Doubts cast over TEPCO's plan to block radioactive water at Fukushima plant

[bananas]

Source: Asahi Shimbun

After nearly 30 months of failure, Tokyo Electric Power Co. is still providing little reason for confidence in its ability to deal with the radioactive water leaking at its Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.

The utility continues to face criticism for its delay in releasing vital information about conditions at the crippled plant. Fishermen and residents have lost patience over the many setbacks in TEPCO’s preparations to decommission the reactors.

And now, the Nuclear Regulation Authority is raising doubts about the utility’s latest plan: constructing underground walls to prevent the contaminated water from reaching the Pacific Ocean.

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The nuclear watchdog raised concerns that TEPCO’s plan to construct walls to block the leakage would be insufficient, and proposed pumping up the contaminated groundwater.

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Read more: http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201308030046

[bananas]

1. diagram

[AtheistCrusader]

2. They will also achieve a reduction in the total amount of water

when they complete the isolation for the damaged buildings. It will keep rainwater out of the heart of the building, each of which is compromised due to the explosions.

Less water in, less water out.

They are also going to have to plug whatever cracks or pipes are leaking from the containments as well.
Freezing the ground could also prevent rising water table getting in. I wonder if they've considered it. The US Army Corps of Engineers did it with a hillside that supports the libby dam, to keep the dam from wandering off.

[bananas]

3. They'll also have to seal the gravel floors

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TEPCO admitted earlier in the week that the tunnels leaking contaminated water have a gravel floor, they are effectively not sealed and have a direct route out of the tunnel itself. This also was not admitted to the public until this week.

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This conveniently was the day after the election. They knew in January and confirmed in late May yet waited until July 22nd to tell the public.

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http://metamorphosis.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=549558

[RobertEarl]

4. Tough working conditions

The most dangerous ever.

And it will all end up in the Pacific in time. That is whatever isn't burning off into the air.

Still no word on where the three coriums are. Could be in the basements, could have burned all the way through and be in the ground. Wherever the tons of nuclear material are, water is keeping it cool and that water runs off, or turns to steam, and has to be replaced.

It will be years and years before this mess is ever under control.

[the_chinuk]

5. It's okay, people. There's a plan B and a plan C!

If the underground walls don't work…

plan B: activate the Robotech Defense Force. Station the SDF-1 over the area.

plan C: use some of those Kaiju from Pacific Rim.

Sure, they seem like purest fantasy, but then, TEPCO is somehow laboring under the delusion that the horse has not long galloped its ass out of the barn and over the horizon. Coming up with a batch of protoculture should be child's play.