Japan worst-case scenario unlikely to cause catastrophic radiation release

March 17, 2011
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ANN ARBOR—While exposed spent fuel rods at the failing nuclear reactors in Japan pose new threats, the worst-case scenario would still be unlikely to expose the public to catastrophic amounts of radiation, says a University of Michigan nuclear engineering professor who is an expert on this particular kind of reactor.

“For the public, I don’t believe it would be much higher than two additional chest x-rays,” said John Lee, a professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences, citing the results of the Three Mile Island accident.

Lee worked at General Electric during the time the company was making the type of boiling water reactor at the Fukushima plant. His book, “Risk and Safety Analysis of Nuclear Systems,” will be published in May.

Spent fuel, which is fuel that has already been used but still retains a level of radioactivity, is a new concern, says Thomas Downar, a professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences.

“The worst thing that could happen now is the fuel rods could be exposed to the air and that could be, then, down to our last barrier,” Downar said. “We could not have a recriticality, or a nuclear explosion. It’s physically impossible in this kind of system.”

Lee and Downar are among the professors in the No. 1-ranked U-M Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences who are studying the technical issues involved in the emergency situation in Japan. While the researchers understand that the situation is serious, they stress that a “meltdown” does not necessarily mean a major release of harmful radiation, and that the situation, while dire, is still more a kin to Three Mile Island than Chernobyl. A Chernobyl type of explosion is impossible in these plants, Lee said. The new generation of nuclear reactors in the United States, the researchers say, are equipped with “passive” technologies that allow them to be cooled even during power blackouts. Water does not need to be pumped in, which has been a challenge in Japan.

Michigan Engineering:The University of Michigan College of Engineering is ranked among the top engineering schools in the country. At $180 million annually, its engineering research budget is one of largest of any public university. Michigan Engineering is home to 11 academic departments, numerous research centers and expansive entrepreneurial programs. The College plays a leading role in the Michigan Memorial Phoenix Energy Institute and hosts the world-class Lurie Nanofabrication Facility. Michigan Engineering’s premier scholarship, international scale and multidisciplinary scope combine to create The Michigan Difference. Find out more at http://www.engin.umich.edu/.

 

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