Understanding Japan’s Response to Its Nuclear Reactor Emergency

Jack Spencer / March 12, 2011

The impact of the Japanese earthquake on its nuclear reactors continues to capture the world’s attention. Reports of radioactive releases, elevated radiation levels, and malfunctioning power systems all strike fear into the public as memories of Three Mile Island and Chernobyl quickly enter the national and global conscious. It is important, however, to understand what these terms mean and how different actions taken by Japanese nuclear officials actually impact human health and safety.

One area where this is particularly important is regarding the potential release of radioactive steam. According to the most recent news, Japanese officials are planning a managed release of radioactive steam from reactor number one at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. The purpose of this action is to release rising pressure from the reactor’s core. Though such releases are not unusual, under these circumstances, one can assume that it is the result of inadequate coolant delivery to the core. Even though the nuclear reaction in the reactor has stopped, it will continue to generate heat for some time. Therefore it is essential to remove that heat from the reactor, which is normally done with water. If that becomes either inefficient or impossible, the heat can cause a buildup of steam and pressure that must be released to protect the integrity of the core. Such a managed steam release is an important tool in managing abnormal situations at nuclear power plants. (more…)