Fairewinds Associates has just released a new video explaining some more of the science behind what may have taken place beneath the reactors, out of sight and out of reach; and further exploring the implications of the water issues discussed below.

Fukushima – Could it Have a China Syndrome? from Fairewinds Associates on Vimeo.

We keep revisiting the Fukushima disaster because, rather than an event fixed in the past, it is a slowly unfolding drama with broadening impacts revealing themselves like the layers of an onion.

Now Japanese engineer, Setseo Fujiwara of JNES (Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization) has independently agreed with Fairewinds Associate’s Arnie Gundersen, that there was indeed a hydrogen explosion at Reactor 3, as well as a nuclear explosion in the Spent Fuel Pool.

Fujiwara cites the same evidence as Arnie did many months ago.  An English translation of Mr. Fujiwara’s interview in SPA magazine contains the following quote:

Inside the SFP (spent fuel pool), it was like a nuclear reactor becoming critical, and the water boiled. Then there was a hydrogen explosion above the surface of the water in the SFP, and due to the pressure from the explosion, voids (steam bubbles) in the boiling water were compressed. The void coefficient was negative, so the reactivity of nuclear fission was suddenly heightened, resulting in a nuclear explosion from the prompt criticality. When you see the slow-motion video of Reactor 3’s explosion, you hear three explosive sounds. It is the evidence that the nuclear explosion occurred after the hydrogen explosion.”

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, TEPCO is finding it difficult to deal with the shear volume of radiation contaminated water generated by the ongoing cooling process and a monumental influx of ground water.  

In April, they released more than 10,000 tons of contaminated water into the ocean in order to accommodate accumulations with higher levels of radiation, a move that inflamed relations with nearby South Korea and China, and raised an alarm in the Japanese fishing industry.

Operators are estimating that storage capacity will be exceeded once again by March of 2012.  The situation is being exacerbated by the inflow of groundwater to the crippled plant at a rate of 200 to 500 tons per day!

Despite efforts to remove some of the radiation from the accumulated water, nuclear expert Kenji Sumita, Professor Emeritus at Osaka University, is publicly challenging the government not to allow further releases of “treated” water into the ocean.  Says Prof. Sumita,

“The reality is that semipermanent storage is the only solution available under current technological constraints. Tepco may have to find the storage space and look for a technological breakthrough in the coming years that allows it to condense and greatly reduce the volume of tainted water.”

Though it is the fervent wish of the entire nuclear industry to leave Fukushima behind in its rear-view mirror, that’s not going to happen any time soon.