Posted:
25 Apr 2014 06:11 AM PDT
On Friday, officials from the International Research Institute for Nuclear Decommissioning (IRID) in Japan attending a seminar asked for input from engineers in Japan and across the world on removing melted nuclear fuel from the crippled reactors at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
Tokyo Electric plans to fill the containment vessels with water in order to shield the workers from the high levels of radiation they would be exposed to while retrieving the damaged fuel. The roadmap for decommissioning developed by the utility estimates fuel removal activities could begin by 2020, or later.
At the seminar, IRID officials announced to any engineers interested in giving their input that the plan to fill the containment vessels may not be feasible, as not all leaks may be located or plugged prior to fuel removal.
The announcement infers that the containment vessels may be more damaged than initially estimated by Tokyo Electric. Even if the containment vessels were able of holding the water there are also questions as to whether they would be structurally sound enough to hold the additional weight of the water required for shielding.
Engineers are invited to submit their input on technology that can identify and remove fuel debris in a highly radioactive atmosphere while protecting workers without the aid of shielding by water. The Japanese government will begin accepting proposals in June.
The post Japan seeking international assistance with Fukushima Daiichi fuel removal appeared first on Enformable.
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Posted:
28 Apr 2014 05:09 AM PDT
Tokyo Electric is planning a more expansive investigation of the damaged
containment vessels at Fukushima Daiichi Reactor 1, Reactor 2, and Reactor 3.
The utility hopes that the information gathered during the investigations will
help plan fuel removal operations.
Previous investigations uncovered that the damaged containment vessels are likely not capable of holding water, as highly contaminated water has been found in rooms around the containment vessels and turbine buildings, but workers have no idea where the damage is located or its extent. Tokyo Electric plans to fill the containment vessels with water to shield workers from radiation as they remove the damaged nuclear fuel. In early May, TEPCO will use an endoscopic camera to survey areas connected to the containment vessel in order to determine where and how water is escaping. In Reactor 1, the utility will focus on the bottom of the containment vessel. In Reactor 2, the investigation will explore the suppression chamber in the lower areas at the bottom of the containment vessel. In Reactor 3, workers will explore connections between the containment vessel and adjoining rooms. The post Enhanced investigation of crippled containment vessels at Fukushima Daiichi planned appeared first on Enformable. |
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