Thursday, June 23, 2011

Monju: The In-Vessel Transfer Machine Has Been Pulled Out

3rd time charm.

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency who runs the Monju Fast Breeder Reactor announced the In-Vessel Transfer Machine (IVTM) was successfully pulled out of the reactor at 4:55AM JST on June 24.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Robbie001 sez:

Well that's a relief! Now they can get back to the business of not generating electricity like they haven't been doing since 1995 when they had their last accident. Not many reactors are designed for tons of junk to fall into them too bad sodium isn't clear so they could see what's going on. Oh well, I'm sure it will be fine.

BTW, How is the water going down in the trenches if they don't have the treatment plant running yet? Even if it was running perfectly the levels are dropping too fast. Did they come up with more temporary storage? If so you'd think they'd announce it since they are desperate for good news of some kind.

Anonymous said...

Robbie001 sez:

This is how the nuclear industry handles bad news apparently the info is to detailed and technical for the common dolts who foot the bill.

"Fukushima Disaster Failures Kept Behind Closed Doors at UN Atomic Meeting":

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-20/fukushima-disaster-failures-kept-behind-closed-doors-at-un-atomic-meeting.html

netudiant said...

Good work! This was a very tough job, unprecedented anywhere afaik. Of course Monju has had a very troubled past, as have all other breeder reactor prototypes. Some, notably the Fermi reactor in the US, averted disaster by only a narrow margin. Breeders are not easy to make run reliably. Japan is at least still trying.
Japan has an impressive cadre of nuclear expertise. Whether those resources are properly deployed however is less certain. Looking at the Fukushima experience, one does get the impression that the industry suffered from the 'victory disease' that so undercut Japan's performance during the early stages of WW2.

arevamirpal::laprimavera said...

@netudiant, Japan is still trying, yes, whether they should still be trying at all. As the councilman shouted at the meeting when they had sodium fire accident in 1995, the Japanese, particularly engineers and politicians (strange combo but true) do not have the courage to stop what they've started.

Anonymous said...

The promise of the complete fuel cycle is just too great. It'll take another severe incident to change their minds substantially, I'm afraid. The industry sees them as avoidable aberrations afterwards - which they are, only in the luxury of hindsight. Some people even refuse to count accidents caused by human error, because the technology didn't fail…

real estate said...

While he was running perfectly level decreases too quickly. Did they arrive at a more temporary storage? Not many reactors are designed for tons of scrap metal to fall in too bad of sodium is not clear so they can see what was happening.

Anonymous said...

Three months after the earthquake Fukashima is spewing even more & more "Deadly Radiation" every day!
The Japanese have demonstrated they can do NOTHING and have NO Skills to STOP this Worsening Catastrophe! Its time for the Japanese to step aside and bring in some Experts like the Russians who can deal with this situation!

Anonymous said...

Excelllllennnt.........in the air and in the water..... ..... ... .The gift that keeps on giving..... .. .. .... ...Binary weapons.. .. .. ...here. ... .. Binary weapons. .. . there .. ... Binary weapons everywhere... .. .SORRY... .. ..I meant . .. . .. . to say ... .. .. . ....POWER PLANTS.....and fluffy CLOUDS. .. .. .. .. YOU WERE WARNED ........[or not]..........word for word..........................A fortiori...........322

Anonymous said...

Any news on the status of the reactor vessel and of the fuel assemblies? That refueling machine fell on _something_. How is the something faring?

Anonymous said...

we real proud of ya Japan, You do not have sense enough to generate power in this fashon, Japan - you have released more death in to the air and water than all the bombs that were exploded all over this little planet. you are an island of death. uf-da !!!!!!

Anonymous said...

That is good news, and we could all use some good news. It would be nice if they'd pat themselves on the back and vow to find an alternative to nuclear. Thanks for you site. Very helpful.

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