For those who think all nuclear power is safe: A story from just this week

Thorgrim · 08-07-2006, 01:33 AM

FORSMARK, Sweden, Aug. 1, 2006 (UPI) -- Last week's shutdown of the Forsmark nuclear power plant in Sweden, north of Stockholm, reportedly could have resulted in a meltdown.

The emergency -- called by some the most dangerous international nuclear incident since the destruction of the Russian Chernobyl plant 20 year ago -- occurred when two of four generators shut down, officials said.

"It was pure luck that there was not a meltdown," nuclear expert and former Forsmark director Lars-Olov Höglund told The Local. "Since the electricity supply from the network didn't work as it should have, it could have been a catastrophe."

He said without power, the temperature would have been too high after 30 minutes and within two hours there could have been a meltdown.

Nuclear plant faced possible meltdown - Last week's shutdown of the Forsmark nuclear power plant in ...

CNN.com - Swedish nuclear power plant*alert - Aug 3, 2006

Nuclear is not that safe which is why I wouldn't want one in my backyard

Kytro · 08-07-2006, 01:35 AM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

Nuclear is not that safe which is why I wouldn't want one in my backyard

Really how many accidents have there been which have killed people?

The biggest issue is the age of some of these plants

motivez · 08-07-2006, 01:35 AM

I wouldn't want one in my backyard either, but I wouldn't mind us expanding our use of them to help with increased energy demands

That's pretty scary though, did they say what caused them to shut down?

Kytro · 08-07-2006, 01:46 AM

There has only ever been one really serious accident, and while at others people have died, it is usually only 1 or 2 people.

motivez · 08-07-2006, 01:50 AM

Yeah, but it's the risk of such an accident that would impact so many more lives than other forms of power that makes it such a controversial issue

Even if it's relatively safe, like flying in a plane, when things go wrong.. they go REALLY wrong.

Thorgrim · 08-07-2006, 01:50 AM

A nuclear power plant is man-made...which has room for error

That room for error could cause a small enough problem to lead to a higher cancer rate, rather than a full-scale meltdown

Just not a risk I'd want to expose my family to

Scrum · 08-07-2006, 01:51 AM

That's still not a bad track record.

Technology will only make it safer as well.

Kytro · 08-07-2006, 02:16 AM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

Just not a risk I'd want to expose my family to

What about driving in a car. Much more likely that will kill them.

It's all about relative risk. Sure most people don't want a power plant in their area, but that does not make it more likely to screw up. In fact I'd rather be near a new plant than an old one.

Thorgrim · 08-07-2006, 02:20 AM

Originally Posted by Kytro

What about driving in a car. Much more likely that will kill them.

It's all about relative risk. Sure most people don't want a power plant in their area, but that does not make it more likely to screw up. In fact I'd rather be near a new plant than an old one.

The new BMWs with side and front air bags are quite sturdy...driven safely with a seat belt...I like my odds

I've walked away from at least 3 accidents that should have been fatal, I am starting to believe I have a higher destiny

Kytro · 08-07-2006, 02:24 AM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

The new BMWs with side and front air bags are quite sturdy...driven safely with a seat belt...I like my odds

I've walked away from at least 3 accidents that should have been fatal, I am starting to believe I have a higher destiny

I was talking about stats though

archangel003 · 08-07-2006, 02:27 AM

Yeah, could have been a major catastrophe.

Fortunately advanced automated reactor control systems stepped in and prevented it.

Ardentfrost · 08-07-2006, 02:32 AM

Originally Posted by Thorgrim

The new BMWs with side and front air bags are quite sturdy...driven safely with a seat belt...I like my odds

I've walked away from at least 3 accidents that should have been fatal, I am starting to believe I have a higher destiny

So, you're ok with new technology in cars making it safer, but not in nuke plants?

