Minor Explosion In Transformer At Nuclear Reactor In Arkansas; No Effect On Reactors Besides Automat
70 replies, posted
[url="http://stream.wsj.com/story/latest-headlines/SS-2-63399/SS-2-401281/"]WSJ[/url]
[url="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/09/us-utilities-operations-entergy-arkansas-idUSBRE9B80SL20131209"]Reuters[/url]
[url="http://nuclear.energy-business-review.com/news/nrc-monitoring-event-at-arkansas-nuclear-one-101213-4143374"]Energy Business Review[/url]
[url="http://www.arkansasmatters.com/story/unit-2-remains-offline-during-investigation-into-n/d/story/QWGHcyYbR0-V8qVkZ0hzHQ"]K ARK[/url]
[img]http://www.arkansasmatters.com/media/lib/183/7/e/4/7e4c5ca8-e20c-4563-bfa0-b5f08e424760/Story.jpg[/img]
[quote]The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has activated its incident response center in Arlington, Texas, following the declaration of an Unusual Event at the Arkansas Nuclear One nuclear power plant. The plant, operated by Entergy Operations, Inc., is located in Russellville, Ark.
The Unusual Event was declared by operators at 8 a.m. CST after Unit 2 experienced a transformer explosion in an electrical switchyard. The interruption of electrical power to Unit 2 caused protective systems to shut down the reactor.
Operators will keep the Unit 2 reactor offline while the cause of the explosion is investigated and a determination is made on what repairs are necessary. Unit 1 remains operating at about 95% power.[/quote]
Good thing there wasn't an earthquake happening at the same time
We really need to switch to Thorium, just a safer substance to use, more abundunant and releases a lot more energy.
And then start building those units all over.
[QUOTE=Swilly;43137003]We really need to switch to Thorium, just a safer substance to use, more abundunant and releases a lot more energy.
And then start building those units all over.[/QUOTE]
*Transformer explodes*
Guys, we really need to switch to something different, Nuclear just ain't safe.
so just a thransformer blown up? nothing like nuclear waste is leaking, or anything devestating like fukushima?
They have no back up system in the case of a transformer failure?
[B]>>IT WASN'T THE REACTOR, IT WAS A TRANSFORMER, SAFETY SYSTEMS SHUT DOWN THE REACTOR IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS<<[/B]
Just wanted to nail that down before the expected "nuclear is danger" debate gets a rolling.
[QUOTE=sloppy_joes;43137018]*Transformer explodes*
Guys, we really need to switch to something different, Nuclear just ain't safe.[/QUOTE]
Thorium is an element that is modified for use in nuclear reactors. He did not say that nuclear wasn't safe and that we should switch to something else. He said that we need to make nuclear energy safer and more efficient by using thorium rather than current elements.
[QUOTE=Swilly;43137003]We really need to switch to Thorium, just a safer substance to use, more abundunant and releases a lot more energy.
And then start building those units all over.[/QUOTE]
I so want to rate you bad reading right now.
[QUOTE=Reshy;43137037]They have no back up system in the case of a transformer failure?[/QUOTE]
[quote]Mike Bowling, a spokesman at Entergy, said there were no injuries and there was no harm to the workers, the public or the environment. The fire was on the non-nuclear side of the plant, he added.
Bowling said the incident occurred at about 7:50 a.m. local time and there may have been an explosion in the transformer area as there were reports of people hearing something in the area at that time.
He said it was an auxiliary transformer that provides offsite power from the grid to the reactor.[/quote]
IFR reactors are the way forward and should be adopted as soon as possible really.
[QUOTE=Reshy;43137037]They have no back up system in the case of a transformer failure?[/QUOTE]
Read the article. Nuclear reactors have safety systems designed to shut down the reactor in the event of a disruption in electrical power.
[QUOTE=darkedone02;43137028]so just a thransformer blown up? nothing like nuclear waste is leaking, or anything devestating like fukushima?[/QUOTE]
Most transformers are cooled by being submerged in oil and the outer housing designed with cooling "ribs"
And when they fail, they often fail catastrophically, often with a entertaining explosion spreading burning oil everywhere :v:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkDCS8xeobg[/media]
[QUOTE=PolarEventide;43137049]Thorium is an element that is modified for use in nuclear reactors. He did not say that nuclear wasn't safe and that we should switch to something else. He said that we need to make nuclear energy safer and more efficient by using thorium rather than current elements.[/QUOTE]
I know this, but generally when people say "nuclear" they mean Uranium/Plutonium. A lot of people seem to think Thorium is some magical element that's just going to solve all of the world's problems overnight. They don't even group it with the more traditional nuclear power sources and just call it "Thorium power".
[QUOTE=Swilly;43137003]We really need to switch to Thorium, just a safer substance to use, more abundunant and releases a lot more energy.
And then start building those units all over.[/QUOTE]
lol
One accident happens with no casualties or injuries and theres absolutely no risk to the public and you're calling for all Nuclear reactors to be shut down and rebuilt? Damn dood. You went full soccer mom.
[editline]10th December 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=PolarEventide;43137049]Thorium is an element that is modified for use in nuclear reactors. He did not say that nuclear wasn't safe and that we should switch to something else. He said that we need to make nuclear energy safer and more efficient by using thorium rather than current elements.[/QUOTE]
Nuclear energy is literally the most safe and efficient shit right now, theres no real need to switch over to something new.
