[ RadSafe ] Japanese Reactors

[Jeff Terry]

Hi All, 

I climbed out of the bomb shelter to check out CNN.

Prof. Richard Lester of MIT just reported on CNN that I-131 has been detected at one of the Fukushima sites. 
I cannot find another report confirming this.  Has anyone else seen this reported?

This would indicate fuel failure. 

Also, the ANS Nuclear Cafe is linking to public press articles at:
http://ansnuclearcafe.org/

There has been one seriously injured worker reported at the Site:
From the TEPCO site: http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/index-e.html

Unit 1 (shut down at 2:48PM on March 11th)
- Reactor is shut down and reactor water level is stable.
- Offsite power is available.
- Control rods are fully inserted (reactor is in subcritical status)
- Status of main steam isolation valve: closed
- Injection of water into the reactor had been done by the Reactor Core 
  Isolation Cooling System, but at 3:48AM, injection by Make-up Water 
  Condensate System begun.
- At 6:08PM, we announced the increase in reactor containment vessel pressure, 
  assumed to be due to leakage of reactor coolant.  However, we do not believe 
  there is leakage of reactor coolant in the containment vessel at this moment.

Unit 2 (shut down at 2:48PM on March 11th)
- Reactor is shut down and reactor water level is stable.
- Offsite power is available.
- Control rods are fully inserted (reactor is in subcritical status)
- Status of main steam isolation valve: closed
- Injection of water into the reactor had been done by the Reactor Core 
  Isolation Cooling System, but at 4:50AM, injection by Make-up Water 
  Condensate System begun.
- We do not believe there is leakage of reactor coolant in the containment 
  vessel.

Unit 3 (shut down at 2:48PM on March 11th)
- Reactor is shut down and reactor water level is stable.
- Offsite power is available.
- Control rods are fully inserted (reactor is in subcritical status)
- Status of main steam isolation valve: closed
- Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System is turned off.  Currently, injection 
  of water into the reactor is done by Make-up Water Condensate System.
- We do not believe there is leakage of reactor coolant in the containment 
  vessel.

Unit 4 (shut down at 2:48PM on March 11th)
- Reactor is shut down and reactor water level is stable.
- Offsite power is available.
- Control rods are fully inserted (reactor is in subcritical status)
- Status of main steam isolation valve: closed
- Reactor Core Isolation Cooling System is turned off.  Currently, injection 
  of water into the reactor is done by Make-up Water Condensate System.
- We do not believe there is leakage of reactor coolant in the containment 
  vessel.

Indication from monitoring posts installed at the site boundary did not show 
any difference from ordinary level.
No radiation impact to the external environment has been confirmed. We will 
continue to monitor in detail the possibility of radioactive material being 
discharged from exhaust stack or discharge canal.
There is no missing person within the power station.
We are presently checking on the site situation of each plant while keeping 
the situation of aftershock and Tsunami in mind.
A seriously injured worker is still trapped in the crane operating console 
of the exhaust stack and his breathing and pulse cannot be confirmed.
A worker was lightly injured spraining his left ankle and cutting both knees 
when he fell while walking at the site. The worker is conscious.


Jeff


Jeff Terry
Asst. Professor of Physics
Life Science Bldg Rm 166
Illinois Institute of Technology
3101 S. Dearborn St. 
Chicago IL 60616
630-252-9708
terryj at iit.edu