Reply #77: Sure, here you are (article)

[abqmufc]

Thank you for asking for clarification and not allowing confusion to be a springboard for calling me an idiot (like most on DU).


TITLE: Risk of Nuclear Catastrophe Escalates in Japan – ‘Worse than Chernobyl’
By: William Pentland



"“In addition to the reactor cores, the storage pool for highly radioactive irradiated nuclear fuel is also at risk. The pool cooling water must be continuously circulated. Without circulation, the still thermally hot irradiated nuclear fuel in the storage pools will begin to boil off the cooling water. Within a day or two, the pool’s water could completely boil away. Without cooling water, the irradiated nuclear fuel could spontaneously combust in an exothermic reaction. Since the storage pools are not located within containment, a catastrophic radioactivity release to the environment could occur. Up to 100 percent of the volatile radioactive Cesium-137 content of the pools could go up in flames and smoke, to blow downwind over large distances. Given the large quantity of irradiated nuclear fuel in the pool, the radioactivity release could be worse than the Chernobyl nuclear reactor catastrophe of 25 years ago.”"


http://blogs.forbes.com/williampentland/2011/03/11/risk-of-nuclear-catastrophe-escalates-in-japan-worse-than-chernobyl/

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If you are not familiar to these ponds, maybe you've heard of them in relation to coal fired power plants and coal mines. A similar pond is what ruptured and poisoned parts of Kentucky (the Kingston Fossil Plant coal fly ash slurry spill on December 22, 2008). Personally I wonder if that explosion wasn't one of these pools combusting and shooting water vapor (white smoke) airborne, and possible damaging some structures? Maybe not.