Update # 37: Weekend July 23 & 24th, 2011
The blackout on Friday is explained as human error with a circuit breaker set incorrectly. Hmm . . .
I won't be able to check the temperatures in the various SFPs and reactors until all data is released on Monday or Tuesday.
Cause of Fukushima blackout identified
"The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says the interruption on Friday of a system that cools one of the spent fuel pools was caused by the incorrect set-up of a circuit breaker.
A device that handles the transmission of power to reactors 3 and 4 malfunctioned shortly after 7 AM on Friday, shutting down the cooling system for the fuel pool of unit 3 as well as the water decontamination system.
Although the pool water temperature did not rise, it took about 8 and a half hours to put all the equipment back online…." Saturday, July 23, 2011 22:05 +0900 (JST)
Two stories on the faltering decontamination system over the weekend confirm that radioactive sludge is the problem in the pipes. TEPCO is running an experiment to see if a different piping arrangement will alleviate the problem. However Sunday's story reports even more problems with the system.
TEPCO tackles trouble with decontamination units
…The system funnels in radioactive water accumulated in the underground facility and reuses it as a reactor coolant after decontaminating radioactive substances. TEPCO started the operation late last month.
The system sends 3.8 cubic meters of water per hour to each of the No.1 and No.2 reactors.
However, the operation has been unstable for the last 3 days. On Friday, the amount of water injected suddenly decreased to 3.4 cubic meters per hour at No.2 reactor, and then fell to 3.2 cubic meters on Saturday.
At No.1 reactor, water levels decreased to 3.3 cubic meters on Sunday morning….
On Sunday, the system was halted for 7 hours due to trouble with a device to remove salt from radioactive water. TEPCO restored operation with a back-up mechanism…." Monday, July 25, 2011 06:32 +0900 (JST)
TEPCO checks piping of decontamination system
"Tokyo Electric Power Company is to examine the pipes of a system to decontaminate radioactive water at its crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant. The system continues to work below its target capacity.
TEPCO says the system, which was designed to treat 50 tons of water per hour, has actually been treating 39 tons on average since it began operating late last month…." Sunday, July 24, 2011 11:04 +0900 (JST)
SKF has the following comments on the faltering decontamination system:
Contaminated Water Treatment System Is Stopped, Nth Time, at Fukushima I Nuke Plant
"I've totally lost count. So much for the successful "step 1" of stable cooling using the treated water. Instead of the performance improving after the initial kinks of a hastily assembled system, it has gotten worse….I just have an unfounded, unscientific feeling that all these small details add up someday to cause a one big, unexpected something. Don't ask me what it is."
The next story at NHK concerns the re-defined stabilization of reactor number 1. Since they are no longer measuring the temperature of the coolant water but the temperature at the bottom of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV) where the rods used to be, they can now say that Unit 1 is "stabilized", so they do. As SKF comments above, since the temperature depends on the amount of cooling water injected and the decontamination is so unstable, who knows how long this condition will last?
No.1 reactor temperature falls below 100 degrees
The operator of the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant says the temperature at the bottom of the No. 1 reactor is being kept at the lowest level since a new cooling system went into operation late last month.
Tokyo Electric Power Company says the temperature fell below 100 degrees Celsius for 6 consecutive days through Sunday….
TEPCO says the lower temperature was achieved by raising the amount of water injected into the reactor, and that it wants to maintain the current condition…." Sunday, July 24, 2011 13:05 +0900 (JST)
Fukushima Prefecture has begun a "decontamination experiment" using citizens to decontaminate roads and ditches.
Decontamination experiment starts in Fukushima
"More than 3,500 city employees and citizens took part in an experiment to remove radioactive materials from roads in a highly contaminated area of Fukushima City on Sunday. The experiment follows the city's decision to clean up all the roads used by elementary and junior high school students.
Participants dug up weeds and removed sludge from roadside ditches, where radioactive materials tend to accumulate.
They used high-pressure washing equipment and scrubbing brushes to clean roads near schools.
A father of 2 elementary school children said he took part to bring down radiation levels for the many children who are still living in the community.
A house in the area was also cleaned for experimental purposes. The roof and plants were washed with high-pressure equipment after city employees measured radiation levels.
A similar experiment will be conducted in another area in the city, where relatively high radiation levels have been measured.
The city plans to review the methods and their effectiveness, and release a decontamination plan and a manual for residents next month." Sunday, July 24, 2011 16:47 +0900 (JST)
There is no question this is necessary, as SKF reports:
Radiation in Fukushima City Order of Magnitude Higher Than Official Numbers?
Saturday, July 23, 2011
"From someone in Japan posting a short post at this website of a TV program he just saw on July 24 morning (their time):
"On TBS Television "Sunday Morning News". Radiation survey by Doshisha University and Kyoto Seika University of Fukushima City [in Fukushima Prefecture].
- U-drain at an elementary school 56.9 microsieverts/hour;
- Fukushima Prefectural Government building 20.8 microsieverts/hour,
- Fukushima Railroad Station 2.4 to 22.4 microsieverts/hour.
"Hot spots" everywhere. The Doshisha researcher was surprised to see these numbers. Do Fukushima City residents know about this?
I couldn't find the official radiation number for the Fukushima Prefectural Government building. The radiation at the Fukushima City Hall, about 1 kilometer away, is 0.95 microsievert/hour as of July 23, according to Fukushima Prefecture."
And finally at NHK, supposedly corporate action will be taken to remove the Japanese gangs from working on projects (i.e. from hiring street people to work at the nuke plants). If you saw the 1995 video posted on this subject a couple of weeks ago, you know this is a long-standing situation. Also a story appeared a week or so ago about TEPCO's "lost" workers. This was in relation to the attempt to find workers and check them for radiation exposure, but hundreds could not be found. The gang hiring situation is cloaked in this report.
TEPCO to eliminate gangsters from nuclear projects
"The operator of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant is stepping up efforts to prevent gangsters from earning money in projects for bringing the crisis under control….
Police say criminal syndicates are gaining work in rebuilding projects, claiming to be companies and volunteer groups.
A gangster has been arrested in Iwate Prefecture for illegally sending workers to construction sites for temporary housing.
The council plans to cooperate with police in drawing up contracts and exchanging information on criminal groups to prevent their participation in projects."
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The Watershed Sentinel is proud to share Nelle Maxey's Fukushima Updates prepared for the BC environmental community.
Every day, Nelle pours over the media and other reports of the status of the reactors at Fukushima, comparing figures and trying to make sense out of the conflicting reports.Saturday, July 23, 2011 13:41 +0900 (JST)