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Originally posted by Blaine91555
reply to post by ofNight
I looked into this thread due to the title. The sources however say not a word about any evacuation being needed.
I'm not sure I ever see the point to fear mongering.
Originally posted by bobs_uruncle
I have to pose a pretty simple question here, but I'll throw in a couple of facts first;
a.) The fuel used is called Mox, which is a mix of plutonium, zircon and other mediating elements, and
b. ) Plutonium has a critical mass of about 16kg's (some articles state 4kg or less but that is with a trigger)
Critical mass is defined as the point when enough mass is accumulated self bombardment occurs and results in a nuclear reaction that causes a nuclear explosion.
Critical Mass (def)
The minimum amount of fissile material that can sustain a nuclear chain reaction under a given set of conditions the minimum amount or number required for something to happen, begin, etc.
On Plutonium
About Plutonium Bombs
Nuclear Weapons
Now at some point, with melted Mox rods, their individual compont materials will separate and settle, stratify into molten layers if you will.
The Question: How much actual plutonium is in each rod and how many rods per reactor?
Once melting and stratification starts to occur, there is constantly increasing mass added to each layer over time based on material availability (the rods). Eventually, if the amount of p239 is of sufficient quantity in each rod, the stratified p239 layer will reach and/or exceed the critical mass "at rest" level of 16kg. When this happens an uncontrolled nuclear reaction has a high probability of occuring, just like an atomic bomb.
There are a couple of problems;
The containment vessel will not contain this kind of explosion
The resulting explosion will send a few pounds (at least) of plutonium into the atmosphere. One pound distributed evenly amongst seven billion people will kill them all.
The conclusion is simple, since the rods are made up of plutonium plus mediators, this material has to be prevented from melting and achieving critical mass through stratification, otherwise, we're all screwed.
This scenario has two outcomes, it goes very bad or it goes ELE bad imho. All we can do is wait and see.
Cheers - Dave
Originally posted by paratus
I thought only reactor 3 was MOX?
This is referencing reactor 2 which is LEU.
commons.wikimedia.org...:Fukushima_I_NPP_1975_reactors_1_to_4_crop_damage.png
Originally posted by MamaJ
reply to post by bobs_uruncle
This scenario has two outcomes, it goes very bad or it goes ELE bad imho. All we can do is wait and see.
I am bar far educated on this matter. I read your post and it all makes sense however I was not under the impression it could cause an ELE. Can you go into further detail....ya know....for dummies who are unaware. Thanks!
Originally posted by googolplex
reply to post by bobs_uruncle
I'm from Detroit area and most people, and even the people that work at Ferm, don't even really kmow what happened at Fermi 1. But we almost had a melt down, that was the book , " The Day we almost lost Detroit" I believe that was the name.
What you say is interesting as in the older reactors they made a slope at the bottom of the chamber, so as to keep the molten material from dropping hard on the floor of the chamber and maybe go BOOM. I was thinking China syndrome, but the critical mass is the big thing.
If this reaches a critical mass you speak of, if you just look at this wrong it's going to blow. This is beginning to look worse everyday.
At the Fermi 1 they had a liquid sodium cooling fluid. When Fermi 1 was finished some fool threw a beer can into the cooling chamber, the beer can lodged in the impeller blade and stopped it. They didn't know what to do as this had never happened before, they flooded the chamber with 50,000 gallons of water, just hoping it would work. Now after all these years and the 50,0000 gallons of water sitting there they started to put it in to one of the Great lakes. Even with much protest by the people they put it in the lake, I won't comment on my thought's of this.
Fermi 2 is now in operation, after being stopped for years. I was down there when they had the reaction chamber stuck and had to use some type of metal decintegrations device, to free the metal wedges that held it in place.
This Japan thing is going to be way, way worse than any thing to date. It says the next time the earth, will be destroyed by fire.
Originally posted by calnorak
Originally posted by Mkoll
If things get worse there I could easily imagine that China will accept the ensuing Japanese exodus. They do have plenty of ghost cities waiting for habitation, after all.
There is some really bad blood between the Japanese and the Chinese (yes still). It would be a really big step in character for the Chinese govt to let them stay.
Originally posted by bobs_uruncle
But who really knows what they were using? There has been no transparency out of Tepco or the Japanese government and they have certainly lied repeatedly. I am surprised more of them haven't fallen on their swords (since I am ronin and understand the code). But I guess greed supersedes honor?
Originally posted by SoymilkAlaska
reply to post by crazydaisy
i can't believe they have not been evacuated yet.
they should have been evacuated THE SECOND the earthquake happened.
what the in ******************** are they still doing LIVING THERE?~!?~?~~?~?~!?@~?!2e`