Tepco Successfully Removes First Nuclear Fuel Rods at Fukushima

[AtheistCrusader]

17. Wow, so much misinformation there.

"If they are exposed to the air ... they would start to heat up, a process that, left unchecked, could lead to a self-sustaining nuclear reaction – known as “criticality”."

A single rod cannot reach criticality. This is total FUD. If you get the Zircalloy cladding hot enough (uncooled by water) in atmosphere, it can catch fire. Uranium also is pyrophoric, and will burn in atmosphere at low temps. If it burns, it will spread contamination, aerosolized in the soot. THAT is the risk, not criticality. The fuel rods are intentionally built to keep the uranium mass low enough, and the geometric configuration such that criticality cannot happen without other rods in a precise geometric configuration, with a neutron moderator in place.

The full quote from the BBC has it precisely right:
"Experts say it is vital that the casks are watertight so the rods have no contact with air - which risks overheating and possible contamination."

A single rod by itself cannot go critical.


A pile of fuel material in the pool, from broken rods, is potentially a different matter, because you increase the mass of uranium, and change the geometric configuration of it.

As for the plutonium, big whoop. ALL used fuel rods have plutonium. (reactor three was the only one deployed with MOX however, so the plutonium is pretty much a boogie-man. Reactor 4 has a payload of UO2) That's why the MIC loves uranium reactors so much; they produce Plutonium which is excellent for reprocessing into bombs.


Edit: I think that is highly disingenuous to 'quote' the BBC and inject a period there, when that was NOT the end of the sentence.