Is there a role for nuclear energy?

[skippy.]

Japan warns of small radiation leak from quake-hit plant
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/ ... GO20110311

TOKYO, March 12 (Reuters) - Japan warned there could be a small radiation leak from a nuclear reactor whose cooling system was knocked by Friday's massive earthquake, but thousands of residents in the area had been moved out of harm's way.

Underscoring grave concerns about the Fukushima plant some 240 km (150 miles) north of Tokyo, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the U.S. air force had delivered coolant to avert a rise in the temperature of the facility's nuclear rods.

Pressure building in the plant was set to be released soon, a move that could result in a radiation leak, officials said. Some 3,000 people who live within a 3 km radius of the plant had been evacuated, Kyodo news agency said.

Tokyo Electric Power Co said pressure had built up inside a reactor at the Fukushima-Daiichi plant after the cooling system was knocked out by the earthquake, the largest on record in Japan.

Pressure had risen to 1.5 times the designed capacity, the Japan Nuclear Safety agency said. Media also said the radiation level was rising in the turbine building.

The cooling problems at the Japanese plant raised fears of a repeat of 1979's Three Mile Island accident, the most serious in the history of the U.S. nuclear power industry. Experts, however, said the situation was, so far, less serious.

ARH you beat me to it.
It is getting worse minute by minute, could blow anytime.

[mantra]

The pro-nuclear lobby don't talk about the ramifications of radiation leakage from reactors if there's a natural disaster. What surprises me is that Japan has built them at all considering their unstable geology.

It was bad enough yesterday seeing their oil refineries burning out of control - now there's a chance of a nuclear disaster.

The effects of natural disasters alone should be enough to phase out fossil fuels and nuclear reactors - and concentrate on developing renewable energy so that it becomes cheap enough for us all to use.

[Viking King.]

One of the big problems is that the public in general seem to believe that what comes out the top of the stacks at a power plant is smog and toxic,,, it is infact steam created from water flow over everything to keep the reactor cool,
the biggest problem they can't solve is how to safely store the spent cores.

[Outlaw Yogi]

The effects of natural disasters alone should be enough to phase out fossil fuels and nuclear reactors - and concentrate on developing renewable energy so that it becomes cheap enough for us all to use.

In the area around my property PV solar and mini wind turbines are cheaper to install and use than going on the grid.
Of the 12 properties on the same road as my block, 2 have hooked upto mains power, and everybody else has PV panels or wind turbines, or both, plus back up petrol or diesel generators just in case.
One neighbor relying on a diesel generator was quoted $25,000 to hook up to the grid, so has gone for PV panels and a mini wind turbine (he's a Vietnam vet who votes National). Another neighbor with PV panels and mini wind turbines has build several 12 volt freezers for himself and other neighbors, with parts sourced from Melbourne (he's a current outlaw club member who probably doesn't vote). An uninformed person touring these blocks could be forgiven for thinking we live in Hippyville, but untill quite recently most of us were ex military or former outlaw club members.

Our choice of power options has nothing to do with the entire Isis-Burnett region being the most seismic activity prone area in OZ, and everything to do with cost.

[skippy.]

Another neighbor with PV panels and mini wind turbines has build several 12 volt freezers for himself and other neighbors, with parts sourced from Melbourne (

I live on solar too, outlaw yogi, I had a similar quote to connect to the grid, 13 years ago.
I'd love to know more about building 12/24 volt fridge/freezers though. you can buy 12/24 volt fridge freezers but they are pricey, as are gas fridge/freezers.
does anyone know if its possible to convert a 240 volt fridge/freezer to 24volt?

[Outlaw Yogi]

One of the big problems is that the public in general seem to believe that what comes out the top of the stacks at a power plant is smog and toxic,,,

Airbourne radionuclides released from nuclear reactors are toxic.
As is the strontium 90 from coolant water released into rivers.

If you meant coal fired power plant emissions, mercury is toxic.

[Outlaw Yogi]

Another neighbor with PV panels and mini wind turbines has build several 12 volt freezers for himself and other neighbors, with parts sourced from Melbourne (

I live on solar too, outlaw yogi, I had a similar quote to connect to the grid, 13 years ago.
I'd love to know more about building 12/24 volt fridge/freezers though. you can buy 12/24 volt fridge freezers but they are pricey, as are gas fridge/freezers.
does anyone know if its possible to convert a 240 volt fridge/freezer to 24volt?

Don't know the actual source of his parts yet, but he uses marine eskies (cooler boxes typically found on trawlers).
Apparently 60 litres is as big as you can go with 12 volt, and must have the door on top, like a chest freezer.

I've got a 3 way (240v, 12v, gas) fridge which I acquired by swapping an unregistered 250cc bike for.
I need more panels and batteries for extended use though, and when I went to hook it upto a LPG/CNG cylinder, I noticed a sticker stating 'propane only'.

I mainly use my puny 12 volt set-up for lighting and recharging my phone, but could watch my 12v TV if I wanted to.

[skippy.]

Another neighbor with PV panels and mini wind turbines has build several 12 volt freezers for himself and other neighbors, with parts sourced from Melbourne (

I live on solar too, outlaw yogi, I had a similar quote to connect to the grid, 13 years ago.
I'd love to know more about building 12/24 volt fridge/freezers though. you can buy 12/24 volt fridge freezers but they are pricey, as are gas fridge/freezers.
does anyone know if its possible to convert a 240 volt fridge/freezer to 24volt?

Don't know the actual source of his parts yet, but he uses marine eskies (cooler boxes typically found on trawlers).
Apparently 60 litres is as big as you can go with 12 volt, and must have the door on top, like a chest freezer.

I've got a 3 way (240v, 12v, gas) fridge which I acquired by swapping an unregistered 250cc bike for.
I need more panels and batteries for extended use though, and when I went to hook it upto a LPG/CNG cylinder, I noticed a sticker stating 'propane only'.

I mainly use my puny 12 volt set-up for lighting and recharging my phone, but could watch my 12v TV if I wanted to.

Yea most 12/24 volt fridge freezers work better with doors on the top rather than front.
Refridgeration is about the only thing that needs to be brought into the low power useage age, most toys nowadays are pretty low power consumers, ie lights TVs computors.

[Outlaw Yogi]

What happens when a reactor loses coolant
http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wo ... s-coolant/

Tepco said at about 2:46 p.m. local time Units 1, 2 and 3 at its Fukushima Daiichi plant -- three of six at the plant -- shut following the earthquake. All are boiling water reactors.

Tepco said the reactors shut due to the loss of offsite power due to the malfunction of one of two off-site power systems. That triggered the emergency diesel generators to startup and provide backup power for plant systems.

About an hour after the plant shut down, however, the emergency diesel generators stopped, leaving Units 1, 2 and 3 with no power for important cooling functions.

Nuclear plants need power to operate motors, valves and instruments that control the systems that provide cooling water to the radioactive core.

Tepco declared an emergency and the government ordered thousands to evacuate the area, while engineers worked to restore power. The company is bringing in mobile generators to restore the power supply, but pressure inside the containment of Unit 1 continued to increase.

Early on Saturday Tepco said it had lost the ability to control pressure at the No. 1 and 2 reactors.

[Pastafarian]

Loss of coolant in a reactor is only really a big issue when its actually producing power.