This post is meant to provide graphic illustrations to go along with a method I suggested a few days ago. Implementation has been modified somewhat since that offering. I am not seeking a grant, a patent(related to this particular method), or self promotion. Ideas that may be helpful to others in the world benefit no one if they are not published.
Transcript with sources below the fold:
Transcript and sources:
The following is offered as a possible method to slow the reaction and movement of corium in a reactor meltdown event. The terrain and subsequent possible pathways of molten corium down through the Fukushima containment building are complex. This method uses the similar physical attributes of (the flow of) round Lead beads to that of (the flow of)molten Uranium in an aqueous mixture to deliver the beads to the same general location as the escaping corium. Beads of Borosilicate or some other more or less soluble Boron compound can be delivered by the same means as both an abrasive against the molten uranium and a neutron absorber.
The coolant water around the molten corium will be vaporizing explosively as the lead beads are introduced. Initially, the mixture of Lead and Borosilicate beads will be carried to the corium by convection. Because of the greater inertia and potential high velocity of the lead beads rushing in, we might expect small chunks of uranium to be knocked loose and carried away with the laminar flow of water. This action may do the work of breaking up the entire mass of the corium and distributing it broadly into a heterogeneous mixture of lead, uranium, and Borosilicate particles. As the corium is broken up the fission reaction slows down. Until some small portion of the corium might be left beneath a blanket of Lead, Borosilicate. and Uranium particles.
At this point, the heat of the reacting Uranium may eventually melt the Lead beads directly around it creating a molten pool of Lead over the molten uranium. Because of its low melting point, Lead should boil vigorously. The robust action between the hard Borosilicate carrying Lead and the Uranium at their boundary may separate particles of uranium even more and distribute it throughout the molten lead mixture. This continued erosion and mixing of the uranium into the mass of molten Lead may lower its concentration and slow its fissile reaction. All of this takes place while coolant water continues to flow, although at perhaps a slower pace.
If the reaction is slowed enough, the cooling Lead may harden up reducing the need for the circulation of coolant water and significantly reducing the need for the storage of contaminated coolant. Not only that, but as molten lead and Lead particles find there way into cracks and crevices of the containment structure and cools, they may also plug water leaks in the structure.
Potential problems concern the kinetics of molten metal in an aqueous mixture. Because of its higher density, will the molten uranium mix with the molten Lead? Will the molten lead act as a blanket directing even more heat at the floor of the containment structure increasing the likelihood of a breach? Or, because of the much lower boiling point of water, will the action of boiling Lead create explosions of Lead-bound steam at their boundary layer? Even small explosions under water can create tremendous shocks to the structure that might be problematic.
Rumors about the critical state of the Fukushima reactors as late as this December 2013 prompted this open offer of a solution. I am not seeking grant money, a patent(related to this method), or self promotion. If the rumors are false and the Fukushima reactors are indeed in a state of cold shutdown, then obviously there is no need for such an untested method.
Sources:
http://www.wired.com/....
http://www.ne.anl.gov/....
http://enformable.com/....
http://www-tc.pbs.org/....
http://cryptome.org/....
http://cltad.arts.ac.uk/....
http://www.valuingheritage.com.au/....
12:07 PM PT: The video was not visible earlier because for some reason "http:" was missing from the embed code. This is apparently a chronic problem at YouTube. I decided to republish the whole diary because I forgot the transcript. Sorry for jumping right to the conspiracy theorys. Thanks for your patience. I'm better now. :o)>