Japan's Nukes Following Earthquake

[Albert]

Tokyo Electric Power Company's news page, with press releases in English giving details on plant status:
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/index-e.html

[HydroDave63]

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/fuel-may-be-damaged-at-japan-nuclear-plant-report-2011-03-11

[desertdog]

0042 update:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/japan-warns-of-meltdown-at-quake-hit-plant-kyodo-2011-03-12

High possibility of fuel melting/melted.

[HydroDave63]

Stock up on shrimp, salmon, multivitamins with iodine, soybeans, seaweed, garlic. Avoid spinach, cauliflower.

[desertdog]

Weird.  I'm reading "Three Mile Island" right now and just read the parts of the accident and initial responses this morning...

Not a bad book so far.  Not being a 70's era nukeworker it has been interesting reading about the origins of the nuclear debate.

[JustinHEMI05]

I really wish someone that knew what they were talking about over there would give us a detailed system status. I would really like to know how they got there, if they did. I am putting my brain through all kinds of scenarios to try to get to melted fuel. It is hard to do, but like I said before, an 8.9 quake changes everything.

The only way I can see it, without knowing what they have/lost, is operator knowledge and abilities. Perhaps they don't have a TRIP system like we do here, followed by SAMPs. Anyone have any idea the rigor of their operator licensing programs there?

[HydroDave63]

Japanese news servers are running slow, oddly enough, but I screenshot this, they say from their nuclear safety agency. Kyodo isn't exactly HuffPo..

[drayer54]

Japanese news servers are running slow, oddly enough, but I screenshot this, they say from their nuclear safety agency. Kyodo isn't exactly HuffPo..

Good work keeping this up to date and no, it's no huffpo  , I like where your head is at realizing that these japanese based commodities are going to take off

[caerbannog]

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/11031220-e.html

TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY
Corporate Information
Press Releases
 
Press Release (Mar 12,2011)
Plant Status of Fukushima Daini Nuclear Power Station (as of 1PM March 12th ) 


Unit 1 (shut down at 2:48PM on March 11th)
- Reactor is shut down and reactor water level is stable.
- Offsite power is available.
- At 8:19am, there was an alarm indicating that one of the control rods
was not properly inserted, however, at 10:43am the alarm was automatically
called off. Other control rods has been confirmed that they are fully
inserted (reactor is in subcritical status)
- Status of main steam isolation valve: closed
- Injection of water into the reactor had been done by the Reactor Core
Isolation Cooling System, but at 3:48AM, injection by Make-up Water
Condensate System begun.
- At 6:08PM, we announced the increase in reactor containment vessel
pressure, assumed to be due to leakage of reactor coolant. However, we
do not believe there is leakage of reactor coolant in the containment
vessel at this moment.
- At 5:22AM, the temperature of the suppression chamber exceeded 100
degrees. As the reactor pressure suppression function was lost, at 5:22AM,
it was determined that a specific incident stipulated in article 15,
clause 1 has occurred.
- We decided to prepare implementing measures to reduce the pressure of
the reactor containment vessel (partial discharge of air containing
radioactive materials) in order to fully secure safety. This preparation
work started at around 9:43am.

Unit 2 (shut down at 2:48PM on March 11th)
- Reactor is shut down and reactor water level is stable.
- Offsite power is available.
- Control rods are fully inserted (reactor is in subcritical status)
- Status of main steam isolation valve: closed
- Injection of water into the reactor had been done by the Reactor Core
Isolation Cooling System, but at 4:50AM, injection by Make-up Water
Condensate System begun.
- We do not believe there is leakage of reactor coolant in the containment
vessel.
- At 5:22AM, the temperature of the suppression chamber exceeded 100
degrees. As the reactor pressure suppression function was lost, at 5:22AM,
it was determined that a specific incident stipulated in article 15,
clause 1 has occurred.
- We decided to prepare implementing measures to reduce the pressure of
the reactor containment vessel (partial discharge of air containing
radioactive materials) in order to fully secure safety. This preparation
work commenced at around 10:33AM and completed at 10:58AM.

Unit 3 (shut down at 2:48PM on March 11th)
- Reactor is shut down and reactor water level is stable.
- Offsite power is available.
- Control rods are fully inserted (reactor is in subcritical status)
- Status of main steam isolation valve: closed
- Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System is turned off. Currently,
injection of water into the reactor is done by Make-up Water Condensate
System.
- We do not believe there is leakage of reactor coolant in the containment
vessel.
- We decided to prepare implementing measures to reduce the pressure of
the reactor containment vessel (partial discharge of air containing
radioactive materials) in order to fully secure safety. This preparation
work commenced at around 12:08PM and completed at 12:13AM.
- At 12:15PM, the reactor achieved cold shut down.

