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**TineSeign** · 12-03-2011, 03:46 PM

It means exactly what it says, if true - the radiation levels (be them measured activity values of alpha, beta, neutron, etc or effective absorbed doses) are "1000 times" higher than the values normally expected within the control room. Now given that the control room isn't going to normally have levels anything out of the microsievert range, this would put it into the millisievert category. One can still work under such conditions but the amount of time an individual worker can spend in these conditions must now be substantially less in order for the worker's total dose per unit of time to remain within regulatory amounts.

The International Atomic Energy Authority are reporting on the situation with regular updates here:

http://www.iaea.org/press/

Japan has some of the tightest regulations concerning nuclear safety: this is in no way anything like a repetition of Chernobyl.

Yep, people need to relax, 1000 times a very small number (i.e. most likely background radiation levels.) is still a small number. they are most likely reduced to smaller lengths of time to make sure they still dont go over their annual dose limits(which again is a better safe than sorry) number. Another thing to consider is what is that 1000 number comming from? which reading? Gamma, Beta? Isotopes? what is the source of the radiation? short lived, long lived? Its easy to spout out things like " nuclear meltdown" " or 100000000 times the normal levels!!!" but that is all sensalitionalized and does not reflect the actual conditions at the site.

One other thing to consider is that they still have several more methods for dealing with the reactor. First off the situation isnt dire enough for them to abandon "normal operating" procedures, I.E. albiet the natrual disaster is abnormal, the pressures/temperatures within the core are acceptable enough that they are ok with them even though primary coolant circulation is temporarily knocked out. Keep in mind, the core was shut down and whats left is merely decay heat. The core has seen its highest temperatures, it only goes down from here, the pressure can be vented off using normal operating procedures also, non-condesnsables to a bleed off tank with shitloads of filters etc, the rest being handled by the chemistry department by bleeds/chemical injections.

On the OFF CHANCE that decay heat does not go down fast enough and they still do not have backup power up and running for primary circulation to reduce decay heat, they can line up emergency cooling and thermal circulation should take effect with the secondaries providing cooling. If that doesnt work for some reason they can do feed and bleeds, where they bleed out hot water to collection tanks and then load in fresh cool water.

The fire in the turbine housing at the other plant is more of a cause for concern than the reactor with the primary cooling pumps down, that turbine normally operates with primary steam spinning the blades, depending on how bad the fire was, airbone radiation+fire= the REAL worst case, not what fox/cnn/whoeverelse say is the worst case.

Anyways folks, calm down, this is not your big chance to stomp up and down and holler " look look I told you nuclear=bad!!! waaaah" Nuclear regulations are the most restrictive of any process in the world, even NASA. They got hundreds if not thousands of peeps standing around ready to do anything at those plants, most are probably bored out of thier minds and laughing at the idiot press for making this into a bigger deal than it is. However, any casualtiy is serious and i wish all of the workers luck and safety, lets get that core back to normal operating conditions and get all of the plants back online so Japan can get fully powered again.

12-03-2011, 03:46 PM	#73
TineSeign Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 507 Senior Member	It means exactly what it says, if true - the radiation levels (be them measured activity values of alpha, beta, neutron, etc or effective absorbed doses) are "1000 times" higher than the values normally expected within the control room. Now given that the control room isn't going to normally have levels anything out of the microsievert range, this would put it into the millisievert category. One can still work under such conditions but the amount of time an individual worker can spend in these conditions must now be substantially less in order for the worker's total dose per unit of time to remain within regulatory amounts. The International Atomic Energy Authority are reporting on the situation with regular updates here: http://www.iaea.org/press/ Japan has some of the tightest regulations concerning nuclear safety: this is in no way anything like a repetition of Chernobyl. Yep, people need to relax, 1000 times a very small number (i.e. most likely background radiation levels.) is still a small number. they are most likely reduced to smaller lengths of time to make sure they still dont go over their annual dose limits(which again is a better safe than sorry) number. Another thing to consider is what is that 1000 number comming from? which reading? Gamma, Beta? Isotopes? what is the source of the radiation? short lived, long lived? Its easy to spout out things like " nuclear meltdown" " or 100000000 times the normal levels!!!" but that is all sensalitionalized and does not reflect the actual conditions at the site. One other thing to consider is that they still have several more methods for dealing with the reactor. First off the situation isnt dire enough for them to abandon "normal operating" procedures, I.E. albiet the natrual disaster is abnormal, the pressures/temperatures within the core are acceptable enough that they are ok with them even though primary coolant circulation is temporarily knocked out. Keep in mind, the core was shut down and whats left is merely decay heat. The core has seen its highest temperatures, it only goes down from here, the pressure can be vented off using normal operating procedures also, non-condesnsables to a bleed off tank with shitloads of filters etc, the rest being handled by the chemistry department by bleeds/chemical injections. On the OFF CHANCE that decay heat does not go down fast enough and they still do not have backup power up and running for primary circulation to reduce decay heat, they can line up emergency cooling and thermal circulation should take effect with the secondaries providing cooling. If that doesnt work for some reason they can do feed and bleeds, where they bleed out hot water to collection tanks and then load in fresh cool water. The fire in the turbine housing at the other plant is more of a cause for concern than the reactor with the primary cooling pumps down, that turbine normally operates with primary steam spinning the blades, depending on how bad the fire was, airbone radiation+fire= the REAL worst case, not what fox/cnn/whoeverelse say is the worst case. Anyways folks, calm down, this is not your big chance to stomp up and down and holler " look look I told you nuclear=bad!!! waaaah" Nuclear regulations are the most restrictive of any process in the world, even NASA. They got hundreds if not thousands of peeps standing around ready to do anything at those plants, most are probably bored out of thier minds and laughing at the idiot press for making this into a bigger deal than it is. However, any casualtiy is serious and i wish all of the workers luck and safety, lets get that core back to normal operating conditions and get all of the plants back online so Japan can get fully powered again.
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