Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Fukushima Daiichi Webcam Question: Is that how TEPCO injects nitrogen to prevent a hydrogen explosion in unit 1?



In April of 2011, BBC and other news media sources reported that TEPCO was injecting nitrogen into Fukushima Daiichi unit 1 to prevent a hydrogen explosion:
Japan quake: Nitrogen pumped into nuclear reactor. BBC. April 7, 2011, available, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-12992284

Workers in Japan have begun injecting nitrogen into one of the reactors at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant to prevent more hydrogen blasts.The gas is being pumped into reactor 1 of the six-unit plant which was damaged by last month's quake and tsunami.... 
Technicians began injecting nitrogen, an inert gas, into the number one reactor at 0131 local time Thursday (1631 GMT Wednesday).  "The possibility of a hydrogen explosion in current conditions is not necessarily high," said government spokesman Yukio Edano. "But by injecting nitrogen, we can make the possibility very close to zero. So they decided to inject nitrogen."
I believe that TEPCO is STILL injecting nitrogen into unit 1 to prevent a hydrogen explosion, although TEPCO does not mention the injections in its December press releases (here).

I have been reporting that Fukushima had recently looked TERRIBLE and I noted what looked like steam coming out of unit 1 during day time hours, as well as  high night-time emissions.

Yesterday, late in the day here in the southwest, I noticed that a TEPCO crane was dropping a strange and very large device into unit 1:





In the screenshot immediately above this text, the device is  now located inside the building, rather than behind it. The device has red lights that illuminate on and off (although I haven't watched enough to know the pattern).

Today, emissions at unit 1 are lower than they have been recently, although you can see a plume coming up from the unit 3 area (more screenshots here at drop box):



I infer that the device injects nitrogen when too much activity occurs in the melted fuel, risking a hydrogen exposure. I don't know whether the nuclear activity is occurring in the melted fuel allegedly located in the basement or in the spent fuel pools but perhaps TEPCO removed the roof on unit 1 to also mitigate hydrogen build-up.

I have seen this general pattern before:

Emissions from unit 1 build up extensively 

Device dropped into building

Emissions from unit 1 drop

The pattern seems clear, although its possible the device is injecting some other content instead of, or in addition to, nitrogen.

The one change I've noticed, or at least that struck me this time, was the increased size of the device:




1 comment:

  1. I wonder if the rumor that the heirs of the Marx Brothers are connected to Tepco is true or just imagination? In any case it is unlikely that the heirs would have the comic genius of the Brothers, so we will have to give Tepco some credit for the comedy they have been putting on for years. Unfortunately comic relief has had little effect on the Fukushima mess. It is hard to figure how Japan that has produced so many fine automobiles, electronic devices, etc. could produce such a botched operation? Maybe there is a hidden Russia connection?

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