they’re a agw loons site but good coverage on this topic
Yes. “Broken clock, twice a day”, after all. I guess they’re pro-nuclear because nuclear power doesn’t create carbon emissions. If so, at least they’re more grounded in reality than 99% of greens.
Here’s an excellent graphic on the status of the nuclear reactors. I’m not sure what time zone is used. If it’s Japan time, it’s about a half day old.
Perhaps I’m a bad engineer, but sticking the spent fuel cooling pools in the same building with the reactor (where they can be damaged by hydrogen explosions) seems like a bad idea.
Also, not having emergency vent stacks for steam running outside the building for venting steam+hydrogen mixes also looks like a bad oversight.
Ah well, disasters are where engineering learns a lot.
And now the Japanese have pulled back all the workers because radiation leveled have become too high for them to continue to work on the reactors. Worst case now is all the cooling pools boiling dry and the spent fuel rods igniting, coupled with uncontrolled meltdowns in the reactors.
My understanding of the situation from watching NHK:
They are letting the workers back onto the site after the radiation died down. There was a steam vent or something that caused another spike in the radiation levels, now they are down to the 2000 uSv/hr range.
The plan is to pry panels off of the roof of the #5 and 6 reactors to allow hydrogen to vent safely in the event that the fuel boils off
#5 reactor pool is supposed to still have water in it, but they are unsure about #4.
They want to try to get a hose in there and refill the pools before anything else happnes. Their dose limit allowance has been raised to 250 uSv (25 rem) to allow them to do this.
250 mSv dose limit, I mean – factors of 1000 are important when talking about radiation hazards!
Speaking of factors of 1000 – if the western news would spit out some damn numbers, the whole radiation scenario would become much clearer.
That spike last night – 400 mSv/hr – that was serious shit. People can’t take much more than an hour or two of that before the onset of radiation sickness.
The 50 uSv/hr around the plant at the beginning of the whole mess, when the media began to lose their minds was negligible.
In Tokyo, the levels of radiation are at normal background levels.
And in California, the levels of stupid and cowardice are pegging the low end of my IQ-meter – buying out potassium iodide thousands of miles from the threat. Sheesh.
And in California, the levels of stupid and cowardice are pegging the low end of my IQ-meter
And you’re getting prolonged exposure if you’re out there — witness last November’s gubernatorial election.
they’re a agw loons site but good coverage on this topic
Yes. “Broken clock, twice a day”, after all. I guess they’re pro-nuclear because nuclear power doesn’t create carbon emissions. If so, at least they’re more grounded in reality than 99% of greens.
Here’s an excellent graphic on the status of the nuclear reactors. I’m not sure what time zone is used. If it’s Japan time, it’s about a half day old.
http://bravenewclimate.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/tepco_status_4.jpg
Perhaps I’m a bad engineer, but sticking the spent fuel cooling pools in the same building with the reactor (where they can be damaged by hydrogen explosions) seems like a bad idea.
Also, not having emergency vent stacks for steam running outside the building for venting steam+hydrogen mixes also looks like a bad oversight.
Ah well, disasters are where engineering learns a lot.
And now the Japanese have pulled back all the workers because radiation leveled have become too high for them to continue to work on the reactors. Worst case now is all the cooling pools boiling dry and the spent fuel rods igniting, coupled with uncontrolled meltdowns in the reactors.
To put some perspective on the hype…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banana_equivalent_dose
My understanding of the situation from watching NHK:
They are letting the workers back onto the site after the radiation died down. There was a steam vent or something that caused another spike in the radiation levels, now they are down to the 2000 uSv/hr range.
The plan is to pry panels off of the roof of the #5 and 6 reactors to allow hydrogen to vent safely in the event that the fuel boils off
#5 reactor pool is supposed to still have water in it, but they are unsure about #4.
They want to try to get a hose in there and refill the pools before anything else happnes. Their dose limit allowance has been raised to 250 uSv (25 rem) to allow them to do this.
250 mSv dose limit, I mean – factors of 1000 are important when talking about radiation hazards!
Speaking of factors of 1000 – if the western news would spit out some damn numbers, the whole radiation scenario would become much clearer.
That spike last night – 400 mSv/hr – that was serious shit. People can’t take much more than an hour or two of that before the onset of radiation sickness.
The 50 uSv/hr around the plant at the beginning of the whole mess, when the media began to lose their minds was negligible.
In Tokyo, the levels of radiation are at normal background levels.
And in California, the levels of stupid and cowardice are pegging the low end of my IQ-meter – buying out potassium iodide thousands of miles from the threat. Sheesh.
And you’re getting prolonged exposure if you’re out there — witness last November’s gubernatorial election.