On March 11, 2011, Fukushima Daiichi suffered an earthquake and a tsunami. The natural disaster caused reactors 1, 2, and 3 to experience a full meltdown. The nuclear reactor will be decommissioned after the reactor is under control. The following events are being compared to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
The Fukushima nuclear reactor houses 6 Boiling Water Reactors (BWR). In very simple terms, a BWR is where an enriched uranium fuel rod is submerged in water, producing steam. This steam then rises to the top of the reactor where it is funneled into a turbine, producing electricity. When the earthquake hit, reactor 4 had been de-fuelled, meaning that the uranium rods had been removed. Reactors 5 and 6 were in cold shutdown for planned maintenance. A cold shutdown means that the water has been depressurized, and the temperature is below 200 degrees Fahrenheit. Reactors 1, 2, and 3 went through an emergency shutdown when the tsunami hit. Generators powered the control systems needed to keep the reactor cool.
The situation worsened when a build up of hydrogen exploded. The explosions destroyed the roof of reactors 1, 3, and 4, and damaged reactor 2’s housing. The damage caused radiation to leak out into the surrounding area. An evacuation radius of 30 kilometers was issued by the Japanese government. Shelters were set up, and at this time, the dislocated people are not allowed to return home. Further information about the evacuation can be found in the following video. Inside report from Fukushima nuclear reactor evacuation zone
References
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf32.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster#Community_reaction
Hi Biijan, I especially liked the nuclear reactor graph that you put into your blog, I think it really helps us understand what really happened and how the nuclear disaster started. Your blog was a little short but i feel it was to the point and it definitely helped me understand better what tragedy happened to the Japanese. -Darwin Huang
Bijan,
I thought your blog was extremely good in explaining the exact processes that occured during the disaster. Your way of explaining complex situations is very efficient and easy to follow. Also, your picture was very good in further enlightening the issue,(even though it was a little small). However, i think that you did a perfect job in explaining the disaster and what happens inside a nuclear plant.
The blog is great. The description is good along with the order of information. The pictures and video are also helpful in the explaining of the disaster.