, but either the purging was a dud or the reactors are still emitting hydrogen.
Neither is reassuring and both may be true.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,391
LabratSR said:
More photos released

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts_111008_02-e.pdf

Direct link to the hi-res photo of U3 top: http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/news/110311/images/111008_05.jpg

The position of the fuel crane is still unknown. I think it must be under the overhead crane - I see no other place for it.

etudiant said:
Most interesting and very provocative information.
What is the source of this hydrogen?

Maybe they've tried to remove the hydrogen from the piping only, not from the whole PCV? The replacement of the whole inner atmosphere would be a bit longer work (it's a similar problem as the desalination of SFPs).
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,392
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/genpatsu-fukushima/20111009/0630_steam.html [about the last released videos] Steam is not seen from the upper parts of units 2 and 3. According to Tepco, the quantity of steam is decreasing due to the temperatures surrounding the reactors being below 100°C. The video of unit 1 shows the collapsed roof, and does not reveal what happened below the roof. The video of unit 2 does not show any large damage. The blue coloured partitioning screen where equipment used during periodic inspections is stored, is visible. The video of unit 3 shows debris. Tepco has also released a picture of the central control room of units 1 and 2, where a pink coloured sheet protects from radiations [ http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/news/110311/images/111008_07.jpg ]. At present the maximum radiation in the control room is 0.01 mSv/h. Employees go there to check temperatures, pressures, water levels, etc.

Rive said:
The replacement of the whole inner atmosphere would be a bit longer work (it's a similar problem as the desalination of SFPs).
My understanding is that the replacement of the whole inner atmosphere is what they plan to do. For that purpose they needed to cut the pipe. Before cutting the pipe they needed to check the presence of flammable gasses. Then they found the hydrogen. As shown on the last released diagram : http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/nu/fukushima-np/images/handouts_111008_01-e.pdf the valve between the PCV and the pipe is presently closed.

http://www.asahi.com/national/update/1009/TKY201110090343.html The pipe cutting work has started on 9 October after confirming that the hydrogen concentration is below 1%. Because the hydrogen concentration was close to 4% on 8 October, the cutting work had been delayed.

http://www.jiji.com/jc/c?g=soc_30&k=2011100900214 Hydrogen extraction was performed again on 9 October, and completed in the evening. Some pipe cutting work was also performed. Hydrogen concentration had been brought to below 1%.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #11,393
Anyone want to field some conjecture as to why a second worker dropped dead under similar circumstances with that other fella who came down with acute leukemia? Tepco has ruled out strenuous working conditions (he worked for just 3 hours a day), and has his cumulative exposure at just over 2 millSv.

We all aren't privy to the baseline health of these subcontracted employees prior to their foray at the plant, and it seems more likely that these deaths would be caused by either overwork or a pre-existing medical condition, but this dropping-dead business by nameless trenchworkers hired by subcontractors - after just brief stints on site - is starting to seem suspicious to me.

Guess my specific question is this - assuming these deaths are radiation related with tepco keeping it under wraps, is there a possible source of neutron exposure at certain areas of the site, or would that be out of the realm of possibility?
 
  • #11,394
intric8 said:
Guess my specific question is this - assuming these deaths are radiation related with tepco keeping it under wraps, is there a possible source of neutron exposure at certain areas of the site, or would that be out of the realm of possibility?

Recriticality is possible, highly unlikely. But this person did not even go near the reactors themselves.

What's more likely is tyvek+gasmask+stress=heart failure - it is a possibility even in "healthy" individuals.

Also, there are very many people on site. Thousands at anyone time; the turnover is also high, most stay on for a month or two, then take other jobs.
 
  • #11,395
intric8 said:
... this dropping-dead business ...
Every stressful jobs has similar statistics. Even sport is similar. There are usually two to five football players every year who just suddenly dies.

Of course, we cannot rule out that there is something more in it...

intric8 said:
... is there a possible source of neutron exposure at certain areas of the site, or would that be out of the realm of possibility?
Right now, there is no way to go close enough to the possible neutron sources (cores and fuel pools) (and the neutron emission of those possible sources is on dangerous level only in special circumstances).
 
Last edited:
  • #11,396
Rive said:
Every stressful jobs has similar statistics. Even sport is similar. There are usually two to five football players every year who just suddenly dies.

Of course, we cannot rule out that there is something more in it...


Right now, there is no way to go close enough to the possible neutron sources (cores and fuel pools) (and the neutron emission of those possible sources is on dangerous level only in special circumstances).

Entirely agree with Rive on this.
Afaik, there is no graceful, just drop dead option from massively excess radiation exposure, just a very messy and painful physical breakdown.
 
