Japan's desperate struggle to avoid an "uncontrolled explosion" at a nuclear plant, after which on Saturday destroyed the building containing the metal frame that holds the nuclear reactor number one one of the two nuclear plants in Fukushima. The Japanese Foreign Ministry summoned emergency last night to all ambassadors in Tokyo to explain the situation now being experienced by the country after the earthquake last Friday and, in particular the measures being taken to prevent explosion one of the five nuclear reactors whose cooling system was damaged by the earthquake.
the moment, there is no crack in the sarcophagus, even in reactor number one
"The government has stressed that its priority is safety," says Ambassador of Spain, Miguel Angel Navarro, one of those attending the meeting. For Tokyo, although the situation is "very serious", as recognized by the same Prime Minister Naoto Kan, far detached radioactivity is under control. Kan stressed that the earthquake and tsunami of last Friday have plunged Japan its worst crisis since the end of World War II.
The Japanese government seems to have assumed that we are seeing a meltdown of the reactor, but his major concern is not that, but avoid "uncontrolled explosion" of the metal coffin containing the reactor, as it happened in 1986 at Chernobyl (Ukraine). Hence the decision to cool the reactor by injecting sea water, which facilitates cooling, although "very likely" leave them useless.
the moment, there is no crack in the sarcophagus, even in reactor number one, despite Saturday's blast. The reason for this was the hydrogen accumulation on the roof of the building to keep the reactor shut up in his coffin and the contact of hydrogen with oxygen. This accumulation proceeded to inject seawater to generate steam and need to open the valves of hydrogen.
That steam is radioactive and is a controlled release of radioactivity, which does not present major risks to health. But to reduce these doses of radiation and are detected in the environment of the two nuclear plants in Fukushima, boron is being added to seawater, because the fixed boron neutron radioactive.
Today more complicated reactor number two, whose temperature is very high and inside is occurring meltdown. Experts are using the same technique of cooling by sea water but attempts to open an escape route more steam, to prevent another explosion of building that contains it.
"Technicians are involved in a process of containment of a nuclear accident, "stated Navarro, who said he was satisfied with the serious explanations given by the Foreign Ministry, which allowed the ambassadors and embassies scientific advisers all kinds of questions." It been a reasonable exposure, "he says.
Lack of official information
Subsequently, the director general of energy issues held a press conference. Large Japanese media today criticized the Government for limited information and the delay has made known to the population seriously affected by the horror of earthquake and nuclear risk, the measures being taken to prevent a catastrophe of unimaginable consequences.
The Government's current obsession is "neutralizing reactors with seawater cooling," which may be enough to prevent an explosion in these critical days when the internal temperature continues to increase despite the reactors were disconnected nothing happens automatically in the earthquake.
The ministry spokesman said that although the actual temperature of the reactor has not reached the critical level is very high and exceeds 800 degrees Celsius. After these days, the temperature naturally lower. So far no responsibility for the two nuclear plants, owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company, explained how it was possible that the cooling systems of the five reactors have failed.
Japan: "The absolute priority is safety," York Times
0 comments:
Post a Comment