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Steam from No. 2 spent fuel pool is filling reactor building, humidity at 99.9% — Cesium level now double No. 1

Published: May 30th, 2011 at 5:37 am ET
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High radioactivity level at No. 2 reactor, NHK, May 30, 2011:

The operator of the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant says the radioactivity level and humidity are high in the Number 2 reactor building, which will make internal operations hard. [...]

The results show the Number 2 reactor building’s radioactive cesium level is twice as high as the cesium level in air not purified in the Number 1 reactor building. Steam is filling the Number 2 building, and humidity has reached 99.9 percent.

[S]pent fuel storage pool [is] causing the steam [...]

Published: May 30th, 2011 at 5:37 am ET
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29 comments

Related Posts

  1. NHK: More than half of thermometers in Reactor 2 not working — Tepco will start ‘start measuring temperatures again by late July’ — High humidity inside reactor blamed June 2, 2012
  2. 220 Million Bq/liter of Cesium now in No. 2 Spent Fuel Pool — SFP No. 1, 2, & 3 “clearly have significant spent fuel damage” (VIDEO) August 28, 2011
  3. ‘Severe spike’ in radiation around No. 2 spent fuel pool — Japan officials say damage to spent fuel rods ‘could not be ruled out’ April 18, 2011
  4. NHK: “Possibility that there is little water left inside the Number 2 reactor” because of full meltdown — New gauge measuring water level not operating because temps are too high June 25, 2011
  5. Reactor Operator: FOIA response shows US knew in March that Spent Fuel Pool No. 3 leaking — “Flooding of pool may not be possible due to damage” (VIDEO) January 3, 2012
May 30th, 2011 | Tags: , | Category: Reactor No. 2, Spent Fuel Pool No. 2
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29 comments to Steam from No. 2 spent fuel pool is filling reactor building, humidity at 99.9% — Cesium level now double No. 1

  • Steven
    May 30, 2011 at 5:41 am

    I’m fairly certain that spent fuel storage pools are not operating at their optimum when steam comes out.


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  • tacomagroove
    May 30, 2011 at 5:50 am

    I like how they state twice the level, with out really giving detail as to what the “level” actually is.
    Are we talking
    reactor 1 is Death in 1 min…?
    meanwhile reactor 2 is death in only a 1/2 min?


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  • Chris
    May 30, 2011 at 5:52 am

    The TBS/JNN livecam is grey (or black) since 2 days.

    What’s going on ? The storm is supposed to be away now (end of afternoon in Japan).


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    • tacomagroove
      May 30, 2011 at 6:02 am

      I posted an article on the thread before this one…

      My guess is that the iodine being found in the usa to current date, indicates that a china syndrome has been taking place for a week now… The camera has been fogged out all week on and off. However if the spent fuel pools are actively being cooled; Then its quite obvious that the fuel in the reactor cores, are sustaining a limited / growing criticality. This is because flight time is anywhere between 2-4 days from japan to usa, and iodine only has a 8 day half life (as it is an unstable isotope that is created during fission). So the company tepco is once again holding back the info. Because it will likely lead to riots, instability, and financial implications.

      Dead argument really…. The song: “its the end of the world as we know it” Comes to mind…


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  • Darth
    May 30, 2011 at 5:58 am

    High Levels Of Cesium Found 80 km Away In Mountain Snow

    “On May 29, a private association of mountain lovers [in Fukushima], “Association for preserving the primal forests in Takayama Mountain”, announced the result of radiation analysis of snow samples taken from the mountains around Fukushima City in Fukushima Prefecture. High concentration of radioactive cesium was detected from snow samples taken below the altitude of 1,500 meters (4,921 feet), with the highest being 2,968 becquerels per kilogram from the sample taken on the east slope of Mount Minowa at 1,338 meters high. Radioactive cesium that exceeds the provisional national limit (500 becquerels per kilogram) has been detected from freshwater fish in the Abukuma river that runs through Fukushima City, and it is considered that radioactive cesium in fish comes from the water from melted snow.”

    http://ex-skf.blogspot.com/2011/05/high-level-of-radioactive-cesium-from.html


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  • Chris
    May 30, 2011 at 6:04 am

    Back on line !
    At exactly noon (Paris time), the color changed (purple).

    And then the camera turned right (and/or made a zoom)… I saw some clouds, part of a building) and then camera came back at initial position : no clear image.

    It lasted a fews seconds only.

    it’s like the camera is pointing to the sky.

    What are they doing ?


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    • tacomagroove
      May 30, 2011 at 6:08 am

      They are currently trying to appease the public by showing developments, when all odds are against them and the reactors are likely to give at any moment. The actual reality of the situation is that if the actual data were released as to what the tune of the damages are. japan would be a third world starving nation over night. Burying the entire world economy with it in its demise…
      Thats why its not being reported, and innocent people in japan are being exposed to poison everyday… In all reality its just as bad as what hitler did in ww2.


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  • Jeremie
    May 30, 2011 at 6:05 am

    Confirmation that the cooling system fix has been a bullshit announcement.