Unit 4 (shut down at 2:48PM on March 11th)
- Reactor is shut down and reactor water level is stable.
- Offsite power is available.
- Control rods are fully inserted (reactor is in subcritical status)
- Status of main steam isolation valve: closed
- Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System is turned off. Currently,
injection of water into the reactor is done by Make-up Water Condensate
System.
- We do not believe there is leakage of reactor coolant in the containment
vessel.
- In order to cool down the reactor, injection of water into the reactor
had been done by the Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System, however,
At 6:07AM, the temperature of the suppression chamber exceeded 100
degrees. As the reactor pressure suppression function was lost,
at 6:07AM, it was determined that a specific incident stipulated in
article 15,clause 1 has occurred.
- We decided to prepare implementing measures to reduce the pressure of
the reactor containment vessel (partial discharge of air containing
radioactive materials) in order to fully secure safety. This preparation
work commenced at around 11:44AM and completed at 11:52AM.

Indication from monitoring posts installed at the site boundary did not
show any difference from ordinary level.
No radiation impact to the external environment has been confirmed. We
will continue to monitor in detail the possibility of radioactive material
being discharged from exhaust stack or discharge canal.
There is no missing person within the power station.
We are presently checking on the site situation of each plant while
keeping the situation of aftershock and Tsunami in mind.
A seriously injured worker is still trapped in the crane operating console
of the exhaust stack and his breathing and pulse cannot be confirmed.
Currently, the rescue efforts are under way.
A worker was lightly injured spraining his left ankle and cutting both
knees when he fell while walking at the site. After medical treatment,
the worker is resting in the office.
   

 




ALL Right Reserved Copylight 2
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[JustinHEMI05]

Nice find. Looks like the reactors are ok based on that. They all had rcic and condensate available, so they had adequate core cooling the whole time.

Has something changed since this status update to cause core damage?

[caerbannog]

This was posted just before the other post. 

And here is a link to all updates:
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/index-e.html

*********************************
TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY
Corporate Information
Press Releases
 
Press Release (Mar 12,2011)
Plant Status of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (as of 1PM March 12th ) 


All 6 units of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station have been shut down.

Unit 1(Shut down)
- Reactor has been shut down and steam in reactor has been cooled by
  isolation condenser, but it is now stopped. Because pressure level in
  reactor containment vessel is increasing, following the national
  government instruction, we are implementing a measure to reduce the
  pressure of the reactor containment vessels in order to fully secure
  safety.
  Reactor water level is decreasing, we will continue injecting water step
  by step. 

Unit 2(Shut down)
- Reactor has been shut down and we continue injecting water by Reactor
  Core Isolation Cooling System. Current reactor water level is lower than
  normal level, but the water level is steady. Following the national
  government instruction, we are preparing to implement a measure to reduce
  the pressure of the reactor containment vessels in order to fully secure
  safety.   

Unit 3(Shut down)
- Reactor has been shut down and we continue injecting water by Reactor
  Core Isolation Cooling System. Following the national government
  instruction, we are preparing to implement a measure to reduce the
  pressure of the reactor containment vessels in order to fully secure
  safety.
- Currently, we do not believe there is any reactor coolant leakage inside
  the reactor containment vessel.

Unit 4 (shut down due to regular inspection)
- Reactor has been shut down and sufficient level of reactor coolant to
  ensure safety is maintained.
- Currently, we do not believe there is any reactor coolant leakage inside
  the reactor containment vessel.

Unit 5 (outage due to regular inspection)
- Reactor has been shut down and sufficient level of reactor coolant to
  ensure safety is maintained.
- Currently, we do not believe there is any reactor coolant leakage inside
  the reactor containment vessel.

Unit 6 (outage due to regular inspection)
- Reactor has been shut down and sufficient level of reactor coolant to
  ensure safety is maintained.
- Currently, we do not believe there is any reactor coolant leakage inside
  the reactor containment vessel.

We are implementing a measure to reduce the pressure of the reactor
containment vessels,
but, one of our employees working in the Unit 1 was irradiated at over
100mSv level(106.3mSv). Because of absence of industrial physician, so he
will be diagnosed at a later day. 

We measured radioactive materials inside of the nuclear power station area
(outdoor) by monitoring car and confirmed that radioactive materials level
is higher than ordinary level. Also, the level at monitoring post is higher
than ordinary level.

We will continue to monitor in detail the possibility of radioactive
material being discharged from exhaust stack or discharge canal.

The national government has instructed evacuation for those local residents
within 10km radius of the periphery because it's possible that radioactive
materials are discharged.

Two workers of a cooperative firm were injured in the nuclear power station
premise.  One with a broken bone was transported to the hospital by an
ambulance and the other by a company car.
Also, one of our employees could not stand up holding his left chest, so
was transported to the hospital by an ambulance
Further, there are 2 TEPCO employees whose presence has not been confirmed.
In addition, one subcontract worker standing near important earth
quake-proof building was unconscious and transported to the hospital by an
ambulance.

