Posted on 03/14/2011 7:11:48 PM PDT by TennTuxedo
This was originally posted as a comment on Japan Death Toll Climbs Astronomically As Nuclear Crisis Spreads.
UPDATE: We have learned that this was written by Dr. Josef Oehmen, a research scientist at MIT. It was originally posted here.
I repeat, there was and will *not* be any significant release of radioactivity from the damaged Japanese reactors.
By "significant" I mean a level of radiation of more than what you would receive on - say - a long distance flight, or drinking a glass of beer that comes from certain areas with high levels of natural background radiation.
I have been reading every news release on the incident since the earthquake. There has not been one single report that was accurate and free of errors (and part of that problem is also a weakness in the Japanese crisis communication). By “not free of errors” I do not refer to tendentious anti-nuclear journalism – that is quite normal these days. By “not free of errors” I mean blatant errors regarding physics and natural law, as well as gross misinterpretation of facts, due to an obvious lack of fundamental and basic understanding of the way nuclear reactors are build and operated. I have read a 3 page report on CNN where every single paragraph contained an error.
We will have to cover some fundamentals, before we get into what is going on.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/japan-reactors-pose-no-risk-2011-3-1#ixzz1Gd5cH32J
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
This guy’s not an expert. Nuclear energy isn’t his field (although it’s apparently his father’s).
We’ll just have to wait and see what the consequences are. Personally, I doubt there will be much effect that makes it across the Pacific to the United States. But this was and remains a serious situation.
This guy’s not an expert. Nuclear energy isn’t his field (although it’s apparently his father’s).
We’ll just have to wait and see what the consequences are. Personally, I doubt there will be much effect that makes it across the Pacific to the United States. But this was and remains a serious situation.
Get out of here. You expect me to believe that? CNN?
I don’t know how that posted twice, as I only hit the button once.
Actually the situation has changed significantly...
this is old news...
it is almost time to panic...
Thanks for posting.
This has never made me think we should forego nuclear power, but I have been concerned from time to time about a localized health disaster. So this is good info.
I was half thinking this was the case myself. Especially after the sailors washed off the little they encountered with soap and water.
bm
Again, I wouldn’t say it’s almost time to panic, but you’ve made a good point: we do seem to be in a worse situation than the outlook when this piece was written, and the momentum at the moment as far as I’ve seen is all in the negative direction.
At the same time, there are statements that a worst-case still won’t approach being Chernobyl.
I don’t believe there’s going to be anything on the level of Chernobyl but the Japanese are clearly becoming a little worried...or overly cautious: the Prime Minister just gave a live address consisting entirely of asking everyone within 20 KM of Fukushima Plant 1 to absolutely leave the area.
Just posted - @nytimes NYT NEWS ALERT: Japan Faces Prospect of Nuclear Catastrophe as Employees Leave Plant
Edano: 800 staffers were evacuated at Fukushima-1. 50 remain working on emergency cooling.
NewYorkPost
NUCLEAR UPDATE. Fukushima. Another reactor core #4 on fire. Developing...
It is time for prudent folks to check their preparedness levels.
20 ft above sea level isn’t too far to go to hit groundwater if the containment is indeed breached. And if it is breached...there ain’t much to do about it other than prepare for the worst...
Even if radio active fallout levels are low health wise, but still very detectable, what will that do to the California's wine and food industry?
Will people avoid buying California wines for example if vineyards end up with a light dusting of radioactive fallout? Even after being told the levels are of radioactivity are not dangerous?
I would guess that even the slightest hint of radioactive fallout on California's farm land could have MAJOR economic consequences for California.
If Plutonium ends up being released in large quantities, look out...
Reactor #3 has Plutonium for fuel. That’s the scary one.
Hey, the weekly world news says that Obama is really an alien!
Imagine the debates over whether he is a citizen alien or an alien alien.
Now, what I know of nuclear reactor design says this is not true. Such a design exists to a degree.
I thought the water that was exposed to the core and superheated under some pressure formed the primary loop. The heat from this loop is transferred to a second loop via heat exchangers and it is this secondary loop containing non-contaminated water that is what forms the steam that drives the turbines and also cools the primary loop. Using steam from water that has been irradiated by the core to run turbines would also irradiate the turbines, no?
Am I wrong or have the Japanese screwed the pooch by using such an inherently dangerous design?
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