Readying for Fukushima fuel move (pool 4)

[FBaggins]

The cover building of Fukushima Daiichi 4 is being kitted out for the removal of used reactor fuel. The main crane and the fuel handling machine are in place.

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/uploadedImages/wnn/Images/130925_12[1].jpg
The service floor of Fukushima Daiichi 4 is restored to an operational state. Painted green are the rail-mounted fuel handling machine and the larger ceiling crane beyond

Within the new structure built over the badly damaged reactor building of unit 4, Tepco has been installing equipment that will allow the transfer of used nuclear fuel for long-term storage elsewhere. Underwater inspections in the pond have shown most of the fuel to be undamaged, but the pond contains a lot of dust and debris which will complicate operations. The cover is fitted with air filters that will prevent any release of radioactivity as the fuel is moved.

Transport containers will be placed in the empty and undamaged reactor vessel and the fuel will be transferred to them underwater using the fuel handling machine. The used fuel will eventually be placed in the site's shared used fuel pool, which was undamaged by the natural disasters two years ago.

http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/RS_Readying_for_Fukushima_fuel_move_2609131.html

For some reason this image won't display, but it's fascinating to look at it and compare to what unit 4 looked like two years ago.

Hilarious to read all of the "greatest threat to humanity" nonsense... particularly Gundersen's latest laugher:

"I build fuel racks, and I know that the gap between the fuel is really, really critical. If the fuel gets too close together you will get a chain reaction. That’s not something you want to happen in the fuel pool. As they’re pulling this fuel out, they have to be very, very cautious that they don’t get the fuel too close together."

But it gets even better... a Yale professor (of Sociology) declares:

"...if any two of the rods touch it could cause a nuclear reaction that would be uncontrollable. The radiation emitted from all these rods, if they are not continually cool and kept separate, would require the evacuation of surrounding areas including Tokyo. Because of the radiation at the site the 6,375 rods in the common storage pool could not be continuously cooled; they would fission and all of humanity will be threatened, for thousands of years."

Reminds me of all the posts about how spent fuel will just burst into flame on contact with the air... or even explode.

If my great grandfather was right that the lord takes care of drunks and fools... they guys are entirely safe even if they never take another drink.