http://www.pennwellblogs.com/power/2011/04/03/learning-the-true-lesson-of-fukushima/ Just another WordPress weblog Thu, 17 May 2012 06:51:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 http://www.pennwellblogs.com/power/2011/04/03/learning-the-true-lesson-of-fukushima/#comment-5684 M R Cooper Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:58:49 +0000 http://www.pennwellblogs.com/power/2011/04/03/learning-the-true-lesson-of-fukushima/#comment-5684 I have worked in the nuclear industry for 30 years from maintenance to engineering. I believe the biggest risk to Nuclear safety is the inability to improve due to the high cost of change. At a coal fired plant changes can be performed quickly with lower cost. A similar modification at a nuclear plant on a safety related system would cost 10 times. The fact that the japan regulatory system would let the plants build their backup AC power (and fuel storage) at such a low elevation is ludicrous. United States seems obsessed with the Battery life of 4 hours. It should be noted that the DC power supply ( power for instrumentation and control room indication) will not run the large AC pumps. When the reactor coolant system increases in pressure you must have high head pumps to inject water. The boiling water reactors as the name states are designed to steam and boil around the fuel. All Fukushima needed was a way to provide water to the core. PWR reactors have the same requirement via high head injection pumps but also can cool by aux feed water via the steam generators and can also go on natural circulation in some cases if the reactor coolant system remains in tack. Water to the cores is the safe answer to preventing core damage......remember TMI the operators shut down the injections pumps from fear of going solid water.....human induced errors. I have worked in the nuclear industry for 30 years from maintenance to engineering. I believe the biggest risk to Nuclear safety is the inability to improve due to the high cost of change. At a coal fired plant changes can be performed quickly with lower cost. A similar modification at a nuclear plant on a safety related system would cost 10 times. The fact that the japan regulatory system would let the plants build their backup AC power (and fuel storage) at such a low elevation is ludicrous. United States seems obsessed with the Battery life of 4 hours. It should be noted that the DC power supply ( power for instrumentation and control room indication) will not run the large AC pumps. When the reactor coolant system increases in pressure you must have high head pumps to inject water. The boiling water reactors as the name states are designed to steam and boil around the fuel. All Fukushima needed was a way to provide water to the core. PWR reactors have the same requirement via high head injection pumps but also can cool by aux feed water via the steam generators and can also go on natural circulation in some cases if the reactor coolant system remains in tack. Water to the cores is the safe answer to preventing core damage……remember TMI the operators shut down the injections pumps from fear of going solid water…..human induced errors.

]]> http://www.pennwellblogs.com/power/2011/04/03/learning-the-true-lesson-of-fukushima/#comment-5069 Lott Tue, 28 Jun 2011 00:20:09 +0000 http://www.pennwellblogs.com/power/2011/04/03/learning-the-true-lesson-of-fukushima/#comment-5069 A lot can be learn from the tragedy that happened in Japan. It is necessary for us to formulate a good plan and strategy regarding Nuclear energy. I still think that we can look for alternative sources of energy that will not be disastrous in any way. A lot can be learn from the tragedy that happened in Japan. It is necessary for us to formulate a good plan and strategy regarding Nuclear energy. I still think that we can look for alternative sources of energy that will not be disastrous in any way.

]]> http://www.pennwellblogs.com/power/2011/04/03/learning-the-true-lesson-of-fukushima/#comment-3879 Asset Tracing Sun, 17 Apr 2011 07:41:18 +0000 http://www.pennwellblogs.com/power/2011/04/03/learning-the-true-lesson-of-fukushima/#comment-3879 I hope this will serve as a lesson for us. What had happened to them is something people don\'t want to happen in their nation. I hope this will serve as a lesson for us. What had happened to them is something people don\’t want to happen in their nation.

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