This NEW GENERATION Nuclear Reactor KILLED FOUR PEOPLE.Nuclear Entrepreneur Rod Adams weighs in...now, I at least give Rod Adams credit for identifying himself. I did not post his comment in the comments section for two reasons.
1. I was not interested in his remarks at end of comments that became a drum beating commercial for the pro-nuke forces, and the industry over seeing them. You can read enough of that on his blog. But then, it only makes sense that a man, and his company, Adams Atomic Engines, Inc hoping to make millions in nuclear power is going to tout the supposed benefits of an industry he is involved in, and wants to do business with. This is especially true when said gentleman and his cohorts stand to lose $100's of thousands in their own investment seed money if the Nuclear Power 2010 juggernaut gets side tracked or derailed...interesting that this former Navy man had the intuitive sense to JUMP IN when he did...especially considering the fact that the NEI's top gun is a former Navy Admiral himself.
2. Most people don't see/read the comments, so thought I would post the meat of Rod Adams remarks right out on the front page...my commentary on his words will be in red. First John Wheeler, now Rod Adams...both of whom publish pro-nuke news podcasts...tell you, someone is watching us here on the Green Nuclear Butterfly, so suppose in that we should feel honored!
Rod Adams has left a new comment on your post.
Your analogy between a nuclear reactor and a steam boiler has a few missing pieces. I am guessing here that Rod Adams missed the part of my post that said a nuclear reactor was a very large boiler on steroids. Obviously, not every internal part of the beast was detailed, as I was making an analogy.
1. The portion of most nuclear power plants that most resembles the "boiler" component of a fossil fuel plant is a steam generator. That is the place where the actual stresses of steam formation take place in a pressurized water reactor. The industry recognizes that these components have a limited lifetime, that is why almost all of the older plants have replaced their steam generators with new ones in order to extend the plant life. These are not patched up, rusty monoliths like you describe, they are completely new (and improved) components that have been subjected to rigorous testing and inspection. Adam doth protest too much. Perhaps he would like to refute the fact that many nuclear reactors, if not all of them have had significant weld repairs inside the reactors themselves? Perhaps he would like to refute the fact that some of this welding is so dangerous that they cannot even send humans in to do said welding...they instead send in fuzzy science robotic welders, and hope for the best.
2. Inspection, welding and repair work are certainly necessary in order to keep nuclear powered steam plants operating - the "balance of plant" portion of a nuclear power plant is just a steam plant and needs the same care and attention as any other steam plant. That is the nature of power generation - it takes large systems full of energetic fluid that works to weaken the system boundaries. Just a STEAM PLANT...Rod Adams own words folks...tell me here Mr. Adams, just a steam plant like the one in Japan's nuclear reactor that KILLED FOUR WORKERS in 2004? That one, in the supposedly safe, secure and vital energy industry you love?
Four dead in Japanese nuclear plant accident
A non-radioactive steam leak killed four people and injured seven in the worst accident at a Japanese nuclear power plant ever. Another worker was reportedly in a critical condition.
No radiation was involved in yesterday's leak and there was no need to evacuate the area around the plant in Mihama, a city 320 kilometres west of Tokyo, officials said.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi vowed to launch a thorough investigation into the accident, which follows a string of safety problems and attempted cover-ups at nuclear power plants in Japan.
Yesterday's accident was caused by a lack of cooling water in the reactor's turbine, said Kimihito Kawabata, a spokesman for plant operator Kansai Electric Power. The steam was believed to be about 270 degrees.
Four workers died after suffering severe burns, said Takanori Amimoto, at the nearby Fukui prefecture government office. He did not know how serious were the conditions of those who were injured.
2. Most people don't see/read the comments, so thought I would post the meat of Rod Adams remarks right out on the front page...my commentary on his words will be in red. First John Wheeler, now Rod Adams...both of whom publish pro-nuke news podcasts...tell you, someone is watching us here on the Green Nuclear Butterfly, so suppose in that we should feel honored!
Rod Adams has left a new comment on your post.
Your analogy between a nuclear reactor and a steam boiler has a few missing pieces. I am guessing here that Rod Adams missed the part of my post that said a nuclear reactor was a very large boiler on steroids. Obviously, not every internal part of the beast was detailed, as I was making an analogy.
1. The portion of most nuclear power plants that most resembles the "boiler" component of a fossil fuel plant is a steam generator. That is the place where the actual stresses of steam formation take place in a pressurized water reactor. The industry recognizes that these components have a limited lifetime, that is why almost all of the older plants have replaced their steam generators with new ones in order to extend the plant life. These are not patched up, rusty monoliths like you describe, they are completely new (and improved) components that have been subjected to rigorous testing and inspection. Adam doth protest too much. Perhaps he would like to refute the fact that many nuclear reactors, if not all of them have had significant weld repairs inside the reactors themselves? Perhaps he would like to refute the fact that some of this welding is so dangerous that they cannot even send humans in to do said welding...they instead send in fuzzy science robotic welders, and hope for the best.
2. Inspection, welding and repair work are certainly necessary in order to keep nuclear powered steam plants operating - the "balance of plant" portion of a nuclear power plant is just a steam plant and needs the same care and attention as any other steam plant. That is the nature of power generation - it takes large systems full of energetic fluid that works to weaken the system boundaries. Just a STEAM PLANT...Rod Adams own words folks...tell me here Mr. Adams, just a steam plant like the one in Japan's nuclear reactor that KILLED FOUR WORKERS in 2004? That one, in the supposedly safe, secure and vital energy industry you love?
Four dead in Japanese nuclear plant accident
A non-radioactive steam leak killed four people and injured seven in the worst accident at a Japanese nuclear power plant ever. Another worker was reportedly in a critical condition.
No radiation was involved in yesterday's leak and there was no need to evacuate the area around the plant in Mihama, a city 320 kilometres west of Tokyo, officials said.
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi vowed to launch a thorough investigation into the accident, which follows a string of safety problems and attempted cover-ups at nuclear power plants in Japan.
Yesterday's accident was caused by a lack of cooling water in the reactor's turbine, said Kimihito Kawabata, a spokesman for plant operator Kansai Electric Power. The steam was believed to be about 270 degrees.
Four workers died after suffering severe burns, said Takanori Amimoto, at the nearby Fukui prefecture government office. He did not know how serious were the conditions of those who were injured.
2 comments:
This accident in Japan is an industrial accident that depends not at all on its occurrence at a nuclear power plant. It could happen anywhere... your office, your home, your kids' school... for instance:
"We can learn a lot from a terrible elementary school hot water heater explosion that left six children and one teacher dead 20 years ago in Spencer, OK... It was shortly after noon in the busy cafeteria. Children were seated at tables, enjoying lunch when a concrete wall, which separated the lunchroom from the kitchen, blew in. An 80-gallon water heater had exploded and launched itself skyward. The children seated nearest the wall were crushed and killed as concrete and steel were propelled from the epicenter of the blast. It was a horrific scene. In all, seven were killed and 36 lay injured."
Quoted from: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BPR/is_9_21/ai_n6209869
Interesting post...so, one 80 gallon water heater blew up, and in the process knocked down a CONCRETE AND STEEL REBARB wall killing seven children.
Isn't that the SAME Concrete and steel rebarb a REACTOR is made of? Just wondering you understand.
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