(UPDATE 6/19/2013) TEPCO found two pinholes in the weld, says it will investigate why these pinholes are there.
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TEPCO released the photographs of the weld that leaked highly radioactive water that was going to the Line A of ALPS multi-radionuclide removal system at Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant.
The photographs are not big enough to see the details of the weld clearly, but it looks like a poor weld. Another rush job, I suppose.
From TEPCO's Photos and Videos page, 6/17/2013:
Overview of ALPS by TEPCO, here.
ALPS stands for "Advanced Liquid Processing System", developed by Energy Solutions in Salt Lake City, Utah.
I wonder which subcontractors of Toshiba did the welding of these tanks being used in the ALPS system. The weld in the photos above sure doesn't look like a "nuclear power plant" grade.
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4 comments:
And how to fix? Use more carbon based lifeforms..just an hour to weld and fix?
Never mind weld, nuclear power plant itself doesn't make "nuclear power plant grade" even before earthquake and tsunami.
They probably grabbed welding materials from the nearest cheap store. Any more would have been too expensive.
In the second picture, upper part, it seems that the weld is wobbling right and left, then it is interrupted and it resumes further up in a straight line. It seems that the leak is at junction between the welding material and the metal plate on the right; could it be that they did not melt enough the metal plate when they soldered?
My first attempt at soldering in high school was slightly better than this...
Also, they pictures seem to show some sort of putty and the weld appears sanded; maybe these pictures are showing the tank after they polished the "rust" stains (to locate the leak?) and temporarily plugged the leak with some putty.
Beppe
Beppe
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