tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52341984630182923422024-03-08T15:12:33.960-08:00Info4 Nuclear Safety & DisasterInfo4Disastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08847289558916508206noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-26205030785721088172013-08-24T19:29:00.001-07:002013-08-24T19:29:47.458-07:00Nuclear Operator Raises Alarm on Crisis - NYTimes.com<div webmemes_parsed="1"><div webmemes_parsed="1"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/24/world/asia/nuclear-operator-raises-alarm-on-crisis.html">Nuclear Operator Raises Alarm on Crisis - NYTimes.com</a></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15351894644090351000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-24260679427335384162013-08-24T19:23:00.001-07:002013-08-24T19:23:40.707-07:00Nuclear Preparedness and USA evacuation routes<div webmemes_parsed="1"><div webmemes_parsed="1"><a href="http://www.ibiblio.org/rcip/nuclear.html">Nuclear Preparedness and USA evacuation routes</a></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15351894644090351000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-91750831016932658112013-05-26T09:37:00.001-07:002013-05-26T09:37:54.035-07:00Safe downloads from FukishimaFuture site<a href="http://www.fukushimafuture.com/downloads/?cp=2">Downloads - Fukushima Future</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15351894644090351000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-7233407924274658862012-07-02T19:14:00.001-07:002012-07-02T19:14:30.307-07:00Nuclear power by country - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_power_by_country">Nuclear power by country - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15351894644090351000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-66754584528128976732012-06-08T10:45:00.001-07:002012-06-08T10:45:15.075-07:00Explosions, Military Helicopters Near Blacked Out Radiation ZoneEyewitnesses on the ground near the media-blacked-out elevated radiation zone near the border of Indiana and Michigan, where radiation levels hundreds of times higher than normal were quickly <a href="http://naturalsociety.com/nuclear-base-running-containment-exercise-radiation-spikes/">removed from public viewing</a> by the EPA, are now sending in a large number of photos and videos documenting massive explosions accompanied by <strong>unmarked helicopters, A-10 Thunderbolts, and military personnel</strong>. These reports come after a Department of Homeland Security hazmat fleet was sent out to the location after ‘years’ of inactivity.<br />
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<br />
<a href="http://naturalsociety.com/explosions-military-helicopters-filmed-radiation-zone/">Explosions, Military Helicopters Near Blacked Out Radiation Zone</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15351894644090351000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-30275699941299107642011-04-19T12:12:00.000-07:002011-04-19T12:12:42.219-07:00Pictures: Top Ten Nuclear Nations' Quake Hazard<div class="main-image" style="min-height: 415px; opacity: 1;"><img alt="The bulbous chambers of the San Onofre nuclear power plant in
California" src="http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/337/cache/most-nuclear-nations-united-states_33799_600x450.jpg" /></div><h2>1. United States: Coastal Concern</h2><div class="credit">Emory Kristof, National Geographic</div><div class="MsoNormal"><em>This story is part of a </em><a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy" target="_blank"><em>special series</em></a><em> that explores energy issues. For more, visit <a href="http://www.greatenergychallenge.com/" target="_blank">The Great Energy Challenge</a></em>.</div><strong>Annual U.S. nuclear generation: 798.7 billion kwh (kilowatt-hours)</strong><br />
Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi crisis has raised questions around the world on the earthquake hazard in countries that rely heavily on nuclear power. As it turns out, the seismic threat varies widely in the top ten countries generating electricity by fission.<br />
Although the United States has not built a new nuclear power station since the 1979 accident at Three Mile Island, it is far and away the world’s largest nuclear power producer. Its 104 reactors produce more electricity than all the nuclear plants in the next two nations—France and Japan—combined. But because U.S. electricity use is so prodigious, all those nuclear plants provide only 20 percent of the total.<br />
Given the<a href="http://geohazards.usgs.gov/qfaults/map.php"> map of U.S. earthquake hazard</a>, it’s no surprise that California’s<a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2011/mar/21/business/la-fi-cal-nukes-20110321"> two nuclear power plants</a> are the ones that have raised the most<a href="http://boxer.senate.gov/en/issues-legislation/spotlight/nuclearsafety.cfm"> political concern</a> in the wake of Japan’s crisis. San Onofre, in San Clemente, and Diablo Canyon, in Avila Beach, are located right on the coast, near active faults.<br />
Earthquake hazard in this area of the West, where the North American tectonic plate meets the Pacific plate, is about five times greater than the earthquake hazard in the eastern half of the United States, says seismologist Seth Stein, of Northwestern University’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. He is author of the recent book,<a href="http://www.earth.northwestern.edu/people/seth/"> Disaster Deferred</a>, on how new science is changing views of earthquake hazards in the Midwestern United States. As the book explains, there is some seismic hazard in the central and eastern part of the country, where the vast majority of<a href="http://www.nrc.gov/info-finder/reactor/"> U.S. nuclear reactors</a> are located. Damaging earthquakes have occurred near Charleston, South Carolina; Boston, Massachusetts; and New Madrid, Missouri.<br />
