Posted on 03/12/2011 3:14:43 PM PST by Nobel_1
Zero Hedge reports radiation rising at Fukushima Daiichi units
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/kyodo-reports-radiation-fukushima-jumps-twice-maximum-seen-so-far
... most likely due to steam pressure releases at reactor #2 ... which may indicate explosion potential at #2 is rising (just as we saw at #1 and #3 units)
Zero Hedge now posting nice analysis of the troubled Fukushima #2 unit undergoing meltdown ...
http://www.zerohedge.com/article/satellite-photo-reactor-1-and-3-explosions-fukushima
Explosion at Unit #2 is being reported by Foxnews
FYI - Japanese TV report (translated on FoxNews) indicates that the explosion in Unit #2 may have occurred within the primary containment. The key indication was that the pressure inside the primary containment around the boiler went from 3 atmospheres to 1 atmosphere (3 atmospheres is 44 psi).
Cross-posting from http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2689310/posts?page=132 here ...
Discussion on spent fuel rod cooling pools - and the risks at Unit 4, and the potential for Units 5 & 6 to become problems as well. Watch this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiXIODVlfXk
See especially: diagram at 8:02 and expert starting 10:30
Units 4,5,6 were “cold shutdown”, but the shutdown started in 6, then 5 and lastly 4. Lots of fuel rods (some old, some fairly new) are in large spent fuel cooling pools covered by 30+ feet of water. THERE IS MINIMAL CONTAINMENT FOR THIS FUEL ... just the water and the roof.
In Unit 4, the rods were still pretty hot, and the water had to be kept circulating to prevent boiling and loss of water level. When the station blackout occurred, the water level dropped. Ultimately the spent rods were exposed to the air, and the zirconium casing interacted with the oxygen to release hydrogen.
If *someone* does not get those “spent” fuel rods (in Units 4,5,6) covered with water, then any fire or rising smoke will be highly radioactive, and not contained if secondary containment is lost (as in Unit 4).
The nuclear experts at http://www.world-nuclear-news.org thought Units 4,5,6 were of no concern. They were wrong! The largest radioactive releases could easily end up coming from these spent fuel rod cooling pools.
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