Japan to Cover Damaged Nuclear Reactors with Giant Tents

[IScreamSundays]

Source: myfoxny

(Dow Jones) - Giant polyester covers will soon be placed around the damaged reactor buildings at Japan's Fukushima nuclear complex to help contain the release of radioactive substances into the atmosphere, the plant operator said Friday.

Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) will install the first cover at the No. 1 reactor, the focus of recent stabilization efforts, starting next month.

Workers will erect a steel framework and place a giant polyester tent-like cover around the reactor building. Similar covers will be placed around units No. 3 and 4. The work is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

A series of hydrogen explosions blew off the roofs and upper walls of the three reactors in the days after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami knocked out their cooling systems, triggering the overheating of the reactors.

Read more: http://www.myfoxny.com/dpps/news/japan-nuclear-reactors-giant-tents-dpgonc-20110513-fc_13185892

[quakerboy]

1. Lead lined magic tents'? NT.

[ret5hd]

7. Maybe they could make it from magick underwear!

[plumbob]

2. Whatever else the tents do, they will certainly make it impossible for

outside parties to get a look from the air or by satellite, won't it?

[PearliePoo2]

6. hmmmmm..............

like when leaning Unit # four collapses into a smoldering, untouchable pile, perhaps?

[plumbob]

34. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.. Perhaps.

Yes

[truthisfreedom]

3. Jesus, the first explosion that happens inside one of those tents is just going to blow it to

smithereens. How is holding the hydrogen inside a tent going to solve anything?

[PearliePoo2]

4. Doesn't Japan get typhoons?

Those tarps will make awfully big kites!

Water hoses and tarps....straight from the "you can't make this shit up" department.

Mother Earth...will you EVER fogive us? :cry:

[SlicerDicer-]

35. Simple, Kitesurf the reactor out to sea and its out of mind out of sight!

[uppityperson]

5. k&r I don't see what good these will do, marking for someone to enlighten me

will read later today.

[AtheistCrusader]

10. Twofold.

Will help contain releases of further airborne particles. (Possible tepco is going to move on getting fuel out of #4's pool, somehow)
Will help keep weather effects out of the damaged reactor buildings.

Storms are a-coming. Chernobyl had similar concerns. Water in the wrong places, or in uncontrolled manners will complicate issues. Less of an explosion hazard than Chernobyl though, since the cores are inside containment, not blown open to the sky.

[cstanleytech]

17. Thats what the intent seems to me to be as well.

It wont last forever though so if they are smart they will spray the entire area inside with something like cement composite mixed with carbon nanotubes so it hopefully lasts longer than the Chernobyl coffin lasted.

[Javaman]

23. Can't wait for the first rip...

won't be pretty.

[uppityperson]

38. Thanks, that makes sense. It will help contain dust and stuff blowing around

[AtheistCrusader]

40. Yeah, any further steps to actually clean up or remove fuel, risks airborne releases.

Obviously, this does little for the radioactive water leaking from the site, aside from, it will keep rainwater out of the complex, which could add to the radioactive water leeching into the sea.

It's a 'good' temporary measure, and will help somewhat, assuming a huge storm doesn't rip it down and add to the debacle.

[makhno]

8. Whatever you think of the Soviets

At least they managed to erect a rather more substantial containment structure over (and below) reactor #4 at Chernobyl within a similar timeframe.

[jberryhill]

21. Soviet engineering had its strong points

Massive and quick was their forte.

[Autumn]

9. Wow a camp out

marshmallows any one?

[drm604]

11. The tents will reduce the amount of radioactive dust getting blown offsite.

It does make some sense. At least until the next fire or explosion damages the tent.

On Edit: I should add that, as well as keeping dust in, they'll keep rain out. Rain can wash even more particles into the sea.

[Vinnie From Indy]

14. You are right! This is actually not a bad idea for the reasons you mentioned

and they could possibly vent the top of the structure to capture steam discharges in a controlled manner.

I hope it works for them!

[drm604]

16. Obviously it's only a temporary situation until the problem can be handled on a more permanent basis

but it's a quick way to reduce problems while working on something more longterm.

[grahamhgreen]

12. Cosmetic, mostly. Out of site, out of mind. I imagine the tents will be very pretty.

[TheModernTerrorist]

28. Totally agree...

I live in Tokyo right now, and in a few months we start typhoon season.

Maybe they only need the tents for the rainy season BEFORE all the typhoons?

...and hopefully they will vent the hydrogen gas adequately???

Fuck man... I dunno. Why haven't they entombed the fuckers yet :shrug:

[buddysmellgood]

13. Well okay then. I feel much better. I think all reactors should

be built inside tents. We should also include giant fly paper strips to catch radioactive particles.

[CountAllVotes]

15. Yep

Covering the reactors up with plastic tents will do the job alright!

My God, I feel like I'm living in the Dark Ages. Oops, that's right, there were no plastic tents/tarps in the Dark Ages from what I know. :sarcasm:

:dem:

[iamthebandfanman]

18. welp, that takes care of that then... on to other topics shall we ? n/t

[Drew Richards]

19. Hahahaha This made me think of

For those of you old enough to remember...


Duck and Cover and you will be protected from a nuclear blast...that's right folks ...duck and cover...

Look at little johnny he's got it right...that's right duck and cover...hurry up suzie you need to be completely covered to hide from the blast...that's right...duck and cover...

[makhno]

31. Heh, civil defense messed with my impressionable young mind

I remember the manuals from back then, yield/distance/decay tables and all.

The evil of it all really clicked when I saw that I wasn't supposed to take my dog with me.

Burt the Turtle indeed.

[jtrockville]

37. My thoughts exactly.

[jberryhill]

20. I heard that Christo has been having trouble with his latest project

This will give him an opportunity to do something useful for a change.

[Javaman]

22. Who knew that polyester was made from lead?

:sarcasm:

I wonder if they will have wide or narrow lapels?

we are a very stupid people.

[InkAddict]

24. I thought perhaps applying a product such as this like mulch could

contain radioactive liquids that had leaked out from contaminating the surrounding soil, LOL.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/433877820/Magic_Capsule_Growing_Toy_Capsule_Toy.html

========================================================================================

They they could shovel them up w/backhoes and pack 'em in lead-lined barrels, LOL.


A giant tarp, seriesly?????????????????

[truebrit71]

25. I thought duct tape and plastic sheets were the preferred method?

..or is that just in the US?

[AndyTiedye]

26. Gonna Take Over 6 Months to Put Up Tents?

which will go poof as soon as some hydrogen collects in there.

[valerief]

27. Ah, the BP safety plan AKA the WTF safety plan. That'll control the damage.

In the media.

[slackmaster]

29. Shades of the movie The Mysterians

In which special capes protected people from a toxic atmosphere.

[jtuck004]

30. That will concentrate and increase the level of radiation under the tent,

and there appear to be no plans for that. Like they need the site to be hotter...

Anyway, could be kind of attractive. Little pool of radioactive water out front, flags from
all the nations that might be affected...



Reminds me of the old Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, in this artist's conception.

[Incitatus]

32. What, no duct tape?

[babydollhead]

33. Is it for the freak show circus of the future?nt

[Turbineguy]

36. Lead BVD's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LuXCkibX-k

[UpInArms]

39. I guess if no one can "see" it, it doesn't exist!

poof!!!

no more Fukushima!

no more radioactive meltdown!

what genius!!!

booyah!!!

:sarcasm: for those who can't recognize it on their own