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Japan: Fukushima Reactor Has Different Design Type Than Chernobyl

Posted 12 March 2011 19:00 GMT
Written byVeronica Khokhlova
Countries Japan, Ukraine
Topics Disaster, Environment, Science, Technology
Languages English

TranslationsThis post also available in:

Français · Japon : Le fonctionnement du réacteur de Fukushima est différent de celui de Tchernobyl
Español · Japón: El reactor de Fukushima tiene un diseño distinto al de Chérnobil

@BrianDunning, author of a science podcast Skeptoid, explains: “Fukushima nuclear plant does NOT have a combustible graphite core like Chernobyl. A total meltdown should flow into underground containment.” (This explanation has been retweeted by over 100 people already.)

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  • http://www.frictionmaterials.in Dr Kavapatti L Sundar

    Lesson to Humanity. Rapid growth leads to rapid destruction.
    Respect nature and neednot GOD. Nature is god and gaurdian of human race.
    Do no follow the western growth pattern message to growing nations.row tih your originality slow steady and sustained growth path. Do not run.

    India -No need for nuclear power ,enormous human power we have.Govt to heed to scientists and respect them .Govrnmnets not to go crazy after economy.

  • andrew pate

    I suppose its good the reactor is not made of graphite so cannot set on fire like chernobyl (other than the fuel rod cladding perhaps)

    Still at chernobyl the reactor was clad in sand that mixed with the molten fuel rods as the bottom blew out of the reactor – which was lucky and formed a kind of stable glass material. If you look at fuckushima reactor design closely if the core melts the liquid fuel will drop into a rather unfortunate void below the reactor that does not contain any control rods… Dow!

    Also it seems that nuclear material is being stored in water baths ajacent to the core – which may well fracture and drain following the explosion. Hey lets store all our nuclear fuel right next our nuclear reactor… dow!

    Probably a good idea to keep sploshing water on the core though and try to stop things vapourising. Not sure what we will get by irradiating seawater though – easily absorbed Na, Cl, Bromine and Iodine isotopes I suppose… Dow!

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