Long before the Fukushima crisis, U.S. energy and nuclear regulators and the<a href="http://www.epri.org/"> Electric Power Research Institute</a>—the industry nonprofit group—were working on a new seismic source characterization for the central and eastern United States. It’s expected to be completed later this year.<br />
There are no nuclear plants in Alaska, the U.S.<a href="http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/top_states.php"> state that has the most earthquakes</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
Read the entire article on National Geographics webiste. Click <a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2011/03/pictures/110329-top-10-nuclear-nations-quake-hazard/">here</a>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15351894644090351000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-32225388282495973562011-03-30T00:09:00.000-07:002011-03-30T03:49:14.750-07:00Nuclear Evacuation Zones for the USA<a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704604704576220373366809468.html?mod=wsj_share_twitter">Nuclear Evacuation Zones - WSJ.com</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15351894644090351000noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-30078812016538112362011-03-19T10:23:00.000-07:002011-03-30T03:49:14.752-07:00Similarities between the BP Disaster and the Tepco Disaster : The Corpus Callosum<a href="http://scienceblogs.com/corpuscallosum/2011/03/similarities_between_the_bp_di.php?utm_term=%23oilspill&utm_source=Blogsearch&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=bp">Similarities between the BP Disaster and the Tepco Disaster : The Corpus Callosum</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15351894644090351000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-36330741273195772792011-03-16T14:07:00.000-07:002011-03-16T14:14:00.634-07:00During a Nuclear Power Plant Emergency<h3 class="post-title entry-title" style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</h3><div class="post-header"></div><div style="background-color: #999999; color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: xx-small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"><div style="padding: 0px 0px 7px;">The following are guidelines for what you should do if a nuclear power plant emergency occurs. Keep a battery-powered radio with you at all times and listen to the radio for specific instructions. Close and lock doors and windows.</div><div style="padding: 0px 0px 7px;">If you are told to evacuate:</div><ul style="margin-top: 3px;"><li>Keep car windows and vents closed; use re-circulating air.</li>
</ul><div style="padding: 0px 0px 7px;">If you are advised to remain indoors:</div><ul style="margin-top: 3px;"><li>Turn off the air conditioner, ventilation fans, furnace, and other air intakes.</li>
<li>Go to a basement or other underground area, if possible.</li>
<li>Do not use the telephone unless absolutely necessary.</li>
</ul><div style="padding: 0px 0px 7px;">If you expect you have been exposed to nuclear radiation:</div><ul style="margin-top: 3px;"><li>Change clothes and shoes.</li>
<li>Put exposed clothing in a plastic bag.</li>
<li>Seal the bag and place it out of the way.</li>
<li>Take a thorough shower.</li>
</ul><div style="padding: 0px 0px 7px;">Keep food in covered containers or in the refrigerator. Food not previously covered should be washed before being put in to containers.</div></span></span></div>Info4Disastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08847289558916508206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-62306317380151022882011-03-14T10:15:00.001-07:002011-03-16T14:08:49.512-07:00Maps of Nuclear Power Reactors: WORLD MAP<a href="http://www.insc.anl.gov/pwrmaps/map/world_map.php">INSCDB: Maps: WORLD MAP</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15351894644090351000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-62442101828176589482011-03-14T09:59:00.001-07:002011-03-16T14:08:49.513-07:00Information for you and your family from FEMA<h1><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Nuclear Power Plant Emergency</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Nuclear power plants use the heat generated from nuclear fission in a contained environment to convert water to steam, which powers generators to produce electricity. Nuclear power plants operate in most states in the country and produce about 20 percent of the nation’s power. Nearly 3 million Americans live within 10 miles of an operating nuclear power plant.</span></h1>Although the construction and operation of these facilities are closely monitored and regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), accidents are possible. An accident could result in dangerous levels of radiation that could affect the health and safety of the public living near the nuclear power plant.<br />
Local and state governments, federal agencies, and the electric utilities have emergency response plans in the event of a nuclear power plant incident. The plans define two “emergency planning zones.” One zone covers an area within a 10-mile radius of the plant, where it is possible that people could be harmed by direct radiation exposure. The second zone covers a broader area, usually up to a 50-mile radius from the plant, where radioactive materials could contaminate water supplies, food crops, and livestock.<br />
The potential danger from an accident at a nuclear power plant is exposure to radiation. This exposure could come from the release of radioactive material from the plant into the environment, usually characterized by a plume (cloud-like formation) of radioactive gases and particles. The major hazards to people in the vicinity of the plume are radiation exposure to the body from the cloud and particles deposited on the ground, inhalation of radioactive materials, and ingestion of radioactive materials.<br />
