[ RadSafe ] Nuclear power plant cooling towers

[parthasarathy k s]

I recall an interesting piece of reporting in a leading daily in Mumbai.A few years ago, there was some official function at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Mumbai. It was a large gathering.Several reporters were present. Next day, a reporter in a leading daily described the scenic beauty of the surroundings, lush green lawns, well trimmed hedges,pleasant see breeze. He used grand verbiage to compensate his lack of scientific knowledge or insight. 


"When the function concluded the silhouettes of the two reactors standing closely could be seen at a distance....etc" the reporter said. It took some time for us to figure out what he meant. The "reactors" he described were water tanks standing majestically near the top of a tall hill in the campus!

regards
Parthasarathy



On Monday, 25 August 2014, 21:14, Brent Rogers <brent.rogers at optusnet.com.au> wrote:
 


Many think the towers are the reactor.  Provably because they watched one of the Superman movies where Superman flew the bad guy (who came from the sun and was trying to steal earths energy) down into the cooling tower, opened a hatch revealing a massive glow, and threw energy man into it.  Scene shift to control room, where all the power gauges immediately peg on max power.  

Sent from my iPad

> On 22 Aug 2014, at 1:48 am, "Brennan, Mike  (DOH)" <Mike.Brennan at DOH.WA.GOV> wrote:
> 
> In a non-scientific sampling of the people I can remember, approximately none of the non-engineering people I've talked to understood that, and about half didn't believe me after I explained it.
> 
> My best cooling tower story concerns a lady who wanted her cow tested for radiation, because she lived several miles from Satsop, home of the never complete WPPS reactors 3 and 5.  When I pointed out that that the reactors were never finished and fuel was never delivered, she said I must be wrong, because when she drove by at night there was a red light at the top of the tower.  I had to explain to her that it was an aircraft warning light, not an "on" indicator for the nuclear reactor. 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu [mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Maury
> Sent: Thursday, August 21, 2014 7:58 AM
> To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
> Subject: [ RadSafe ] Nuclear power plant cooling towers
> 
> Just curious ... in publicity photos, the cooling towers of a nuclear power plant are often shown with a full plume of steam floating out the top into the air.  I believe the intent is to suggest smoke pollution being released as in pictures of tall industrial smokestacks billowing smoke into the air.
> 
> Does anyone know of any surveys or have information about the extent to which the public is aware that it is simply steam or condensed water vapor being released from the cooling towers?  (Or heaven forbid, am I mistaken? Dog would never forgive me.)
> 
> Best,
> Maury&Dog   [MaurySiskel maurysis at peoplepc.com]
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