The nuclear-engineering tag has no wiki summary.
2
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2answers
437 views
If there is a meltdown at the Fukushima reactors, would the control rods melt also?
According to the reports, the shutdown procedures at all the Fukushima reactors were successful, and all the control rods were fully inserted.
So - if there was a meltdown, would the control rods ...
2
votes
1answer
527 views
Why did the Hydrogen in Fukushima explode *outside* the reactor vessel?
As pointed out before, it orginated inside the reactor vessel but exploded outside: how did it get there? Did it pass the shell by diffusion or was it released by the engineers?
2
votes
2answers
305 views
How much radiation exposure in the US was caused by the 105 nuke tests in the Pacific?
Between 1947 and 1962 the US conducted 105 tests of nuclear weapons in the "Pacific Proving Grounds". I'm wondering how much radiation exposure resulted on the west coast of the US. These were part of ...
4
votes
3answers
503 views
What is generating the hydrogen that has exploded in the Fukushima reactor?
The explosions at the Fukushima nuclear reactors were caused by a build of hydrogen. I was wondering where this hydrogen came from.
This question Fukushima - Isn't the hydrogen presence a proof ...
2
votes
1answer
288 views
Fukushima - Isn't the hydrogen presence a proof of meltdown?
As I understand, the hydrogen is produced by water thermolysis, which need quite high temperature. This temperature is close to previously observed corium temperatures. So:
Is the eutectic ...
3
votes
10answers
1k views
Can a nuclear reactor meltdown be contained with molten lead?
If lead can absorb or block radiation, would it be possible to pump molten lead into a reactor core which is melting, so that it would eventually cool and contain the radiation?
Is there something ...
11
votes
3answers
3k views
Why didn't the control rods in Fukushima shut down the reactor?
With all the hubbub over the reactors in Japan and nuclear safety, I was wondering why the insertion of the control rods in Fukushima did not shut down the reactor? Shouldn't they slow the fission ...
3
votes
1answer
183 views
How is it possible to calculate the energy liberated by a given fission process?
How is it possible to calculate the energy liberated by a given fission process? For example, in the fission of a $^{235}$U induced by capturing a neutron?
