Georgia Tech Nuclear expert: Japan's nuclear plant doesn't sound dire

[Statistical]

Farzad Rahnema, a Georgia Tech professor of nuclear engineering, had been reading stories that hinted at the possibility of a meltdown at the plant, which was shaken by the massive earthquake there. But he said the details he'd gleaned from those accounts, and from industry reports, suggested that a meltdown was unlikely.

...

Despite a loss of power to the plant's primary cooling system, it appeared officials were able to obtain backup power, he said, basing that opinion on a terse statement issued by the Tokyo Electric Power Company at about 4 p.m. Friday Atlanta time. It said the water level necessary to cool the reactor fuel had been "maintained."

That wouldn't have been possible without backup power, Rahnema said. "If the water level in the reactor is maintained," he said, "that's good news."

...

Even if the reactor core were to melt down, Rahnema said it probably would not produce the dire consequences seen in Chernobyl. That plant had few of the safety features required in Japan. Even if the Fukushima reactor were to melt the central pressure vessel that contains it, he said, the radioactive fuel would still be held within a concrete containment, something he said was lacking in the Chernobyl design.

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http://www.ajc.com/news/georgia-tech-nuclear-expert-869322.html

Not as flashy as the doom and gloomer on Rachael's show but then again that is likely why he wasn't on the show. Rational and level headed analysis doesn't get ratings.

[Forkboy]

1. It seems he has a horse in the race.

SUNRISE
Supporting the Nuclear Renaissance in the United States

SUNRISE (Southeast Universities Nuclear Reactors Institute for Science and Education) - not for profit organization (Section 501(c)(3)) to support the advancement of nuclear education in the southeastern U.S. Specifically, SUNRISE is organized and will be operated to enhance the quality of nuclear education and research and other services in the region for the purpose of supporting the development of the next-generation nuclear workforce, nuclear technology, and advanced nuclear research.

Specifically, SUNRISE is organized and will be operated to enhance the quality of nuclear education and research and other services in the region for the purpose of supporting the development of the next-generation nuclear workforce, nuclear technology, and advanced nuclear research.

Full Members
Farzad Rahnema, Georgia Institute of Technology
Charles Waggoner, Mississippi State University
Paul Turinsky, North Carolina State University
Ali Haghighat, University of Florida
Travis W. Knight, University of South Carolina
Ken Ball, Virginia Tech
H.L.Dodds, University of Tennessee
Tom Coleman, AREVA

Why SUNRISE in Southeast U.S.?


* Regional concept to support the rebuilding of the nuclear industry in the U.S.
* Southeast US has the potential to be the center of a reinvigorated nuclear enterprise in the US.
* Utilities in the region are clearly committed to growing their nuclear generation component.
* Nuclear industry is well-represented in the region.
* Two DOE National Laboratories.
* Numerous nuclear contractors with presence in the region.

http://www.me.sc.edu/sunrise/

[FLAprogressive]

2. iiiiinteresting.

[neverforget]

4. No agenda there

:eyes:

[spanone]

9. tainted opinion mr farzad

[phleshdef]

10. Yea, a NUCLEAR ENGINEER couldn't possibly be pro-nuclear energy!

And he also couldn't possibly be QUALIFIED to have a reliable opinion at all?!! After all, he is only a NUCLEAR ENGINEER, right?

[Forkboy]

13. He has as much of a vested interest to downplay things as Rachel has to play them up.

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. His opinion might be worth something if he went there and laid

eyes on the plant.

Without it he's no better than Dr Frist diagnosing someone by video - in fact, worse, as he has no video. All he can guage his guess on is what he is being told by people who have a vested interest themselves in not scaring people.

[jannyk]

3. non 'Pollyanna' Tech Analysis from Union Concerned Scientists

more factual, and not as uplifting, as the Georgia Tech guy. Japan and other media have been reporting all night that the 'back-up' power (generators) failed, one hour after the earthquake. Battery power, the last ditch solution, had 8-10 hours of usable life and are, by rights, now expired. And all this based on the very controlled info coming from TEPCO. Much more real analysis at the site (no hype - no agenda)and they will update as more is known.

http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/nuclear-crisis-in-japan-fukushima-0518.html

'The massive earthquake off the northeast coast of Japan has caused a potentially catastrophic situation at one of Japan’s nuclear power plants. The situation is still evolving, but below is a preliminary assessment based on the facts as experts at the Union of Concerned Scientists currently understand them...

TEPCO went on to state the shutdowns were caused by the loss of off-site power “due to malfunction of one out of two off-site power systems.” This loss of power triggered emergency diesel generators, which automatically started to provide backup power to the reactors.

However, at 3:41 p.m. local time (1:46 a.m. EST), the emergency diesel generators shut down “due to malfunction, resulting in the complete loss of alternating current for all three units,” according to TEPCO. The failure of the diesel generators was most likely due to the arrival of the tsunami, which caused flooding in the area. The earthquake was centered 240 kilometers from Japan, and it would have taken the tsunami approximately an hour to reach the Japanese islands.

This power failure resulted in one of the most serious conditions that can affect a nuclear plant—a “station blackout”—during which off-site power and on-site emergency alternating current (AC) power is lost. Nuclear plants generally need AC power to operate the motors, valves and instruments that control the systems that provide cooling water to the radioactive core. If all AC power is lost, the options to cool the core are limited.'

[meow mix]

5. fuel rods are now exposed. what a fuckign asshole that guy must be

horrible time to be lying for the media

[godai]

7. Link? Fuel rods are not exposed. n/t

[meow mix]

8. hmmm... guess your really behind and dont know

here try to catch up. sorry, i thought you were actually informed

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=619287&mesg_id=620422

[godai]

11. No... a link to another unlinked fabrication doesn't count.

How about coming back in a day or two and admitting you were totally wrong.

I've been watching NHK TV all day and there's nothing about exposed fuel rods.

[godai]

6. Predictions from 8000 miles away are kind of useless.

Something will definitively happen over the next few days. Most of what I've seen indicates no huge problem. I'm willing to wait and see rather than try to spin this one way or the other now.

[WingDinger]

12. Schiavo diagnosis gone nukular!

[xchrom]

14. Unrec

[meow mix]

16. georgia tech guy, fuck you.

gtfh