I grew up around one of the oldest nuke plants in the nation and never felt unsafe. They decommisioned it in the mid-90's and ever since then, most people where I am from have wanted it to be recommisioned. I have been through various parts of it with tours and they were always very careful to monitor leaks and such, and even today the ecological division is one of the few uncut programs to continue monitoring. With LOTS of plants worldwide, how many accidents have their been? Two? And that was with OLD technology.

Hell, we had an active reactor on Georgia Tech campus until 1996 (they decommisioned it for the Olympics... it'd have been too easy of a target).

Nuke plants in America are privately run, and that certainly makes me trust it more. The power is cheap, renewable, and safer than coal with far less pollutants (as long as the waste is well monitored). What more do you want?

Ardentfrost · 08-07-2006, 02:40 AM

I take back the "never felt unsafe" statement... during the Cold War they told us the nuke plant would be one of the first targets of the Russians and if it blew up, we'd all be toast. Then we'd have drills where we'd hide under the desk to protect us from the ensuing nuclear fire-fuck-ball (as put by Lewis Black).

But besides Russians attacking the plant, I never feared it

Thorgrim · 08-07-2006, 02:44 AM

Originally Posted by Ardentfrost

So, you're ok with new technology in cars making it safer, but not in nuke plants

I'm a fan of both, that doesn't mean I favor seeing the day my kids drive or the day a nuclear plant is being built next door

Nonphixion · 08-07-2006, 06:15 AM

I am researching a new form of sub-atomic power, and it looks very promising -- as it is rooted and sustained in the Electromagnetic force that pervades throughout the universe. The tapping and synchronization of energy from the quantum vaccum flux; the very fabric of space-time is literally pulsing with ultra-high frequency electric fluctuations.

Fission, by comparison is a truly primitive power.

Kytro · 08-07-2006, 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

Fission, by comparison is a truly primitive power.

orly, what is this field called?

Nonphixion · 08-07-2006, 07:08 AM

Originally Posted by Kytro

orly, what is this field called?

Field of my study, or the specific field of fissionable nuclear power?

Kytro · 08-07-2006, 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by Nonphixion

Field of my study, or the specific field of fissionable nuclear power?

Your study.

Nonphixion · 08-07-2006, 07:35 AM

Originally Posted by Kytro

Your study.

Ah, an elaboration.

In the base-level of many quantum mechanical equations there is a force called the Zero-Point Energy. It is an accepted constant, and these sub-atomic equations simply would not work without the consideration of this fundemental electromagnetic flux. It is the source of all matter and energy in the universe (according to my running-research), and as such is the the "parent force" of the 4 true forces in the universe. Such being; Electromagnetism, Gravity, Weak Nuclear (radioactive decay), and Strong Nuclear (force/"glue" that holds atoms together).

It is named the Zero-Point Energy because it persists even at absolute 0 kelvin, which according to Newtonian physics is the state at which there is no molecular or atomic vibration whatsoever -- and thus no inertial energy. Inertia as well will go through a metamorphasis if my research proves correct, I am on a path to CONQUER this force. To bring this fundemental property of all matter under one's control is to unlock possibilities no scientific man has before dreamed of. Never in "feet-on-the-ground" perpetuation of physics has this been so-successfully attempted, as my theories interlock with an unprecidented regularity [singularity] (relativistic space-time calculations are on the path to revolution as well). But I digress.

Harnessing this fundemental Electromagnetism has to do with a concept called adiabatic (linear, and direct climb of stored energy) auto-resonance, an idea that has held sway since the times of Galileo. But since has never undergone a proper marriage with the principles of quantum electrodynamics, until I got my hands on it that is

QE and relativistic space-time (Minkowski Space), have always been my specialities, and thus it spells instant success for any endevour towards this one goal of unifaction -- of the quantum world and of our macroscopic universe. The question now becomes capitol, and the available flow of such a resource

Kytro · 08-07-2006, 08:42 AM

Interesting. Let me know when you get something published, it sounds interesting