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IEEE Headline: “Fukushima’s Reactor 1 Meltdown Was Worse Than We Realized” — Looking forward to finding out what TEPCO knew and when they knew it

Published: December 1st, 2011 at 4:29 pm ET
By ENENews
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Fukushima’s Reactor 1 Meltdown Was Worse Than We Realized, IEEE Spectrum [Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers], Dec. 1, 2011 (Emphasis Added):

A new simulation of the meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station found that the situation was even worse than previously thought. It now appears that nearly all the nuclear fuel in reactor 1 melted through the first line of defense, the steel reactor vessel, and made a serious dent in the next protective layer. [...]

TEPCO’s analysis found that the fuel melted through 70 centimeters of that concrete. However, that still left 190 centimeters of intact concrete between the melted fuel and the steel boundary of the primary containment vessel. [...]

But it’s also worth remembering that TEPCO’s earliest announcements about the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident said that there had been no melting of the nuclear fuel. Later they admitted there had been significant melt, but said the fuel had all remained in the reactor vessels. While the company has no doubt been scrambling to get accurate information in an ever-changing and extremely dangerous disaster scene, I’m looking forward to results of the Japanese government’s investigation into what TEPCO knew, and when they knew it.

Though IEEE’s reporting contradicts that of NHK Japan on The Yomiuri Shimbun. …190cm or 37cm away from the steel boundary?

Yomiuri

Only 37 centimeters of concrete remains between the fuel and the vessel’s outermost steel wall in the most damaged area, TEPCO said.

NHK via EX-SKF

Excerpt

The text below the screen says: “In the worst case, it [the corium] may have reached 65 centimeters from the surface of the concrete. Where the concrete is the thinnest, it may have reached within 37 centimeters from the steel plate [of the Containment Vessel].

Published: December 1st, 2011 at 4:29 pm ET
By ENENews
Email Article Email Article
20 comments





Related Posts

  1. NYT: “Increasingly grave scenarios” at Fukushima — Tepco admits melted fuel may be one foot away from crucial steel barrier — “An overly optimistic simulation” says Kyoto expert December 1, 2011
  2. Creep Rupture? US says No. 2 reactor core probably leaked — Implies damage even worse than previously thought April 7, 2011
  3. NHK: “This is a very severe accident” — Nuclear fuel at Reactor No. 1 may have melted through 65 cm of concrete… Only 37 cm at thinnest point (PHOTOS) November 30, 2011
  4. Gov’t report suggests situation “far worse” than meltdown — It “is the worst possibility in a nuclear accident” June 8, 2011
  5. NHK: Over half of fuel has melted out at Reactors No. 2 and 3, says Tepco’s assumed worst scenario (VIDEO) November 30, 2011
December 1st, 2011 | Category: Reactor No. 1
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