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  • Fallout Man!
    May 30, 2011 at 6:50 am

    No 2 still has its roof on. Though at different times Tepco and other news sources have confirmed its melted down, and breached both the pressure vessel and containment vessel. The good news though is that its fuel pool has not blown the building apart… unlike 1, 3, and 4!!!

    See photos here, no 2 is the only one with a roof on it, hence no air conditioning. I guess when Tepco refers to “purified” air in the other buildings they mean the roof blew off?
    http://cryptome.org/eyeball/daiichi-npp/daiichi-photos.htm

    I also wonder if some of that steam might be coming out of the reactor itself, not just the fuel pool. That’s just uninformed conjecture and blind prejudice on my part though. Blind prejudice towards an elite that did not meet their own industry captured safety standards, and that continue to use a bunch of purchased academics and “news” agencies to cover for them. Call me cynical, but I just find it hard to take their PR at face value now.

    If it wasn’t that so many people will have their lives destroyed needlessly by this forsee-able disaster, it would be like watching a comedy show. Its Homer Simpson in real life.

    It just gets laughable when they talk about purified air in buildings with no roof anymore. Next they’ll be spinning exploding buildings as a great safety feature!

    It reminds me of their new cooling system they proudly announced for the fuel pools today. Hose some water in the top, and let it leak out the bottom. Anyone listening to Tepco would think all the plant needs now is a lick of paint and it’ll be back to normal!

    Cooling problem… solved this morning! Contaminated air problem, solved in all places except the one building that still has a roof. Good to see the crisis is over now. Well done Tepco!


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  • Darth
    May 30, 2011 at 7:09 am

    USA & JAPAN Working Together To B.S. You

    “While Japan and the United States worked closely to deal with the problems from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, there were a few rocky patches at the beginning, including the threat to evacuate all U.S. residents from Japan.

    A key turning point for the Japan-U.S. relationship came on March 17, six days into the crisis. At 10:22 a.m., Prime Minister Naoto Kan called U.S. President Barack Obama from the Prime Minister’s Official Residence, and the first thing he said was, ‘Helicopters have now dumped water.’

    Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa called the Prime Minister’s Official Residence and told Kan,’It was successful.’

    Members of the Kan administration realized that dumping water from a helicopter would have almost no effect on cooling the reactor.”

    http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201105200150.html


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  • Pfffffffft.......
    May 30, 2011 at 7:43 am

    Anyone know if Wal-Mart sells Planets? This one seems to be contaminated and broken. Perhaps we can exchange it…..


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  • Joviation
    May 30, 2011 at 8:03 am

    This is fun, “green” article from today’s Boston Globe, regarding Seabrook (NH)’s degraded concrete tunnels. I love that the company running this Swiss cheese plant is named NextEra.

    “Many nuclear plants have a myriad of tunnels and buildings underground, and many of those tunnels have an exterior layer of concrete that must be protected from water. Plants, like Seabrook, often have waterproof membranes to protect the concrete’s integrity and extensive efforts to drain ground water.

    The tunnel and other areas where water seepage was found are part of a safety system used to help cool the reactor when it is being shut down. In addition to the concrete tunnel problem, NextEra found *corroded steel supports, piping, and anchor bolts in other areas they inspected but none have degraded concrete or in any way endanger the plant,* said NextEra.

    “All of our structures not only meet but exceed design requirements,’’ said Alan Griffith, a NextEra spokesman at Seabrook. “We are not going to allow an unsafe condition.’’

    Engineers have long known that when water comes into contact with concrete, a chemical reaction known as alkali-silica can occur, progressively cracking and weakening the concrete.”


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  • radegan
    May 30, 2011 at 8:22 am

    99.9% humidity – so inside, radioactive steam is condensing on anything cooler and it’s pure ‘radiorain’ inside, dripping everywhere from every surface. Yeah, you’ll have to design a new suit to work in that environment. No doubt there are some fierce corrosives involved too, radioactive or otherwise. I’m thinking a space suit worn under a secondary lead suit, worn under a primary lead suit, worn under Kevlar. (You’ll need the second lead suit to exit the first one safely, once used.)

    It’s sounding more and more like Hell. Probably looks a lot like LA was depicted in that old Harrison Ford flick.


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  • Cindy
    May 30, 2011 at 12:03 pm

    This TEPCO camera view has been changed also, can’t see the 3$ building either ..

    http://www.tepco.co.jp/nu/f1-np/camera/index-j.html


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    • blackmoon
      May 30, 2011 at 3:32 pm

      I don’t think that we will ever get a live-cam view of the plant again. They wouldn’t want us to see everyone running like banshees to get out of that smoking hell.


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  • matina
    May 30, 2011 at 5:55 pm

    IS THIS POSSIBLE ? pls check it out

    UNIT 2

    RPV temperature (May 29 11:00)
    11157℃ at feed water line nozzle

    from

    RPV temperature (May 23 11:00)
    112.5℃ at feed water line nozzle

    http://www.jaif.or.jp/english/news_images/pdf/ENGNEWS01_1306725917P.pdf


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  • Dr. Strangleglove
    May 30, 2011 at 5:59 pm

    Planet of the sub-apes.


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  • Major Domo
    May 30, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    Wouldn’t “humidity at 99.9%” suggest that it’s actually raining inside the reactor building? Radioactive rain to boot.


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