Nuclear Reactor In Japan Still Controlled

Hearing the news that Japan's Fukushima nuclear reactor exploded immediately imagined in the minds of some people may be an atomic bomb of Hiroshima or Nagasaki and Chernobyl incidents. In fact, what is happening now is far different.

Many people who feel scared by the information explosion in Fukushima, fearing the consequences of radiation that could arise if the radioactive material out of the nuclear reactor. Vigilance will risk has indeed been advised the Government of Japan, but people remain calm and not panic requested.

According to experts, nuclear engineering from the National Nuclear Energy Agency Dr. Ferhat Aziz M.Sc., radioactive leaks do occur in Fukushima, but so far still within control. The explosion was, in his opinion is not actually worsen the condition of a nuclear reactor, but mememperkecil risk.


So what actually happens in the nuclear reactor? "The explosion actually occurred in the secondary containment, not the reactor," uangkap Dr. Ferhat Aziz in a conversation with Kompas.com on Wednesday (16/03/2011).

He said the nuclear reactor has a protective layer. There are parts like the fuel cladding, reactor vessel, primary containment, and secondary containment.

Cladding serves as a container of fuel. Vessel fuel made from 15-20 cm thick steel. Primary containment is made of steel as thick as 7 cm, and secondary containment buildings made of concrete tangible 1-2 meters thick.

Well, the explosion occurred in the secondary containment at the top of the reactor building. According to him, the explosion of a hydrogen explosion, like an explosion regular fuel, not fuel a nuclear explosion.

He explained that the explosion itself is a consequence of the process of venting (the release) is performed to reduce the pressure in reactor. The process of venting is causing radioactive material out with water vapor and hydrogen, but still the amount that can be controlled.

Venting must be done because of the high temperature at the center of the reactor is still to be lowered if it does not want to melt. Although it has been turned off, the reactor temperature is still very high because the cooling system is dead. To speed cooling, TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Co.), which operates the reactor was poured into the sea water reactor. Currently, efforts are still continuing cooling using sea water or water that came from the helicopter.