Well yes, that article is now out of date, but I thought it would bring a bit of balance to the "nuclear is safe, nothing to worry about" posts.

We're only being told what they want us to know. Think what we know is scary? Hmmm.

Sure is now. Exposed fuel is about as bad as it gets without the place going Chernobyl

I guess the safety [of nuclear plants] argument is no longer spurious, superficial and sensationalist.

Remember that Chernobyl style RMBK style reactors didn't/don't have an outer containment vessel around the core, which is why that was such a disaster. Thankfully, the Japanese reactors do have this feature.


S

So why didn't the control rods stop the reaction?

Yes, this is true - but my point is really that the volumes of weapons grade Pu in the oxide mix are not enough to risk a weapons grade nuclear explosion, nor are the circumstances within the reactor suitable for creating such an event. There would never be enough critical mass of refined weapons grade Pu in the appropriate circumstances to initiate the initial conditions required.


S

They did.

The issue is the cool down time and the energy produced by nuclear decay and chemical reaction even when its stopped. That energy is supposed to be removed, otherwise its got nowhere to go and the temp rises enough to melt the fuel rods.

Yep, no nuclear explosion. Reactor is designed to have an inherent negative feedback loop in event of trouble, unlike Chernobyl.

Hell, people seem to think getting a nuclear explosion is easy, its not.

Third explosion reported. Staff reported as doing a runner. Who can blame them !


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12740843

from the BBC...
"More details on the reported blast at Fukushima's reactor 2. The explosion is feared to have damaged the reactor's pressure-suppression system, Kyodo says. It adds that "radiation tops legal limit" after the explosion"

Okay I can see the temperature thing. But the rods are supposed to absorb all the neutrons, stopping the reaction. From the news reports it appears that the reaction is still going; so the rods haven't, as you have said, stopped the reaction.

Also why is there radioactivity escaping?

BBC now saying that containment vessel of reactor 2 may have been breached.

"Radioactive materials are feared to be leaking at Fukushima, Kyodo reports quoting a safety agency." . . . on the tweet

GarryP where are you? I need some reassuring words that this is all normal and we shouldn't worry.

Check this on line geiger counter out: It's in Tokyo BTW

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/geiger-counter-tokyo

Japan has asked for additional types of equipment that will help provide water and keep the reactors cool,

The United States has sent a team of experts to assist Japan at the nuclear site, including two cooling experts. U.S. officials are also "assembling a team of experts that would be dispatched in the near future

So says CNN. Why did it take so long? . I have heard it said the japanese were reluctant to accept help, ie turned down offers from IAEA to send out their nuclear experts,technical help.. I am just Joe?Joanne public,so dont claim to know alot about the ins and out's, but to me, surely the more "experts" working the problem the better