Sea Water and Boric Acid- Can Anyone Well Versed In Nuclear Technology Explain The Boric Acid?

[KittyWampus]

#
1320: Noriyuki Shikata, from Japanese PM's office tweets: "TEPCO's efforts to depressurize the container was successful. Additional measures are now taken tonight using sea water and boric acid. "

DU'er jannyk has a running thread on updates regarding the explosion in Japan. Closest reporting of actual facts I've found this morning.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x622475#622610

Edit to include molecule:

[slackmaster]

1. Boron has a high capture cross-section for neutrons

It acts as a shield for neutron radiation, slowing neutrons down. Boron metal is not soluble in water, but boric acid is, so adding it to the water in this desperation maneuver (which will work) will tend to prevent additional fission from occurring and will provide a small margin of safety for people working the problem.

[BeFree]

18. people working the problem

Can you imagine? People sticking around knowing that they are very likely to be destroyed?

I'm a pretty brave guy, but I think I'd be getting away from that place as fast as I could.
But they are sticking with it and trying to keep it from getting worse. Real heroes, there.

[NutmegYankee]

24. It may not be that dangerous.

The radiation levels in the control room (~7 mrem per hour) can be sustained by the body for several hours before you need to leave without much risk or health effects. Even in that situation, the operators can work behind lead or other shielding and knock those levels down substantially. This applies to Gamma radiation in particular. The other types, alpha and beta, can also be controlled by masks and suits to prevent contact with the body (inhalation of particles).

[slackmaster]

27. I get a lump in my throat when I think of the Soviet men who did the initial cleanup at Chernobyl

They knew they were doomed.

[NutmegYankee]

2. Boric acid is a Neutron poison.

It absorbs neutrons, thereby slowing down the fission reaction.

[Junkdrawer]

3. Neutron absorber. It means that they have no idea how damaged the core is....

so they're making a Hail Mary attempt to cool and shut down the reactor.

In Japanese Government talk: All is well.

[FBaggins]

4. It's "reactor poison"

IT further restrains the reaction by absorbing neutrons.

It means they've given up on saving the reactor (economically speaking) and have moved to their last cooling line of defense.

I have no doubt that investigations in the future will question why they waited so long.

[Statistical]

5. Boric acid is a neutron absorber. No neutrons = no fissions.

It is injected into the core in an emergency as a backup to the control rods.

[KittyWampus]

8. Thanks to all who responded. I should have googled it first, I guess.

[Agony]

6. Get some here ... Ceradyne

http://www.ceradyne.com/about/boron-products.aspx

The 10Boron isotope is a strong neutron absorber and is used for both nuclear waste containment and nuclear power plant neutron radiation control.

[stlsaxman]

25. you can also buy some "20 Mule Team Borax"...

http://www.20muleteamlaundry.com/

[PA Democrat]

7. Regarding the use of seawater,

It is corrosive and if they are using it to cool the reactor, the reactor will be a total loss.

[KittyWampus]

9. Interesting observation

[Junkdrawer]

10. I think the reactor was a total loss as of 2 pm Eastern yesterday....

When all is said and done, the remnants of the reactor will be entombed in concrete.

[FBaggins]

14. I wouldn't go that far...

...but it's obviously academic at this point.

When all is said and done, the remnants of the reactor will be entombed in concrete.

Which could spark visions of chernobyl... or just about any deactivated reactor. Which image were you shooting for?

[Junkdrawer]

17. Well, the Three Mile Island option of just waiting the decay times out...

and then investigating went away with the hydrogen explosion. And besides, entombed reactors tell no tales.

[FBaggins]

21. We really don't know that at this point.

Reports vary, but if both major levels of containment are undamaged, a variant of that is possible.

and then investigating went away with the hydrogen explosion.

We don't even know that's the source of the explosion at this point, but either way it wouldn't be true. It isn't as if everything is decimated.

[Statistical]

15. I doubt emtombing will be necessary if the containment building holds.

With fission halted the activity level inside the reactor will drop rapidly with time. It will be reduced by 90% within a year. They will wait a couple years, remove the fuel. Clean the plant. Reseal it and then wait 10-20 years for activity to drop further. finally the plant will be decomissioned like any other.


If you have active containment time is your friend. Just wait and monitor.

[Statistical]

12. Exactly. This reactor will never produce power again.

To those who don't understand remember the reactor has been halted. There is no fission, the only heat being produced now is by nuclear decay. Heat output drops 99% compared to an active reactor. Still that 1% is a lot of heat. The amount of thermal energy is finite and dropping. The seawater will safely pull away and in a couple days the reactor will be cold.

However going with this plan of action is a accepting this multi-billion dollar investment is finished.

[FBaggins]

13. Yep. I think they've given up on saving the reactor.

These have always been steps that they could take to avoid the worst-case scenarios, but doing so would significantly damage the reactor. Fixing the problem as they had been attempting left them the possibility that the unit would be back in service sioon (after a lengthly investigation of course).

I think this cuts it. Of course rebuilding the outer shell of the building would have been an issue too, but this means the reactor is pretty much done.

[NutmegYankee]

16. I think once the containment building was breached they knew it was done.

They have no choice but to shut the reactor down hard and permanently.

[Junkdrawer]

19. It's only your lying eyes that saw the containment breached....

it was actually a successful release of excess pressure.

[NutmegYankee]

22. BBC reported that the explosion damaged the containment building.

But that the containment Vessel was still intact. I don't get your comment.


On edit: never mind - My "sarcasm' meter is FUBAR'd today. I'll go drink coffee now.

[Junkdrawer]

33. In the wake of the Japanese Government's "statements"....

I should be more careful. :hi:

It's getting hard to tell the difference between sarcasm and lies.

[Hannah Bell]

23. there seems to be some confusion over terms here.

[slackmaster]

28. I think it's safe to assume that the reactor is already a total loss

:D

[whirlygigspin]

11. thank the Buddha for some GOOD news!

NHK is frustratingly uninformative to me at times, just sayin'

[3waygeek]

20. Not only will boric acid absorb neutrons...

but it'll also kill off the cockroaches that survive the radiation. FYI, boric acid is the active ingredient in Roach Prufe.

[NYC_SKP]

26. New Yorkers buy boxes of boric acid, sprinkle around baseboards, etc., and poof.

No caca roaches.

I hates caca roaches but even in my loisada (Houston and B) rat trap apartment there were none breeding in my apartment.

[Wilms]

29. Was thinking the same thing.

I'm impressed by the notion.

[jannyk]

31. We use here on Van Isle (BC) to kill Carpenter Ants

that like to chomp on our log cabin.

What an amazing substance it is!

[Hannah Bell]

30. cooling turbine just delivered to fukushima from toshiba factory.

just reported here from nihon terebi.

http://yokosonews.com/live

[stlsaxman]

32. Boron is what they shielded cables with for the Manhattan Project.

My dad was a Boron chemist... he developed the shielding in Chicago.

[randomantic]

34. Boric Acid and Sea Water

[HopeHoops]

35. That's to kill the ants and cockroaches.