nuclear-news

On 17 December 2013, TEPCO began to “remove fuel assemblies from the Reactor 3 Spent Fuel Pool, (and began with the) removal of large-size debris in the Spent Fuel Pool”. Not long after TEPCO began this operation, steam once again began to emanate from Reactor 3.

Since 24 December 2013, reports, directly from TEPCO’s website, have confirmed that steam has been emanating from Rector 3. The daytime high temperature during the 3 days in question was 6 degrees Celsius or43 degrees Fahrenheit.

Over the course of 3 days, reports continued, claiming that no “abnormal plant conditions” have been identified at Rector 3, where the steam has been observed via a camera.

A recent commentary on the steam rising from Rector 3, claims that because it is currently winter in “much of the northern hemisphere” that the steam is simply “hot water vapor [being] released daily”, from the devastated Fukushima nuclear plant.

Under normal conditions, with temperature differences between the environment and the nuclear plant, this explanation would make sense. Although the steam, rising from Reactor 3, is undeniably more visible during the winter months, it is certainly not just ordinary “hot water vapor” as some media outlets may suggest.

Indeed, the winter weather water vapor theory does not account for TEPCO surveillance cameras recording steam rising from Reactor 3 in the middle of summer, as was shown in this video.

The specific elements contained within the steam should be the focal point of discussion in terms of properly appreciating the potential consequences yet to manifest at Reactor 3.

In 2011, at Reactor 3, the water in the reactor vessel evaporated. Fuel became uncovered, and heated up to a temperature of 2,300 degrees Celsius. It mixed with the materials of the structure to form magma called Corium.

The Corium flowed down to the bottom of the reactor vessel, which is made of steel. According to Japanese investigators, the Corium pierced the reactor vessel before falling on the concrete basement inside the containment.

Questions about how much erosion to the concrete has occurred because of the Corium still remain unanswered. The steam emanating from Reactor 3 is most assuredly radioactive. In fact, TEPCO lied at first about Corium melting through concrete and steel casings.

The Institute of Applied Energy (IAE) pointed out that, at least in Reactor 1, the Corium did indeed melt through the barriers, causing the vessel to “tilt”.

Reactor 3 could be showing sings that Corium may be the cause of a possible future disaster if the Corium comes into contact with radioactive water, causing a violent reaction such as a steam explosion…….. http://nsnbc.me/2014/01/04/nuclear-expert-steam-reactor-3-fukushima-matters/