Recent news about the planned release of treated water from the Fukushima Daiichi NPS into the ocean has sparked concern & debate.

As someone who cares about the environment & public health, let’s talk about the water discharge & the Advanced Liquid Processing System behind it. But first: Where is this water coming from?

After the March 2011 accident, using water to cool the melted fuel & debris at Fukushima Daiichi NPS has been necessary.

Aside from this, when groundwater & rainwater comes into contact with melted fuel/debris, it becomes polluted.

Am I the only one that wonders what would happen if I fell into those pools where spent nuclear fuel rods are cooled down?

How would falling in here affect our health? And could we actually survive this?

Let’s evaluate this possibility together.🤔 So, I’ve just accidentally fallen into a spent fuel pool. But what is it?

While powering a nuclear reactor, the fuel rods become very hot. We’re talking 1k°C (1832°F), so this pool of crystal clear water is meant to cool spent fuel rods after they come out of a nuclear reactor.

When you hear the words “clean energy,” what comes to mind?

Most people immediately think of solar panels or wind turbines, but how many of you thought of nuclear energy? Nuclear is often left out of the “clean energy” conversation despite it being the 2nd LARGEST source of low-carbon electricity in the world 🌎

Wondering how clean and sustainable is nuclear?

@ENERGY developed these quick facts for starters:

#TuesdayFacts about nuclear power in the U.S.A 🇺🇸

There are 54 commercially operating NPP with 92 nuclear power reactors in 28 U.S. states.

Of the currently operating nuclear power plants, 19 plants have 1 reactor, 32 plants have 2 reactors, and 3 plants have 3 reactors. The Palo Verde nuclear power plant in Arizona is the LARGEST nuclear plant, and it has 3 powerful reactors with a combined net summer electricity generating capacity of 3,937 MW.

Nuclear Steam Supply System (NSSS)

This beauty is the part of the NPP which is used to produce steam to supply the turbine generator units, which in turn generate electricity.

Let’s analyze this system together by using a 4-Loop PWR system by @WECnuclear as an example 👇 Included within the NSSS are the reactor coolant system (primary loop), auxiliary fluid systems & major electrical instrumentation required for the operation & control of the nuclear systems.

The NSSS is also known as the nuclear island.
Can you identify the primary loop?👇

It’s always interesting to read opinions/articles against nuclear power. Not because I agree, but because it helps us, the nuclear advocates, to know how to tackle misinformation.

And I think this article mentions a couple of interesting points that should be discussed👇 1- “Nuclear power is not a safe option for the future”
Again, relying and discussing the same topics: Chernobyl, TMI and Fukushima.
Did you get this out of @Greenpeace ?

#Didyouknow... the nuclear energy industry is one of the few industries with a security program that's regulated by the federal government.

The @NRCgov 🇺🇸holds nuclear power plants to the highest security standards of any American industry. #NuclearPowerPlants are very robust structures that are very difficult to penetrate. The combination of these structures, a well-armed professional security force, strict access controls, & multiple backup safety systems provides layer-upon layer of safety and security.

Chornobyl (1986) & Fukushima (2011) are very well-known #nuclear disasters… but have you ever heard about Three Mile Island incident?

This coming May 4th many people will be talking about this event (thanks, @netflix), so let’s inform ourselves to know the FACTS about it. Long story short:

In 1979 at Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in the USA, a cooling malfunction caused part of the core to melt in the #2 reactor. The TMI-2 reactor was destroyed.

Here’s what happened 👇

In movies, a #NuclearReactor is always shown with a shining electric blue haze & we all assume that it’s part of the special effects.

BUT, I've got news for you: It's actually called the Cherenkov Effect & as said by @DE_Nuclear:

Cherenkov Effect is Science, Not Science Fiction The electric blue haze is a natural phenomenon known as the Cherenkov radiation or Cherenkov Effect.

Let's check out the science behind it👇

We know that #NuclearEnergy is one of the largest sources of zero-emissions power in the 🌎, but as any other energy-generation industry, it generates a "waste".

And I got some news for you: It is actually consider a valuable resource, not a waste! Say what!? 👀

Don’t worry, the 🇺🇸 @GovNuclear published:
“5 Fast Facts About #SpentNuclearFuel”

Let’s read it and keep learning together:

Do you know how many bananas you need to eat to die of radiation? 😱

That's right, you can die of radiation by eating 🍌. But don't worry! I don’t actually think anyone would dare to do it.

So, here is a guide on: What to know before you go bananas about #NuclearRadiation? In 2017 the @UofCalifornia read our minds by answering a question that we all have:

How much #radiation is too much radiation? And well, the answer is more simple than we thought 👉it’s just a bunch of bananas.

Check out this great question by @CleanEnRev !

Have you ever wonder how is spent fuel transported?
Let's find out 👇

https://twitter.com/CleanEnRev/status/1507529700289224717

First of all, fuel assemblies remain submerged during all handling operations. The minimum shielding requirement is ~3m of water for a high burn-up, & they use special cranes for handling operations

Check out one of the main differences between #BWRs and #PWRs spent fuel pools👇

Can you throw #NuclearWaste in the trash can?🗑

Will you become The Hulk if you are exposed to its #radiation?🧟‍♀️

Do you actually know what happens with nuclear waste?

Come! Let’s find out 👇

Spoiler alert: It doesn’t glow green like you see in some movies. Before we get into crazy nuclear terms, let’s identify the types of #NuclearWaste:
 
High-Level: Most of the #NuclearWaste- the ‘scary’ one

Intermediate-L: Components, medical & lab items- 🏥 also generate this waste

Low-L: Tools, clothes-Hospitals, research facilities, NPP too

A containment building of a #NuclearPowerPlant is a thick structure design to resist earthquakes, overpressure and hurricane winds.🌪

But, have you ever wonder what would happen if a jet crashed into it? Let’s find out together 🛩 Lucky for us, @SandiaLabs solved this question way back in 1988.

They launched a supersonic jet against a concrete wall to test its resistance. 🤯 Crazy, right? BUT, to our surprise, it only caused cracks of 60mm deep in the concrete.

interestingengineering.com/crashed-jet-nu…