Radioactive materials are composed of atoms that are unstable. An unstable atom gives off its excess energy until it becomes stable. The energy emitted is radiation. Each of us is exposed to radiation daily from natural sources, including the Sun and the Earth. Small traces of radiation are present in food and water. Radiation also is released from man-made sources such as X-ray machines, television sets, and microwave ovens. Radiation has a cumulative effect. The longer a person is exposed to radiation, the greater the effect. A high exposure to radiation can cause serious illness or death.<br />
<strong>How can I protect myself from a nuclear power plant emergency?</strong><br />
<ul><li><a href="http://www.fema.gov/hazard/nuclear/nu_terms.shtm">Know your nuclear emergency terms</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fema.gov/hazard/nuclear/nu_before.shtm">What to do before a nuclear power plant emergency</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fema.gov/hazard/nuclear/nu_during.shtm">What to do during a nuclear power plant emergency</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.fema.gov/rebuild/recover/after.shtm">What to do after a nuclear power plant emergency</a></li>
<li>Seek medical treatment for any unusual symptoms, such as nausea, that may be related to radiation exposure.</li>
</ul>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15351894644090351000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-64682780354671369282011-03-13T21:20:00.000-07:002011-03-16T14:08:49.513-07:00World Nuclear Association | Nuclear Power - a Sustainable Energy Resource<a href="http://www.world-nuclear.org/">World Nuclear Association | Nuclear Power - a Sustainable Energy Resource</a>Info4Disastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08847289558916508206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-54054193115995398272011-03-13T20:40:00.000-07:002011-03-16T14:08:49.513-07:00International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) :: Earthquake in Japan<a href="http://www.iaea.org/">International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) :: Earthquake in Japan</a>Info4Disastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08847289558916508206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-60124899072218981572011-03-13T20:29:00.000-07:002011-03-16T14:08:49.513-07:00NRC: Find Operating Nuclear Power Reactors by Location or Name<a href="http://www.nrc.gov/info-finder/reactor/">NRC: Find Operating Nuclear Power Reactors by Location or Name</a>Info4Disastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08847289558916508206noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-85412252595646945462011-03-13T17:10:00.001-07:002011-03-16T14:08:49.514-07:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #373737; font-family: Arial,sans-serif;"><h2 style="color: black; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 34px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px;">Fukushima Dai-Ichi: How a nuclear power plant works</h2><div class="link_gray" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic;"> Category:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/category/Environment" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">Environment</a><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>- Tags:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/tag/japan" rel="tag" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">-Japan</a><span style="color: #adadad;">,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/tag/dai-ichi" rel="tag" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">Dai-Ichi</a><span style="color: #adadad;">,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/tag/daiichi" rel="tag" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">daiichi</a><span style="color: #adadad;">,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/tag/earthquake" rel="tag" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">Earthquake</a><span style="color: #adadad;">,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/tag/fukushima" rel="tag" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">Fukushima</a><span style="color: #adadad;">,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/tag/fusion" rel="tag" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">Fusion</a><span style="color: #adadad;">,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/tag/nuclear" rel="tag" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">nuclear</a><span style="color: #adadad;">,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/tag/power-plant" rel="tag" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">power plant</a><span style="color: #adadad;">,</span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/tag/radioactive" rel="tag" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">radioactive</a><span style="color: #adadad;">,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/tag/reactor" rel="tag" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">reactor</a><span style="color: #adadad;">,<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></span><a href="http://en.akihabaranews.com/tag/uranium" rel="tag" style="color: #adadad; text-decoration: none;">uranium</a></div><div class="post-88158 post type-post hentry category-highlights category-en category-environment tag-japan tag-dai-ichi tag-daiichi tag-earthquake tag-fukushima tag-fusion tag-nuclear tag-power-plant tag-radioactive tag-reactor tag-uranium" id="post-88158" style="font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.2px; margin: 8px 0px 0px;"><div class="entry first_letter" style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 14px; text-align: justify;"><div style="margin-top: 0px;"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-88165" height="300" src="http://www.akihabaranews.com/wp-content/uploads//images/8/58/88158/1.jpg" style="border-style: none; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;" title="Fukushima Dai-Ichi: How a nuclear power plant works" width="728" /></div>Although we’re not nuclear scientists here, we felt this thead might be of help for al those who wish to keep a clear interpretation on what your local news broadcast is announcing. A major number of high end press agencies was already touting on about Japan’s Fukushima prefecture becoming a refurbished edition of Chernobyl.<br />
