An engineering analysis of unit 1 at Fukushima Daiichi has shown that recently-detected temperature increases are not so far threatening the integrity of containment.
The work suggests that even at 400°C, almost three times design-basis temperature, reactor containment strength is approximately more than twice the currently imposed stress (including its own weight), so structural integrity is being maintained. After increasing unit 1 core cooling functionality, TEPCO decided to decrease injection volume, because of concerns that increasing injection volume would increase pressure inside containment, according to Japan Atomic Industrial Forum.
In other work at the site, by 24 March power had reached units 2, 4, 5 & 6, where pre-energising functional checks continue. Lights are now on in the main control rooms of units 1 and 3.
Also on 24 March workers began injecting seawater into the spent fuel pool of unit 3 using the fuel pool cooling and filtering (clean up) system. Unit 4 spent fuel pool spraying with the concrete pump continued.
Gray smoke was observed at unit 3 in the afternoon of 23 March. Although unit 3 reactor, reactor containment and immediate surroundings remained constant, workers were evacuated as a precaution. There was no sign of smoke at about midnight 23 March. A steam-like vapour was seen rising from units 1-4 at 7:00 am 24 March; no further information is currently available.
Unit 5's residual heat removal system pump for the reactor tripped off on 23 March, and is currently being repaired. A backup pump was due to be installed on the 24th. TEPCO said that current water temperature trends suggest that the water will remain below boiling point until the backup starts.
Regular updates may be found on the website of our sister journal, Nuclear Engineering International, reachable on <www.neimagazine.com> or by clicking on the link in the navigation bar to the left of this page.
The following sites are also posting continuing updates:
<http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/index-e.html>
<http://www.iaea.org/>
<http://www.jaif.or.jp/english/>
<http://bravenewclimate.com/2011/03/15/tepco-reactor-status/>
<http://www.world-nuclear-news.org/>
<http://www.kantei.go.jp/foreign/index-e.html>
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