Combination Method Proposed for Fukushima Debris Removal
16:55 JST, March 9, 2024
TOKYO (Jiji Press) — A combination of two methods should be used for the full-fledged removal of radioactive fuel debris from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant, Nuclear Damage Compensation and Decommissioning Facilitation Corp. said Friday.
The government-backed corporation, which supports the decommissioning of the nuclear plant operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc., proposed a combination of removing debris exposed in the air and solidifying debris using a filler.
Fuel debris is a mixture of nuclear fuel and reactor structures melted as a result of the triple meltdown in March 2011. An estimated 880 tons of fuel debris remains in the plant’s No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3 reactors. It must be removed to complete the decommissioning of the plant.
For the debris retrieval at the No. 3 reactor, the corporation released a report evaluating the feasibility of the two methods as well as a submersion method to encase the entire reactor building in a water-filled structure to extract the debris.
The report said that the method of removing the debris by a robot after exposing it to the air can be applied without making major changes to conditions inside the reactor. The method, however, faces the difficulty of developing a remote-controlled robot that can operate even in a high-dose reactor.
The report said that this difficulty would be addressed to a certain extent by combining with the solidification method of using a filler effective in blocking radiation.
The submergence method is problematic because constructing a structure to contain a large amount of water takes time, the report said. But it also said that the use of water will continue to be considered as it is highly beneficial in terms of blocking radiation.
Based on the report, TEPCO will consider ways to remove the debris in detail with a plan to start full-scale removal in the 2030s.
"Science & Nature" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Project to Mass Produce Japanese Glass Eels Succeeds in Reducing Costs; Pilot Scheme Brings Down Costs to ¥1,800 Per Fish
-
Namibia Fossil is ‘Swamp Thing’ with Menacing Fangs
-
Drones, Smartphones to Be Used to Assess Flood Damage; Cabinet Office Approves Tech to Speed up Disaster Certificate Issuance
-
3rd H3 Rocket Launched Successfully; Daichi-4 Satellite Shot into Orbit (UPDATE 2)
-
Japan to Promote Development of New Research Reactors to Achieve Decarbonization; Ministry Eyes Nuclear Power as ‘Leading Option’
JN ACCESS RANKING
- Aviation Fuel Shortage Causes Problems at Regional Airports; Growing Demand, Lack of Workers to Transport
- Prices of over 10,000 Food and Beverage Items to Rise This Year; Figure is down from over 30,000 Last Year
- Sony Group to End Production of Blu-ray Discs; Market Has Shrunk Due To Growth Of Hard Disk Drives, Streaming
- Japan Ministry Concerned Over Same-Sex Couple Receiving City-Issued Resident Certificates Referring to ‘Common-Law Husband’
- Japan Court OKs Sex Change without Surgery