Why You Can Stop Worrying About the Japan Nuclear Reactors

[zrinkill]

I think this is all just a Viral Marketing ploy for the new Godzilla movie.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Dude, if you don't have anything worth while to add except insults, then shut the hell up.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Are things pretty damn serious? Yes, out of control? According to you, yes. According to the head of the IAEA? No.

Who has more credibility on the issue? Lemme think.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/16/us-japan-quake-idUSTRE72A0SS20110316

The head of the world's nuclear watchdog, meanwhile, said it was not accurate to say things were "out of control" in Japan, but the situation was "very serious", with core damage to three units at the plant, around 240 kms (150 miles) north of Tokyo.

Lemme think: believe my own eyes and ears and common sense or believe some pro-nuke blowhards trying to blow smoke up my rear end? That's a toughie.

If it looks like an "out of control" duck, walks like an "out of control duck, and quacks like an "out of control" duck ... it probably is an "out of control" duck.

Just one electrical engineer who has no dog in this fight and is calling it like I see it.

 

[theogt]

Note the 3.6 at the ***ushima plant was in very limited areas for very short periods of time. At all other places at all other times, the radition was significantly reduced.

 

[theogt]

Also, as a little sidenote for history -- more people died from the dam bursting than the nuclear plant. Yet no one has an issue with dams being built as a power source.

 

[Kevinicus]

Lemme think: believe my own eyes and ears and common sense or believe some pro-nuke blowhards trying to blow smoke up my rear end? That's a toughie.

If it looks like an "out of control" duck, walks like an "out of control duck, and quacks like an "out of control" duck ... it probably is an "out of control" duck.

Just one electrical engineer who has no dog in this fight and is calling it like I see it.

You don't have a very good track record with that.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Also, as a little sidenote for history -- more people died from the dam bursting than the nuclear plant. Yet no one has an issue with dams being built as a power source.

Playing Devil's advocate, the environmentalists have a coronary and do everything in their misguided power to derail any new hydroelectric plant.

I think the entire premise of your original intent with this thread can be summarized by the post immediately prior to your radiation dosage chart.

 

[theogt]

Playing Devil's advocate, the environmentalists have a coronary and do everything in their misguided power to derail any new hydroelectric plant.

I think the entire premise of your original intent with this thread can be summarized by the post immediately prior to your radiation dosage chart.

Environmentalists do not have an irrational fear, though. As far as I'm aware, they have a real concern and their concern is as legitimate as any other type of concern. What I have issue with is the irrational fear. The fear that nuclear plants are somehow unsafe and disastrous.

 

[burmafrd]

fanatics are never rational

 

[theogt]

fanatics are never rational

The concern isn't irrational. The behavior may be.

 

[CowboysFaninBaltimore]

WHY would I be concerned? Lets see we've had three huge disasters in an 8 month time span, and honestly it does feel like something much worse is going to happen. Far worse.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Environmentalists do not have an irrational fear, though. As far as I'm aware, they have a real concern and their concern is as legitimate as any other type of concern. What I have issue with is the irrational fear. The fear that nuclear plants are somehow unsafe and disastrous.

Nuclear power plants CAN become unsafe and disastrous especially after an earthquake, tsunami, or operator error. The fear of nuclear power plants IN JAPAN is no longer irrational. What was irrational was the overconfidence which led to building nuclear power plants in an earthquake prone area like JAPAN.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Also, as a little sidenote for history -- more people died from the dam bursting than the nuclear plant. Yet no one has an issue with dams being built as a power source.

Hello! Now there is a "quoted for truth" statement.

 

[burmafrd]

The concern isn't irrational. The behavior may be.

Depends on the amount of concern. It can be irrational as well.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Also, as a little sidenote for history -- more people died from the dam bursting than the nuclear plant. Yet no one has an issue with dams being built as a power source.

Hello! Now there is a "quoted for truth" statement.

That's quite a crystal ball you two have. The ability to see in the future. So, you two know for fact how many firemen or engineers at the plant will die from exposure experienced now sometime in the future. Or anyone near the plant. According to your crystal balls, when will it be safe to walk around there?

It is not just about comparing the number of dead. The damage done by the dam is over. The damage being done by the nuclear power plant is continuing and MAY continue for a very long time. And it MAY get worse.

The engineers can't even tell if there is any water in the tank of the spent fuel rods. And the engineers can't even tell if pouring sand and cement as a last, last resort will work.

 

[theogt]

Energy Source              Death Rate (deaths per TWh)

Coal – world average               161 (26% of world energy, 50% of electricity)
Coal – China                       278
Coal – USA                         15
Oil                                36  (36% of world energy)
Natural Gas                         4  (21% of world energy)
Biofuel/Biomass                    12
Peat                               12
Solar (rooftop)                     0.44 (less than 0.1% of world energy)
Wind                                0.15 (less than 1% of world energy)
Hydro                               0.10 (europe death rate, 2.2% of world energy)
Hydro - world including Banqiao)    1.4 (about 2500 TWh/yr and 171,000 Banqiao dead)
Nuclear                             0.04 (5.9% of world energy)

http://nextbigfuture.com/2011/03/deaths-per-twh-by-energy-source.html

 

[TwoCentPlain]

Two weeks later and the nuclear power plant in Japan is still a problem. Engineers don't even know why black smoke is coming out. Temperatures of the spent fuel storage tanks have exceeded the limit they were built for. Salt from the evaporated saltwater is accumulating at a rapid rate. One scientist estimated that 50,000 pounds have accumulated in one unit and 100,000 pounds in another. As the salt accumulates, less water reaches in to cool. Who knows what the salt is corroding. Workers are working in the dark and stepping in radioactive puddles. And the tap water in Tokyo, Chiba, and Saitama? Vegetables in Northern Japan?

No worries? Yeah, right.

 

[theogt]

Two weeks later and the nuclear power plant in Japan is still a problem. Engineers don't even know why black smoke is coming out. Temperatures of the spent fuel storage tanks have exceeded the limit they were built for. Salt from the evaporated saltwater is accumulating at a rapid rate. One scientist estimated that 50,000 pounds have accumulated in one unit and 100,000 pounds in another. As the salt accumulates, less water reaches in to cool. Who knows what the salt is corroding. Workers are working in the dark and stepping in radioactive puddles. And the tap water in Tokyo, Chiba, and Saitama? Vegetables in Northern Japan?

No worries? Yeah, right.

OH MY GOD!!!!! NOT BLACK SMOKE!!!!!

WE'RE DOOMED!!!!!!!!!

 

[casmith07]

Black smoke is usually a result of a fire, but carry on.

The smoke is probably also due to the salt being burned. Just a guess.

 

[TwoCentPlain]

OH MY GOD!!!!! NOT BLACK SMOKE!!!!!

WE'RE DOOMED!!!!!!!!!

Black smoke coming out of a nuclear reactor AND scientists and engineers have no clue why. That's a really good combination. And engineers and scientist have no idea if there is any water in the spent fuel pool which just happens to contain plutonium. Yeah, no worries there.