Fukushima Nuclear Plant Workers May Have to Sacrifice Their Lives

Update: Helicopter crews risked their health by dropping water into the number 4 reactor.  When they hovered to drop the water, they were exposed to high levels of radiation. But the dump was abandoned.

This photo was taken in 2002 inside one of Fukushima’s reactors.  Today, CNN is reporting that,

Robert Alvarez, senior scholar at the Institute for Policy Studies, tells CNN that water had served to both cool the uranium fuel and shield it. But once the uranium fuel was no longer covered by water, zirconium cladding that encases the fuel rods heated, generating hydrogen.

That caught fire, resulting in a situation that is “very, very serious,” Alvarez told CNN. He said the next solution may involve nuclear plant workers having to take heroic acts. Asked to be more specific, he said, “This is a situation where people may be called in to sacrifice their lives. … It’s very difficult for me to contemplate that but it’s, it may have reached that point.”

At the same time, fears are mounting across Japan. Voice of America reporter, Steve Herman, says in a tweet “This really defines at what stage we are: for first time ever NHK [Japan’s public tv] is scrolling across top of TV screen mSv/h [radiation levels] readings for different cities.”

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Thank you tra!

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tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

Helicopters just dumped 4 loads of seawater onto the number 3 reactor. Each load somewhere in the range of 7 tonnes of water.

Meanwhile, Japan’s NHK tv reports 11 more water cannon trucks are en route to the site.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

Sounds like they dumped two loads of seawater onto reactor 4 also. Then had to bring the crews in before their exposure to the radiation got too high. Not clear if they’ll be trying it again, with a new crew, or what.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/16/japan-quake-live-blog-death-toll-expected-to-rise-as-crews-reach-more-areas/?hpt=T1

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

Sounds like they dumped two loads of seawater onto reactor 4 also. Then had to bring the crews in before their exposure to the radiation got too high. Not clear if they’ll be trying it again, with a new crew, or what.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/03/16/japan-quake-live-blog-death-toll-expected-to-rise-as-crews-reach-more-areas/?hpt=T1

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

NHK reports that in the recent helicopter seawater-drop operation on units 3 and 4, hitting the targets has been “challenging.” I don’t know if that means they missed with all or some of those drops, or whether they aren’t sure, or what.

BBC points out that due to the high level of radiation, the helicopters cannot stay hovering above the reactors while they aim and drop, they have to drop it “on the fly,” which is no easy feat.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

NHK reports that in the recent helicopter seawater-drop operation on units 3 and 4, hitting the targets has been “challenging.” I don’t know if that means they missed with all or some of those drops, or whether they aren’t sure, or what.

BBC points out that due to the high level of radiation, the helicopters cannot stay hovering above the reactors while they aim and drop, they have to drop it “on the fly,” which is no easy feat.

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

0355: Pressure is rising again at Reactor 3, the power station operator says – Reuters. That reactor includes plutonium and uranium in its fuel mix.

0352: The temperature of Reactor 5 is now a growing cause for concern, a Japanese official reports. “The level of water in the reactor is lowering and the pressure is rising,” he says

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

tra
Guest
tra
13 years ago

0355: Pressure is rising again at Reactor 3, the power station operator says – Reuters. That reactor includes plutonium and uranium in its fuel mix.

0352: The temperature of Reactor 5 is now a growing cause for concern, a Japanese official reports. “The level of water in the reactor is lowering and the pressure is rising,” he says

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-12307698

DanZeeg
Guest
DanZeeg
13 years ago

Looks like 4 days of 1 hour exposure each day at the Fukushima operation is non-recoverable damage to internal organs and bone marrow

DanZeeg
Guest
DanZeeg
13 years ago

Looks like 4 days of 1 hour exposure each day at the Fukushima operation is non-recoverable damage to internal organs and bone marrow

Norah
Guest
Norah
13 years ago

CNN reported that only one helicopter dump was successful. The US is sending in chartered planes to get Americans out of Japan.

Norah
Guest
Norah
13 years ago

CNN reported that only one helicopter dump was successful. The US is sending in chartered planes to get Americans out of Japan.

Eric Kirk
Guest
Eric Kirk
13 years ago

I certainly hope that Tokyo Electric will take care of their families for the rest of their lives.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Eric Kirk

Me too!

Eric Kirk
Guest
Eric Kirk
13 years ago

I certainly hope that Tokyo Electric will take care of their families for the rest of their lives.

Staff
Member
13 years ago
Reply to  Eric Kirk

Me too!