Indeed but more information is coming through (see Ian's post) and the picture
becomes clearer. Apparently the initial earthquake destroyed the basic
'off-site' power input that runs the cooling system. The reactor was scrammed
automatically (control rods drop in) but there's still around 7% of peak heat
being produced by the reactor cores. Diesel generators kicked in to provide
power for the cooling system. The the tsunami arrived and overwhelmed the sea
wall. The diesel generators were in a low position and were drowned. Third line
is batteries and they took over but they only last eight hours or so. Typical
cascade failure. No power is available on-site because all reactors (4?) are
scrammed. Finally they would like to hook up external power from off the site
with generators but the switch room where they would feed in is - in a basement
which is flooded. Meanwhile,the cores of two reactors have partially exposed -
explosions caused by hydrogen vented from the containment
vessel.
Clearly when it was designed, not enough 'what if's' were asked. "We have
multiple back-up systems" tends to lull people into a false sense of security.
As Nick Taleb suggested, people do not anticipate the scale of catastrophes
because they lack the experience and imagination. Those few who do don't get
the funding to do it and if extravagant protective measures are actually put in
place, those who designed them are accused of a pointless waste of resources if
nothing happens, as it usually does.
Andrew Fildes
afildes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
On 15/03/2011, at 2:33 AM, Chris Barker wrote:
> And remember, whatever the source of Andrew's information about the
> generators (which might not have been a bad idea to me either, if it's true),
> it might well have been made up or merely embellished by a journalist or
> their editors.
--
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