We are presently checking on the site situation of each plant while keeping
the situation of aftershock and Tsunami in mind.

[Nuclear Renaissance]

Nice find. Looks like the reactors are ok based on that. They all had rcic and condensate available, so they had adequate core cooling the whole time.

Has something changed since this status update to cause core damage?

"Make-Up Water Condensate" is just the Condensate Storage Tank System, i.e. RCIC's ex-containment suction (it's not "condensate" as in feedwater via big AC pumps). It looks like they exceeded Pressure Suppression (PSP) capability in their containment, due to a torus water level / pressure combination. Unprecedented.

[flblasted]

There's been an explosion at the plant. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg4uogOEUrU#t=43s

Details thus far are sketchy.

[Nuclear Renaissance]

There's been an explosion at the plant. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg4uogOEUrU#t=43s

Details thus far are sketchy.

That video is horrific. They just decimated secondary containment - let hope it wasn't caused by the overpressurization of primary containment...

[roadhp]

I don't know the configuration of their plants, but it looks like the entire Reactor Building just disentigrated.  There isn't anything I know of that could do that besides a major overpressurization.  God help that place.

[Nuclear Renaissance]

News says that primary containment is still intact, and that they are going into primary containment flooding, the last resort of Severe Accident Mitigation procedures. Given the circumstances, this is good news.

[retired nuke]

According to ANS links, it was a hydrogen explosion...

There were injuries to plant personnel. My prayers are with them - they are living the reality of every nasty E-plan drill we ever played.....

That level of hydrogen possibly indicates cladding overheating? (if I remember my E-Plan training correctly).

Flooding the plant / vessel with seawater. That's not recoverable. Between the 2 sites, I think 4 reactors are in this shape - not good. I see oil prices rising on this news....

http://ansnuclearcafe.org/ (Thanks Grantime for the link)

[Cycoticpenguin]

STRATFOR time

http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/20110312-red-alert-nuclear-meltdown-quake-damaged-japanese-plant?utm_source=redalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=110312%284%29&utm_content=readmore&elq=d069624ee7394c6d95bed6aab634bf54


they have videos towards the bottom.

[Fermi2]

that looks more like a turbine building explosion to me that blew away the blowout panels on the refueling floor. wanna bet they released hydrogen from the generator and it went poof?

primary containment flooding is not a samg, it's an eop in a bwr 4.

[Fermi2]

"Make-Up Water Condensate" is just the Condensate Storage Tank System, i.e. RCIC's ex-containment suction (it's not "condensate" as in feedwater via big AC pumps). It looks like they exceeded Pressure Suppression (PSP) capability in their containment, due to a torus water level / pressure combination. Unprecedented.

not entirely unprecedented and in fact quite possible if you've lost offsite power and are relying on dumping heat to the torus.

[RRhoads]

STRATFOR time

http://www.stratfor.com/analysis/20110312-red-alert-nuclear-meltdown-quake-damaged-japanese-plant?utm_source=redalert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=110312%284%29&utm_content=readmore&elq=d069624ee7394c6d95bed6aab634bf54


they have videos towards the bottom.

Too many inaccurate comparisons to Chernobyl for me...in the article about the damaged reactors in Japan, it states that the "reactor's containment structure exploded."

I havent seen that reported yet...but correct me if iam wrong..
i would caution to use the above link as a source of intelligent information.

[JustinHEMI05]

"Make-Up Water Condensate" is just the Condensate Storage Tank System, i.e. RCIC's ex-containment suction (it's not "condensate" as in feedwater via big AC pumps). It looks like they exceeded Pressure Suppression (PSP) capability in their containment, due to a torus water level / pressure combination. Unprecedented.

I agree, however I assuned that if that was in tact, then they also had condensatd for a lp source. Of course, I know as much as you do about their situation... nothing. Thanks for you opinion though.

[JustinHEMI05]

that looks more like a turbine building explosion to me that blew away the blowout panels on the refueling floor. wanna bet they released hydrogen from the generator and it went poof?

primary containment flooding is not a samg, it's an eop in a bwr 4.

I haven't been paying too close attention, but before I left, the news said it was the containment building. One pinhead was calling it a chernobly level event. /rollseyes. One commenter said that this says a lot about the robustness of the design considering the core was intact after all of this.


I foresee the anti-nukes latching onto this with all the bad info.

[Fermi2]

check out the explosion, looks exactly like a generator h2 release.

[Nuclear Renaissance]

I agree, however I assuned that if that was in tact, then they also had condensatd for a lp source. Of course, I know as much as you do about their situation... nothing. Thanks for you opinion though.

Why would you assume a unit with no AC power in station blackout would have condensate? I thought that procedure was your forte?