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According to a chart in this press release[0], fresh water was being pumped through Unit 1 for ~10 hours prior to the first explosion, during which time none of
by guscost 11y ago
According to a chart in this press release[0], fresh water was being pumped through Unit 1 for ~10 hours prior to the first explosion, during which time none of the "active fuel" was submerged. I'm not a professional but it seems like a lot of that water would have evaporated and could have been oxidizing the cladding the whole time, if it was hot enough. I wouldn't discount the rest of your theory too quickly.
[0]http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/betu11_e/images/110515e10.pdf http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp-com/release/betu11_e/im...
- paulmd 11y agoNot that Zircalloy won't dissociate, but you're correct, don't discount the water either. At one point during the Windscale fire they tried to pump down liquid CO2, but the reactor face was so hot it was ripping the O2 off the molecule. They next tried to pump down water - there was a very real risk that it would rip the water apart as well, feeding the fire and potentially forming a hydrogen bubble and exploding. However they were able to deliver it in greater quantity than the CO2, and succeeded in cooling the fire.