Also if there are any mistakes or technical nonsense do not hesitate to contact us that we can make this post as accurate as possible, but don’t make an ass of yourself and try to keep it polite, we will not tolerate any wrong behavior today.<br />
Japan being a major player in the constantly improved development in health and safety for it’s millions of inhabitants, clearly has more than one trick up it’s sleeve to make sure IF disaster hits the spot, that the people are as safe as possible. Unfortunately a tsunami + an 8.9 earthquake is just a bit to huge for even the most water tight evacuation plan out there. The Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear reactor buildings located closely to the epicenter of the quake are under constant monitorring and everything possible is done to make sure IF radioactive substances hit the air, the contaminated zone would be less than the 20km barrier currently used as a safety buffer. This is Fukushima Dai-Ichi, a state of the art reactor plant which won’t blow up like the current media headlines are stating.<br />
<strong>What happened:</strong><br />
A) Due to the earthquake a wall got breached/cripped<br />
B) The power went out due to the tsunami’s water reaching the building, rendering even the backup generators useless. Due to these events a hydrogen tank blew up.<br />
C) 4 reactor cores are presently cooled with sea water (which is very corrosive and will most probably render the reactors useless after the emergency situation is moderate again.<br />
<strong>Facts:</strong><br />
Reactor cores can go up to 2200 degrees Fahrenheit for the core still to be functioning, only when it heats up to about 4000 degrees Fahrenheit one can say they pose an imminent risk to melting since this is about the maximum temperature where the Uranium pellet start to melt. Only when the 4000 degrees barrier is breached, the potential exposure the radioactive substances is possible since the melting Uranium would corrode/eat it’s way through the reactor.<br />
<strong>So how does a nuclear power plant work (explained very roughly in a few basic steps):</strong><br />
The process is called “Nuclear Fission”, it is a reaction between a free neutron that hits a Uranium atom. The Uranium absorbes this neutron, goes into an unstable state and bursts open (explodes). This process repeats itself over and over since every time the Uranium splits, new free neutrons are released and react with other Uranium atoms.<br />
This “splicing” interaction produces energy, not enough in small quantities, but a a pound of highly enriched Uranium produces enough energy to power a full blown submarine. Equivalent to about a million gallons of gasoline/fuel. Thus a very interesting and clean source of power when controlled properly. Uranium reactions also produce an incredible amount of heat and gamma radiation.<br />
Nuclear reactors are mainly divided into 3 ways of status-operiation. Critical mass, Subcritical mass and Supercritical mass. Roughly speaking it’s a form of control scientists use to determin how stable the temperature of the core will be depending on the Uranium atom’s form inside. In general nuclear power plants require a combination of critical and few supercritical mass to be able to rise and lower the temperature depending on the electricity required.<br />
Operation inside the plant consists of the reactor which is a collection of long rods filled with Uranium bundled together. These bundles are put into a pressure vessel and submerged into something similar to a very deep swimming pool (water acts as a coolant). Uranium on it’s own would overheat almost instantly, thus control rods made of materials that can absorb these neutrons are placed inside and can be raised/lowered depending on the present reactions inside the core. Making sure the temperature can be controlled at all time.<br />
The heat produced by the reactor’s core produces steam, this steam is used to drive a turbine where spinning electricity generators produce the power you can use in your home. Different ways to cool down nuclear reactors, some work on water, some on liquid metals, some are cooled by gas,… all depending on how productive you want the cores to become.<br />
The steam produced that drives the generators is of course radioactive, so a concrete liner which absorbed the radiation is placed inside a steel vessel which contains all of the radioactivity released in the production process. To protect these crucial steel vessels a super thick concrete outer building is build in order to make sure none of the radiation escapes the compound when an accident should occur to the steel vessels. The outer buildings are strong enough to endure earthquakes up to crashing airplaned. Unfortunately the massive earthquake at the Fukushima Dai-Ichi premises made the wall of 1 reactor building crack, yet as long as the steel vessel(s) inside are not said to be severely damaged this doesn’t pose a risk to large scale radioactive steam releases.<br />
We also would like you to take time to read, this VERY long but extremely interesting article on the Situation over at Fukushima :<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://morgsatlarge.wordpress.com/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','morgsatlarge.wordpress.com']);" style="color: #ff5600; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Why I am not worried about Japan’s nuclear reactors</a>. It is very in-lighting as well!</div></div></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15351894644090351000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5234198463018292342.post-52416232593743589972011-03-13T13:27:00.000-07:002011-03-16T14:08:49.514-07:00Maps of Nuclear Power Reactors: WORLD MAP<a href="http://www.insc.anl.gov/pwrmaps/map/world_map.php">INSCDB: Maps: WORLD MAP</a>Info4Disastershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08847289558916508206noreply@blogger.com0