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Uncertainty over the location of Fukushima’s 3 molten nuclear cores

FUKUSHIMA-2013Scientist back from Japan: Melt-through of Fukushima containment vessels being discussed — They can’t locate any of the 3 molten reactor cores — “It’s bad, it’s definitely not over” http://enenews.com/scientist-back-from-japan-they-cant-locate-any-of-the-molten-reactor-cores-melt-through-of-containment-vessels-being-discussed-its-bad-its-definitely-not-over-yet-at-fukushima

Cape Cod Times,, Nov. 24, 2013: [Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Senior Scientist Ken] Buesseler, along with a team from WHOI, made the first of his three visits to the Fukushima area in June 2011 […] the Japanese are not able to locate three molten reactor cores. There is ongoing discussion of whether the cores have undergone a meltdown or a melt-through of the containment vessels, Buesseler said. “You can’t send humans in there. It takes decades to come up with a plan,” he said. “It’s bad. It’s definitely not over yet.”

Asia Times, Nov. 18, 2013: At least some of the reactor cores are believed to have melted through the containment vessels, and possibly into the ground, contaminating groundwater with unprecedented levels of hot particles.
Kyodo, Nov. 20, 2013: The Nos. 5 and 6 reactors […] will not actually be dismantled and instead will be used as a research facility to develop technologies for achieving the unprecedented task of removing melted fuel from the Nos. 1 to 3 crippled reactors […]

NPR, Nov. 18, 2013: […] And then there are the three reactors that melted down, which will pose an even greater challenge. “They have fuel not just in the pools above the reactors, but in the cores themselves. That fuel is melted down and it’s going to take a very, very long time to even figure out how to get that fuel out,” [NPR’s Geoff Brumfiel] says..More from Buesseler: NHK: There was a melt-through so Fukushima fuel is definitely down with the groundwater, and that’s flowing into Pacific — Americans need to watch, it gets international very quickly — May already be at West Coast — No ‘immediate’ risk (VIDEO)

November 26, 2013 - Posted by | Fukushima 2013

1 Comment »

  1. How to capture the molten material under the three reactors that have melted down?
    I am no expert, but it seems to me that a tunnel could be drilled under the molten masses and monitored for entry into that tunnel. Using a high pressure burst of air or water of a sealed unit installed from above could force pressure into the melt down cavity and push the water and melted core material up the drilled tunnel to the surface for collection and possible control of this material for disposal.

    Comment by John Collins | December 22, 2013 | Reply


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