Things do seem to be getting worse in Japan. Now there are a total of 3 plants involved in the accident. Yes, I am calling it an accident because that it what it is. No one maliciously caused what occurred. But we need to search through the all the reports to the truth.
Unfortunately for my business that is hard to do. No one is going to say anything definitive until it is definitive. This will probably take months. But we can cut through some of the hype and media frenzy.
First, while the design of the containment structures at one of the plants is a type that may have some design flaws, not all plants that are involved are of that type.
Secondly, the design of the containment structures, flawed or not, was NOT the cause of what is going on. The cause my friends was the loss of power that occurred as the tsunami carried away the fuel oil tanks that supplied the emergency diesel generators. Once they were gone, the fate of the plants was sealed.
I am still having a hard time understanding how someone would build a plant that close to the ocean and leave fuel oil tanks above ground and virtually unprotected. I have worked at several plants of GE design. In fact, I was licensed to run one of them in North Carolina that had the same containment design that one of the plants in Japan has. I have never even seen the entire emergency diesel generator fuel oil system that unprotected. In the US plants I have worked at the all but the main supply tank (which can hold upwards of 500,00 gallons of fuel oil at some sites) is the only tank that is above ground. There is a supply of fuel oil for use only by these emergency generators that is below ground and are in watertight compartments simialr to those found on submarines. In short, they are well protected. Are these things full proof. No, nothing is. But they are tough I tell you that.
If I get any more updates from work I'll let you all know so stay tuned.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Friday, March 11, 2011
Please Remain Calm
While we sit and watch TV and read the news about all that is going on in Japan, it is hard not to be over whelmed with all that has happened. My concern, because I work in the industry is the nuclear plants that are having problems.
If the news that we hear is true, and I stress TRUE, we are indeed on the edge of having something very bad going on at those plants and I pray for all the workers.
But let us do that, pray, for now and wait until the people and government of Japan can get things stable and report on what is really going on.
After the Three Mile Island accident in PA those many years ago, there were reports of radiation leaks and hazards to the public. After the dust settled the experts themselves agreed that they acted to fast on facts that were not true. The press however is out for ratings and circulation and will sensationalize anything. I don't care if its Fox, MSNBC, CNN or The Funky Times, they are all in business to make money and will say anything to get ratings.
That being said let us flip the coin. Like I said, I work in the nuclear industry and they are in business to make money. So it is their best interest to put the best spin on what is going one. Will they lie? Well one recently did lie to the legislature and the people of a state and got caught. So yes, it can happen.
So where is the truth? As always it is some where in the middle and in this case even that is scary. Because if we look at some of the "facts" that are currently being reported, even partially, are true. Those plants are in very bad shape.
Now, I am not an expert on the design of the plants in Japan. But I work on a plant that is similar to those that are in trouble. So I am going to state some of the "facts" and what it means if they are true.
If the news that we hear is true, and I stress TRUE, we are indeed on the edge of having something very bad going on at those plants and I pray for all the workers.
But let us do that, pray, for now and wait until the people and government of Japan can get things stable and report on what is really going on.
After the Three Mile Island accident in PA those many years ago, there were reports of radiation leaks and hazards to the public. After the dust settled the experts themselves agreed that they acted to fast on facts that were not true. The press however is out for ratings and circulation and will sensationalize anything. I don't care if its Fox, MSNBC, CNN or The Funky Times, they are all in business to make money and will say anything to get ratings.
That being said let us flip the coin. Like I said, I work in the nuclear industry and they are in business to make money. So it is their best interest to put the best spin on what is going one. Will they lie? Well one recently did lie to the legislature and the people of a state and got caught. So yes, it can happen.
So where is the truth? As always it is some where in the middle and in this case even that is scary. Because if we look at some of the "facts" that are currently being reported, even partially, are true. Those plants are in very bad shape.
Now, I am not an expert on the design of the plants in Japan. But I work on a plant that is similar to those that are in trouble. So I am going to state some of the "facts" and what it means if they are true.
- The plant is at a pressure more than twice its normal pressure. If true this means that not only did power at the plant fail (as has been reported) but valves that are designed to automatically open to relieve the pressure also failed. This is hard to swallow since these valves open on over pressure far below twice normal pressure (normal pressure is 1000 psig and these valves open at 1100 psig) and require no power to do so. The pressure in the reactor overcomes spring pressure and the excess steam/pressure is released.
- The plant has lost power. In a situation like those in Japan this would not be too hard to believe. Certainly the off-site power (the grid) is decimated. If the plants in Japan are designed as those int he US are, I find it hard to believe that all power is lost. But again, it is possible. If true there are still other methods to get water into the core to cool it. There are diesel driven pumps for example. But these could only function to put in water if those valves I spoke of in item one totally failed to work. If they can't get water in to cool the core the situation is very bad.
- There are reports of radiation levels in the plants control room is 1000 times above normal. I will tell you this, if that is true then the fuel is already damaged and things again would be extremely bad.
