Re: [Phys-l] Japan situation : information, or lack thereof

[William Maddox <maddox@physics.auburn.edu>]

From: WC Maddox

Perhaps civilian power plant owners and operators could get help from 
the US Navy. The USS Enterprise has 8 reactors but has been down to 1 
operating reactor while at sea. There are problems getting a ship that 
size in and out of port in Hawaii without the pipes that supply water to 
cool the steam getting clogged. So it is possible to have a "self 
contained" pressurized water reactor. Is there a technical reason this 
can't be done with a boiling water reactor (as opposed to greed or poor 
design)?

Apparently the US is going to be spared its own reactor / cooling pond 
meltdown at Browns Ferry following shutdown after tornadoes went through 
Alabama last week. Two sources of offsite power have been restored. The 
reactors may be shutdown for 2-3 more weeks while the power lines are 
repaired so the reactors can supply power to Alabama.

End Message




On 5/3/2011 2:57 PM, John Denker wrote:
> Way back on 03/15/2011 08:40 AM, Edmiston, Mike wrote:
> > First, I have to admit that I don't know the details of the
> > containment engineering in these troubled plants.  However, I have
> > worked at some boiling-water reactors in the US (research reactors,
> > not power reactors) and it seems to me that at some point it would
> > have been better to walk away from it and let it melt.