  • #11,397
So I guess we all agree on two points:


First - it isn't very likely that the radiation did kill anyone yet (not speaking for coming decades, though)

Second - that pile of rubble of a plant is killing workers, just not through radiation. But what does the actual cause matter to the end result?
 
  • #11,398
clancy688 said:
So I guess we all agree on two points:


First - it isn't very likely that the radiation did kill anyone yet (not speaking for coming decades, though)

Second - that pile of rubble of a plant is killing workers, just not through radiation. But what does the actual cause matter to the end result?

I value human life very much and do take any death no matter what the cause seriously, but if you look at the stats on any contstruction project or just plant operation... death and injuries are part of the operations.. that's why companies carry workers compensation and liability insurance... when you study the causes of these incidents, it is generally found that a large % are due to an employee not following directions/regulations.. (not all.. some are just accidents.. some are compaines taking short cuts...) all and all the numbers I have seen reported are quite small in relation to the number of employees/turnover of employees.. and the unknown physical hazards conditions of the work environment (excluding the radiation).
I do believe some on the thread are trying to make the situtation seem as it is something that the reports do not support.. I suggest that they do a comparison to a facility that is none nuclear and has simialar number of employees and hazardous working conditions.

Anyone out there in the insurance industrie? ... as the projected number of deaths and injuries are part of the equation that is used to charge the "premuim" on a construction project of a building. Equate it to the higher preceved risk of those under 25 driving... if you use a car its a known fact that some will be in an accident and some will lose their life.

Companies in the US carry what is called "Experience Modification" it is a calculation of past performance that insurance companies use to asses the risk value of a company.. the lower the mod the lower the premium.. and usually the better their saftey program is or inforced.

So I guess the question is "we know that the employees are put in a dangerous enviroment,(they also are not being forced to be there) but what is the solution... do not attempt to do anything at the plant? ie.. just walk away? That would be the same logic as everyone park your cars!

I do believe some here just can't wait for bad news, so they can TEPCO bash.

Edit: General info not referring to clancy, glad to see clancy's acknowlegement that it's not likly to be rad related.
 
Last edited:
  • #11,399
intric8 said:
Anyone want to field some conjecture as to why a second worker dropped dead under similar circumstances with that other fella who came down with acute leukemia? Tepco has ruled out strenuous working conditions (he worked for just 3 hours a day), and has his cumulative exposure at just over 2 millSv.

We all aren't privy to the baseline health of these subcontracted employees prior to their foray at the plant, and it seems more likely that these deaths would be caused by either overwork or a pre-existing medical condition, but this dropping-dead business by nameless trenchworkers hired by subcontractors - after just brief stints on site - is starting to seem suspicious to me.

Guess my specific question is this - assuming these deaths are radiation related with tepco keeping it under wraps, is there a possible source of neutron exposure at certain areas of the site, or would that be out of the realm of possibility?
Please substantiate claims regarding the circumstances of the workers' deaths, and please provide the evidence or citations of nameless trenchworkers dropping dead. Leukemia develops over time. One doesn't just come down with it.

WSJ said:
Tepco said only that a male worker in his 50s became ill during a meeting Wednesday morning, before his shift started. He was taken to a hospital immediately, and died the next morning.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203388804576616154250660860.html

It is not clear the cause of death.

It would seem unlikely a neutron source - spent fuel or transuranics undergoing spontaneous fission would be located outside of containment.
 
  • #11,400
Astronuc said:
It would seem unlikely a neutron source - spent fuel or transuranics undergoing spontaneous fission would be located outside of containment.

Surely in respect of Fukushima 1;2 and 3 the term 'containment' is no longer applicable ,it does not hold water
 

Similar threads

Fukushima Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster discussions
Replies
12
Views
49K
Ukraine nuclear power plant Zaporizhzhia on fire
Replies
41
Views
5K
Fukushima Japan Earthquake: nuclear plants Fukushima part 2
36
Replies
2K
Views
447K
Fukushima Are US Nuclear Power Plants Prepared for Earthquakes?
Replies
5
Views
6K
Fukushima Critiques of Fukushima Thyroid-Cancer Study
Replies
2
Views
2K
What if a nuclear power plant loses outside electricity?
Replies
6
Views
19K
Japan Earthquake: Political Aspects
16
Replies
763
Views
272K
Fukushima How will they end the Fukushima disaster?
Replies
38
Views
16K
Thoughts on nuclear power and disasters [long, rant/tangenty]
Replies
6
Views
4K
Fukushima The geological issues of the Fukushima Daiichi
Replies
4
Views
11K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top