17 Μαρτίου

Τα νέα είναι ότι δεν υπάρχουν πολλά νέα αφού οι δημοσιογράφοι και όσοι έστελναν ειδήσεις από εδώ και από εκεί έχουν απομακρυνθεί. Και μάλλον δεν υπάρχουν καλά νέα... Η περίληψη όπως την είπε ο Steven Chu του Υπουργείου Αμερικανικού Ενέργειας και ο Gregory Jaczko της Πυρηνικής Ρυθμιστικής Αρχής των ΗΠΑ , είναι ότι είναι χειρότερα από το Three Mile Island (πολλοί αντιδραστήρες και όχι ένας), και αυτές οι αποθηκευμένες ράβδοι καυσίμου και η απώλεια νερού τους έχει δημιουργήσει χάος, και η ραδιενέργεια πλέον ίσως εμποδίζει την πρόσβαση. Όλος ο στόχος είναι ψύξη με πολύ νερό για άλλες 3, 4, 5 μέρες.

Και δεν είναι μόνο ο 1, ο 2 και ο 3 αλλά και ο 4. Τον 4 τον είχαμε για σβηστό... Με το καύσιμο εκτός και σε νερό. Φαίνεται ότι "κάπως" το νερό μειώθηκε και τώρα ειπώθηκε το "The possibility of re-criticality is not zero". Αυτό δεν σημαίνει πυρηνική έκρηξη, αλλά πυρηνική αντίδραση, θερμότητα, πολλή θερμότητα και ραδιενέργεια χειρότερη από αυτή του ραδιενεργού ατμού. Και όπως αναφέρει το BBC,(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12762608) όλα αυτά εκτός του containment vessel του αντιδραστήρα, σε κτίριο που φαίνεται δεν κρατάει νερό, ή άδειασαν το νερό στον αντιδραστήρα, ή κάτι. Και ενώ με νερό ψύχονται όλα αυτά, το νερό, από μόνο του, βοηθάει την αντίδραση σε αυτόν τον τύπο αντιδραστήρα (για αυτό η προσθήκη βορίου, "για να επιβραδύνει τα νετρόνια").

Και με παράλληλη την συνεχιζόμενη προσπάθεια διατήρησης της ψύξης στους 1, 2 και 3, όπου τα "ρήγματα" (στους 2 και 3) φαίνεται να μην είναι το μείζον πρόβλημα (αλλά ο 3 είναι ραδιενεργός και δυσχεραίνει την προσέγγιση στον 4).

http://e.nikkei.com/e/fr/tnks/Nni20110317D16JFA20.htm Thursday, March 17, 2011
TOKYO (Nikkei)--Tokyo Electric Power will on Thursday start work to build makeshift electric power sources within the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, a move intended to inject water more efficiently into the plant's crippled reactors.

First, the utility will search for locations with relatively little radiation and install equipment for controlling power units and panels. The equipment will then be wired to water pumps on the outside of the reactors, the company said.
If the new power line is smoothly connected to the water pumps, workers will be able to cool fuel rods by sending seawater into reactor pressure vessels, containment vessels and storage pools of spent fuel.
Construction will start as soon as Thursday morning, an official said, but it will be unclear how long the work will take to complete until it begins. The work will be carried out at the same time as cooling efforts under way by police water cannon trucks

http://live.reuters.com/Event/Japan_earthquake2
some news from the Japan Nuclear Agency that the radiation level has steadily decreased over the last 12 hours at Fukushima Daiichi

http://live.reuters.com/Event/Japan_earthquake2Japan's nuclear agency says it cannot confirm if water covering the spent fuel rods at reactor 4.
by Reuters_MarkKolmar at 3/17/2011 8:57:07 AM
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10:57 AM

Interfax reports that the Russian embassy in Japan as saying: "The radiation level in Tokyo does not create a problem as yet. If the situation worsens, the Emergency Situations Ministry will provide the evacuation."
by Reuters_MarkKolmar at 3/17/2011 9:15:04 AM
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11:15 AM

http://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/tsunamiupdate01.html Japanese Earthquake Update (17 March 01:15 UTC)
Injuries or Contamination at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Based on a press release from the Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary dated 16 March 2011, the IAEA can confirm the following information about human injuries or contamination at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Please note that this list provides a snapshot of the latest information made available to the IAEA by Japanese authorities. Given the fluid situation at the plant, this information is subject to change.

Injuries

2 TEPCO employees have minor injuries
2 subcontractor employees are injured, one person suffered broken legs and one person whose condition is unknown was transported to the hospital
2 people are missing
2 people were 'suddenly taken ill'
2 TEPCO employees were transported to hospital during the time of donning respiratory protection in the control centre
4 people (2 TEPCO employees, 2 subcontractor employees) sustained minor injuries due to the explosion at unit 1 on 11 March and were transported to the hospital
11 people (4 TEPCO employees, 3 subcontractor employees and 4 Japanese civil defense workers) were injured due to the explosion at unit 3 on 14 March
Radiological Contamination

17 people (9 TEPCO employees, 8 subcontractor employees) suffered from deposition of radioactive material to their faces, but were not taken to the hospital because of low levels of exposure
One worker suffered from significant exposure during 'vent work,' and was transported to an offsite center
2 policemen who were exposed to radiation were decontaminated
Firemen who were exposed to radiation are under investigation
The IAEA continues to seek information from Japanese authorities about all aspects of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant

Reuters
NHK is reporting that the emergency crew at reactor 3 has temporarily called off spraying the reactor by water cannon due to high radiation levels.
by Reuters_MarkKolmar at 3/17/2011 10:34:48 AM
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12:34 PM