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Japan Does Not Face Another Chernobyl

online.wsj.com

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Re: Japan Does Not Face Another Chernobyl

#2
Really appreciated the following especially as I try to balance local (JP) coverage and international news. "With all the death, devastation and disease now threatening tens of thousands in Japan, it is trivializing and almost obscene to spend so much time worrying about damage to a nuclear reactor."

Re: Japan Does Not Face Another Chernobyl

#5
This is a bad article.

1.) He argues that the three mile island accident means that the containment vessel will hold now. Even if they were the exact same reactor design, that doesn't logically follow, but they aren't the same design which gives even less credence to this argument.

2.) He says that once the reactor is flooded with water they won't have to do any more pressure releases. Again, I don't see how that follows. As long as there is enough residual heat to boil water, there's certainly a possibility that they will have to do more pressure releases.

Re: Japan Does Not Face Another Chernobyl

#6
post #5

This is a bad article. 1.) He argues that the three mile island accident means that the containment vessel will hold now. Even if they were the exact same reactor design, that doesn't logically follow, but they aren't the same design which gives even less credence to this argument. 2.) He says that once the reactor is flooded with water they won't have to do any more pressure releases. Again, I don't see how that fol…

1.) Reactors aren't magic. They have very well defined properties. It's pretty easy to calculate if a containment vessel will hold. This type of engineering happens every day in every building you go in and every car you ride.

2.) The containment structure is quite large, and the residual heat is relatively low. There is a lot of water there, presumably too much for the residual heat to boil. (The water normally flows only in the much smaller reactor vessel.)

Re: Japan Does Not Face Another Chernobyl

#7

Really appreciated the following especially as I try to balance local (JP) coverage and international news. "With all the death, devastation and disease now threatening tens of thousands in Japan, it is trivializing and almost obscene to spend so much time worrying about damage to a nuclear reactor."

Is there any info about how many people were injured or killed from oil and gas fires?

Re: Japan Does Not Face Another Chernobyl

#8
post #6
post #5

This is a bad article. 1.) He argues that the three mile island accident means that the containment vessel will hold now. Even if they were the exact same reactor design, that doesn't logically follow, but they aren't the same design which gives even less credence to this argument. 2.) He says that once the reactor is flooded with water they won't have to do any more pressure releases. Again, I don't see how that fol…

1.) Reactors aren't magic. They have very well defined properties. It's pretty easy to calculate if a containment vessel will hold. This type of engineering happens every day in every building you go in and every car you ride. 2.) The containment structure is quite large, and the residual heat is relatively low. There is a lot of water there, presumably too much for the residual heat to boil. (The water normally flow…

I'm not trying to convince anyone that the containment vessel will fail or that they will have to do more steam releases. I'm simply saying that the arguments presented in the article are illogical.

Re: Japan Does Not Face Another Chernobyl

#9

That article makes it sound like the decision to use graphite is stupid and will never be made again. This isn't true, a lot of the gen-4 designs are graphite-moderated.

But I am sure they take into account the properties of graphite, and I'm sure making sure that Chernobyl thing doesn't happen is high on the list.

Re: Japan Does Not Face Another Chernobyl

#10
post #8
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

1.) Reactors aren't magic. They have very well defined properties. It's pretty easy to calculate if a containment vessel will hold. This type of engineering happens every day in every building you go in and every car you ride. 2.) The containment structure is quite large, and the residual heat is relatively low. There is a lot of water there, presumably too much for the residual heat to boil. (The water normally flow…

I'm not trying to convince anyone that the containment vessel will fail or that they will have to do more steam releases. I'm simply saying that the arguments presented in the article are illogical.

They have already had many safety failures. No one can predict what will happen next.
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