Risk of explosion from containers at Fukushima

Esote

Dagobah Resident
Risk of hydrogen explosion from leaking containers at Fukushima plant : http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201505230059


Inspections of containers holding contaminated water at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant found that at least 10 percent have leaks, which could trigger a hydrogen explosion.

Tokyo Electric Power Co., the plant’s operator, reported its findings at a meeting with a study group from the Nuclear Regulation Authority on May 22. It said no radioactive water was found to have escaped outside the concrete structures that encase the containers.

According to TEPCO, there were about 1,300 such containers at the plant as of May 20.

They store waste water from the ALPS (advanced liquid processing system) equipment that removes radioactive substances from contaminated water.

The containers, which are made of polyethylene, are 1.8 meters high and have diameters of 1.5 meters.

The first leak was discovered in a lid on April 2.

TEPCO began inspecting others to see if they had similar problems. Of the 278 it had examined by May 20, it found 26 had some sort of leak or were bleeding from their lids.

The operator said the leaks and bleeding were likely caused by hydrogen and other types of gases that resulted from the water’s exposure to high levels of radiation.

Such gases appear to have accumulated in sediment at the bottom of the containers, expanding the volume of the liquid.

An NRA official said the accumulating hydrogen poses a potential danger.

“If the concentration level is high, a spark caused by static electricity could cause a container to explode,” the official said.

Although all the lids of the containers were supposed to be fitted with pressure-release valves to allow gasses to escape, TEPCO’s survey found that one did not have the mechanism.

Further review of the delivery records for the containers showed there may be as many as 333 that are also defective, a TEPCO official said.

By HIROMI KUMAI
 
The leaky tanks of contaminated water are at the end of their shelf life. The tanks contents and x-ray emissions pose health risks to workers. The hydrogen is flammable but the real problem is tritium. Industry would like to dump the tanks into the ocean faster than they are now with leaking and runoff. The hydrogen explosion scare story is more ammo to justify another big dump of radioactive waste into the ocean. If aquatic species had a vote they would vote no. Though it is officially denied, many think the radioactive fallout and continuous radioactive leaks from Fukushima are responsible for the stresses to ocean life being reported. The money necessary to remediate the three meltdown disaster might bankrupt Japan, but cheap solutions have not worked. I hope the international community will stop Japan from doing further damage to the Pacific Ocean.
 
horse said:
[...]
I hope the international community will stop Japan from doing further damage to the Pacific Ocean.

Nope, ain't gonna happen. Fukushima isn't on the news anymore. TPTB do not want any of us to think about this. TPTB gotta be scared about the masses waking up, "seeing" what is truly going on and the masses start coming after TPTB with sticks, stones, pitchforks and waterproof matches.
IF...
If the people would wake up, methinks all hell would indeed break loose.
But in the meanwhile, Nope, methinks TPTB will lay low and nothing, nothing will be done...
 
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