Nuclear Fuel Residues In Fukushima Spotted For The First Time

The 9.0 magnitude Tōhoku earthquake that occurred in Japan in 2011 and the tsunami that followed, Fukushima I nuclear power plantAfter the three reactor cores melted, serious radioactive material was released into the atmosphere with the explosion. This nuclear disaster was described by experts after the Chernobyl disaster in 1986. second largest nuclear disaster in history was defined as.

More than 10 years after the Fukushima disaster, which is described as the most complex nuclear accident to date, it melted at the power plant and fell to the bottom of the reactor that suffered the most damage. nuclear fuel residue successfully viewed for the first time. An investigation has been launched in the area to find out more.

Nuclear fuel residues have been tried to be imaged before and failed.

Most of their highly radioactive fuel in the explosion fell to the bottom of their containers, making it extremely difficult to remove them. Today, approximately 900 tons The molten nuclear fuel still remains in the facility’s three damaged reactors, including 280 tons in Unit One. Officials say that if these remains are to be removed, 30-40 years predicts it will take some time.

In 2017, a small robot equipped with cameras was sent to Unit 1, which is covered with 2 meters deep radioactive water; Due to high radiation and internal structural damage, this interference frustrated had resulted. However, a ROV-A robot equipped with small cameras took pictures of structures submerged in molten fuel and cooling water, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said on Thursday. first time to shoot succeeded. In the statement, it was stated that the robot acquired interior images of the primary containment container during its mission to pave the way for the probes.

Company spokesman Kenichi Takahara noted that piles of debris rose from the bottom of the container, some of which were inside the plinth, a structure just below the core, and that the piles were molten fuel falling into the area. Takahara to verify what the objects in the images are. more research He added that it will have to be done.

Takahara, on the other hand, said that the robot at some point was intended for humans. fatal He stated that he was measuring a level of radiation that was Previously, the annual exposure limit for plant workers was 50 millisieverts.

The information obtained will be used for safe removal of molten fuel.

TEPCO noted that additional probes will be made after analyzing the initial data and images collected by the robot. Also developed jointly by Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy and the International Nuclear Decommissioning Research Institute, a government-funded consortium. five robots It will also be used in the investigation that will continue over the next few months.

TEPCO officials stated that the investigation at Unit 1 aimed to measure molten fuel piles, map them in three dimensions, analyze isotopes and radioactivity, and collect samples. of molten fuel safe and efficient These data, which are very important for developing equipment and strategy for the extraction of the reactor Out of service will also allow for release. In addition, TEPCO is for the first time out of Unit Two, the unit where internal robotic probes have made the most progress. a scoop of melted fuel It plans to use a robotic arm to launch it later this year.