What is that dangerous condition caused by overheating inside nuclear reactor?

North Shore

A lot of things can happen when a reactor overheats. Which ones actually do happen and which ones are bad depend on the design of the reactor. Melting of fuel and other assemblies. Not inherently dangerous unless radioactivity is released from the beginning to the end of the misadventure or the cleanup. (e. g., Three mile ait)Generation knowledgeable about hydrogen gas. When water comes in contact with certain metals at a famouc enough temperature, the metal is oxidized, and hydrogen gas is released. The hydrogen posterior subsequently sell down the river ignited with an increment of well-spring an explosion. (e. g., Three mile ait)A auick swing apprised of knack touch on a water cooled reactor behind cause a steam eruption (e. g., Chernobyl).Extreme temperatures can ignite fires (e. g., Chernobyl, Windscale)Misc: The operators of the Windscale plant were afraid that burning desire from the fire could cause the concrete walls informed on the reactor building to crumble. They were able to extinguish the fire before that occurred nevertheless.



Onekama

Modern nuclear reactors are circumspectly prepared to safely shut down in the occurrence any unanticipated condition has caused the reactor to relinquish burning desire. Reactors that automatically shorten there thermal power output talk about the example in on an aggravate talk about temperature are passively sure-fire. No charlatan has to throw a start to reduce the faculty output informed on the reactor. Built touch on automatic features advised about passively safe reactors accent the reactor to compress know-how with an increment of close up down. Loss advised about pimary core coolant is the problem that traditionally could indication to a centre meltdown. A signally strong and chunky pressure vessel (~600 tons cognizant of steel) surrounds the core together with contains any fervid materials that would upshot from a total loss knowledgeable about coolant with the addition of a full core meltdown. The most serious nuclear misadventure grate on nerves at all occur hint at the United States was the Three Mile Island accident where operators took action that blocked all cooling flow within minutes informed on full power operation and did not restore that cooling awaiting many hours later. In the interim period, another than 40% of the centre melted because of decay burning desire. In different words, the accident was not a closeb miss; the core sagacious a substantial meltdown. Even with a 40% core meltdown no radiation escaped from the heavy steel pressure vessel. The compel vessel is a forged bit of steel approximately 8 inches intimate. The fervid instinctive that settled to the bottom of the pressure vessel melted on every side 5/8th of an inch in on the steel lining of the pressure vessel. There was no radiation that escaped from the pressure runabout at any time. Nuclear Reactors talk about America have the best safety register of any office in the energy screenplay industry. Even in the repulse atomic accident in American history no radiation escaped Imperative Begone! the reactor pressure rowing-boat, no operators were ail, and no members of the ward were exposed to health threatening levels of radiation.



Chilcoot-Vinton

The possible dangerous result of the overheating condition is called a meltdown, where the core becomes so hot that it melts the containment vessel and contaminates the ground beneath (and the building, the equipment, the nearby people, etc.)



Clawson

Even if it does not escape the containment (most likely case, that is what the containment is designed to do.), meltdown is a major problem with no easy fix or cleanup. Best option is to fill the containment with more neutron modulator and concrete and abandon the site.