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If there is no risk of the second containment level being breached why do newer reactors have a third level containment (which is missing from these older react
by tea3 16y ago
If there is no risk of the second containment level being breached why do newer reactors have a third level containment (which is missing from these older reactors)? I'm just curious.
- _delirium 16y agoOne reason is "the last level of containment held" doesn't give engineers the safety margin they want, or the public-reassuring PR they'd want. Much better to be able to say that the last level of containment is never even relied on, but is purely insurance.
- tea3 16y agoThank you. If the fission reaction has indeed stopped, I wonder if whatever heat is still being generated (especially if the fuel rods are exposed and enough heat exists to melt the cladding) would still pose some danger to the pressure vessel?