Understand the Fukushima nuclear power plants Where the 1st Explosion happened

Understand the Fukushima nuclear power plants
Where the 1st Explosion happened?

Fukushima Daiichi

Unit 1
1.439 MWe BWR, 1971
2.Automatically shut down
3.Water level decreasing
4.Pressure release implemented
5.Explosion observed
6.Containment believed intact
7.Seawater injection has started
8.Radiation levels did not rise after
9.Explosion


Unit 2
1. 760 MWe BWR, 1974
2. Automatically shut down
3. Water level lower but steady
4. Preparations for pressure release

Unit 3

1. 760 MWe BWR, 1976
2. Automatically shut down
3. Preparations for pressure release

Unit 4

1. 760 MWe BWR, 1978
2. Shut for periodic inspection

Unit 5

1. 760 MWe BWR, 1978

2. Shut for periodic inspection
3. Unit 6
4. 1067 MWe BWR, 1979
5. Shut for periodic inspection

Fukushima Daini
1. Unit 1
2. 1067 MWe BWR, 1982
3. Automatically shut down
4. Offsite power available
5. Water level stable
6. Preparations for pressure release


Unit 2
1. 1067 MWe BWR, 1984
2. Automatically shut down
3. Offsite power available
4. Water level stable
5. Preparations for pressure release

Unit 3
1. 1067 MWe BWR, 1985
2. Automatically shut down
3. Offsite power available
4. Water level stable
5. Preparations for pressure release

Unit 4

1. 1067 MWe BWR, 1987
2. Automatically shut down
3. Offsite power available
4. Water level stable
5. Preparations for pressure release

The plants at Fukushima are so called Boiling Water Reactors or BWR for short.
Boiling Water Reactors are similar to a pressure cooker.

The nuclear fuel heats water, the water boils and creates steam, the steam then drives turbines that create the electricity, and the steam is then cooled and condensed back to water, and the water send back to be heated by the nuclear fuel.

The nuclear fuel is uranium oxide with very high melting point of about 3000 °C.
The fuel is made in small brick like cylinders.
Then these are put into a long tube made of Zircaloy with a melting point of 2200 °C, and sealed tight.
The assembly is called a fuel rod.

The Zircaloy casing is the first containment. It separates the radioactive fuel from the rest of the world.
These fuel rods are then put together to form larger packages,
And a number of these packages are then put into the reactor.

All these packages together are referred to as “the core”.
The core is then placed in the “pressure vessels”.
The pressure vessel is the second containment.

The entire “hardware” of the nuclear reactor is encased in the third containment which is
Air tight very thick bubble of the strongest steel.

The purpose of the 3rd containment is to keep the core always and permanently cool.

This third containment is then surrounded by the reactor building.
The reactor building is an outer shell that is supposed to keep the weather out
This is the location or spot of 1st explosion in Fukushima Daiichi nuclear Plant.



In simple language I will say it is important and dangerous part is kept deep inside
To reduce the damage 3 layer protection is give for that.
If one fails, 2nd protection, 2nd fails 3rd protection.

It’s like I got a diamond I kept inside a small locker.
Locker inside locker, now both inside another locker and all now inside a new locker.

All explanation is given for understanding the concept purpose only.

Once this is over then damage control will be seen by the Japan Government.
Fuel rods and the entire plant will be checked for potential damage.
This will take about 4-5 years.
The safety systems on all Japanese plants will be upgraded to withstand a 9.0 earthquakes and tsunami

Reality views by sm –
Sunday, March 13, 2011

Keywords Tags – Nuclear Knowledge, Understand the Fukushima nuclear power plants
Location of first explosion in Fukushima plant

Sources –
http://www.world-nuclear-news.org
http://bravenewclimate.com