[QUOTE=PolarEventide;43137049]Thorium is an element that is modified for use in nuclear reactors. He did not say that nuclear wasn't safe and that we should switch to something else. He said that we need to make nuclear energy safer and more efficient by using thorium rather than current elements.[/QUOTE]
uranium is as abundant as thorium AND it is still needed in a thorium reactor, its like how E-85 still has to have gasoline in it
Wow what a shit title. It may as well have been a party popper.
[QUOTE=Sableye;43137135]uranium is as abundant as thorium AND it is still needed in a thorium reactor, its like how E-85 still has to have gasoline in it[/QUOTE]
Curious. Source on those two?
[QUOTE=Scot;43137141]Wow what a shit title. It may as well have been a party popper.[/QUOTE]
Exactly. This exact same thing could happen at a coal, hydroelectric, or natural gas plant. Transformers fail sometimes.
don't blame uranium for bad reactor designs, the new uranium designs like what china is planning produce a fraction of the wastes that our old 50s,60s, and 70s era reactors produce
guys my car tire just burst we need to switch to horses they're safer
[QUOTE=Sableye;43137135]uranium is as abundant as thorium AND it is still needed in a thorium reactor, its like how E-85 still has to have gasoline in it[/QUOTE]
1) uranium is much rarer than thorium.
2) E-85 is 85% ethanol, 15% gasoline, it is at that ratio due to lower strain on the engine, you can run pure ethanol through a car designed for it without any issues.
[QUOTE=S31-Syntax;43137143]Curious. Source on those two?[/QUOTE]
E-85 is....85% ethanol.... no source needed..........
and canada just found a massive deposite, but the world isn't even having a problem with current uranium production, its enrichment production that is the bottleneck
just saying uranium is rare doesn't really justify just how rare it is. neodynium is far rarer and most electronics have a few grams of it in it. rare does not equal unobtainable
[QUOTE=Trunk Monkay;43137121]lol
Nuclear energy is literally the most safe and efficient shit right now, theres no real need to switch over to something new.[/QUOTE]
Using thorium is still nuclear energy. It is a different element that can be used as nuclear fuel. It is not a switch to a new energy production method, it would just be a different (and as some feel, safer and more efficient) fuel for nuclear energy production.
And yes, I realize that nuclear energy is safe and efficient. I want to be a nuclear engineer because I believe that nuclear energy is the future.
[QUOTE=Sableye;43137189]E-85 is....85% ethanol.... no source needed..........
and canada just found a massive deposite, but the world isn't even having a problem with current uranium production, its enrichment production that is the bottleneck[/QUOTE]
No no you silly goose, about the abundance of uranium in comparison to thorium, and uranium's requirement in thorium reactors. I couldn't give 12 shits about e-85.
Stalker Shadow of Arkansas.
[QUOTE=S31-Syntax;43137210]No no you silly goose, about the abundance of uranium in comparison to thorium, and uranium's requirement in thorium reactors. I couldn't give 12 shits about e-85.[/QUOTE]
Thorium reactors transmute thorium 232 into uranium 233 and use it as a fissile material.
[QUOTE=Sableye;43137189]E-85 is....85% ethanol.... no source needed..........
and canada just found a massive deposite, but the world isn't even having a problem with current uranium production, its enrichment production that is the bottleneck
just saying uranium is rare doesn't really justify just how rare it is. neodynium is far rarer and most electronics have a few grams of it in it. rare does not equal unobtainable[/QUOTE]
Tangent:
[url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abundance_of_elements_in_Earth%27s_crust[/url]
Uranium is way rarer than Neodynium.
[QUOTE=S31-Syntax;43137210]No no you silly goose, about the abundance of uranium in comparison to thorium, and uranium's requirement in thorium reactors. I couldn't give 12 shits about e-85.[/QUOTE]
Thorium-232 would be transmuted to form Uranium-233 for nuclear fuel. Uranium-233 is a fissile isotope of uranium.
Ninja'd.
[QUOTE=S31-Syntax;43137210]No no you silly goose, about the abundance of uranium in comparison to thorium, and uranium's requirement in thorium reactors. I couldn't give 12 shits about e-85.[/QUOTE]
depends on the design, but this should satisfy you
[quote]Unlike natural uranium, natural thorium contains only trace amounts of fissile material (such as 231Th), which are insufficient to initiate a nuclear chain reaction. Additional fissile material or another neutron source are necessary to initiate the fuel cycle.[/quote]
its the actual fuel cycle, it requires a seperate fissle material to initiate the cycle. just switching to thorium wouldn't eliminate the need for uranium, also the cycle ends with a very radiactive waste, also the fuel cycle is hard to adapt to light water reactors which most power-producing reactors are
[QUOTE=PolarEventide;43137076]Read the article. Nuclear reactors have safety systems designed to shut down the reactor in the event of a disruption in electrical power.[/QUOTE]
I was talking about a secondary transformer encase the primary one fails. But this was an auxiliary transformer but still caused the power to drop enough to engage the safety systems. I wonder what caused the explosion.
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