I don't say these things to scare people. What I want is for all of us to wait until things in Japan calm down and let the experts get in there and get things done. Then we can see how bad it really is.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Supreme Courts and the West Borough Baptist Church
I have not blogged in nearly a year. So I guess it is fitting at this near anniversary that I should put fingers to the keyboard and see where this rant leads me.
This week, the Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church. Justice Samuel Alito was the lone dessenting vote. Many of us in America are outraged by this outcome. But should we be surprised by it? I, for one, was not and I will explain why.
We all know that the defense put forth by the Westborough Baptist church was on the grounds of free speech. The line put forth by the family of Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder was concerning the pain and suffering the church caused them. Thus the line was drawn.
There was no way the Supreme Court was going to find for the Snyder family. Even though I believe that the justices might feel that what occurred was over "the line" the court did not want to decide where that line was. It is my belief that the court believes that the establishment of the line should be by the legislative branch no the judiciary. Had the Court ruled in favor of the Snyder family the flood gates would have been opened. Everyone who believed that they were wronged by free speech rights would have brought an immediate law suit in federal court. This would h ave over whelmed an already over whelmed system. But wait, the justices were sworn in promising to follow the constitution. In the end, that is exactly what they did. But you could not convince me that all 9 judges don't believe that Westboro Church is vile and needs to be reigned in. They, however, were not going to be the ones to do it while in the process placing more worked on an over worked system. We still have a lot of positions on the federal bench that remain unfilled because we have a congress that can't seem to get any work done.
But let's also look at the Westboro Baptist Church. Folks, this is not a church at all. They profess to be but what they are is a business. They are in the business of making money. How? You learn that the Westboro Baptist Church is coming to your town to demonstrate at a funeral of a fallen soldier. You are outraged. I would be outraged. That biker group Patriot Guard would be outraged. Now you have two groups converging on your fair town. A group of bikers hell bent on keeping the church group away from the funeral. Emotions run high. Cameras are rolling. News cameras and the cameras of the Westboro Baptist Church are rolling. There is an altercation between someone and one of the church members and it is all caught on tape. That is what the church wanted. Now they do not threaten to so the individual that started the altercation. They threaten to sue the city, town or county for not protecting them. They don't want to sue. They want to settle and so does the local government. So they settle for, oh lets say $100,000. Just what they wanted.
The church is not all lit up over America and gays. The church is lit up by dollar signs and if some reports are true it netted the Westboro Baptist Church over $1 million last year. To add insult t injury that is all tax free.
The best action is for each city, town, county and state to pass a law that they will be no demonstrations within 1000 feet of the entrance to the area where any funeral or burial is taking place. Oh, you can still have your free speech. But you can have it over there.
This week, the Supreme Court ruled 8 to 1 in favor of the Westboro Baptist Church. Justice Samuel Alito was the lone dessenting vote. Many of us in America are outraged by this outcome. But should we be surprised by it? I, for one, was not and I will explain why.
We all know that the defense put forth by the Westborough Baptist church was on the grounds of free speech. The line put forth by the family of Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder was concerning the pain and suffering the church caused them. Thus the line was drawn.
There was no way the Supreme Court was going to find for the Snyder family. Even though I believe that the justices might feel that what occurred was over "the line" the court did not want to decide where that line was. It is my belief that the court believes that the establishment of the line should be by the legislative branch no the judiciary. Had the Court ruled in favor of the Snyder family the flood gates would have been opened. Everyone who believed that they were wronged by free speech rights would have brought an immediate law suit in federal court. This would h ave over whelmed an already over whelmed system. But wait, the justices were sworn in promising to follow the constitution. In the end, that is exactly what they did. But you could not convince me that all 9 judges don't believe that Westboro Church is vile and needs to be reigned in. They, however, were not going to be the ones to do it while in the process placing more worked on an over worked system. We still have a lot of positions on the federal bench that remain unfilled because we have a congress that can't seem to get any work done.
But let's also look at the Westboro Baptist Church. Folks, this is not a church at all. They profess to be but what they are is a business. They are in the business of making money. How? You learn that the Westboro Baptist Church is coming to your town to demonstrate at a funeral of a fallen soldier. You are outraged. I would be outraged. That biker group Patriot Guard would be outraged. Now you have two groups converging on your fair town. A group of bikers hell bent on keeping the church group away from the funeral. Emotions run high. Cameras are rolling. News cameras and the cameras of the Westboro Baptist Church are rolling. There is an altercation between someone and one of the church members and it is all caught on tape. That is what the church wanted. Now they do not threaten to so the individual that started the altercation. They threaten to sue the city, town or county for not protecting them. They don't want to sue. They want to settle and so does the local government. So they settle for, oh lets say $100,000. Just what they wanted.
The church is not all lit up over America and gays. The church is lit up by dollar signs and if some reports are true it netted the Westboro Baptist Church over $1 million last year. To add insult t injury that is all tax free.
The best action is for each city, town, county and state to pass a law that they will be no demonstrations within 1000 feet of the entrance to the area where any funeral or burial is taking place. Oh, you can still have your free speech. But you can have it over there.
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