Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors
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The principle is simple. Place nuclear reactors below the level of natural water streams. In Fukushima the cause of reactor melt-down was failure of the pumps to supply enough cooling water. Had the reactors been placed below water level, as shown above, no pumps would be needed to cool a reactor and so a melt-down, i.e. causing the destruction of the reactor's outer enclosure, could never have happened. As long as the outer enclosure remains intact, even if everything inside is "molten", no emission of radioactive materials can occur. Basically all power stations, whether nuclear or using fossil fuels, are situated near natural water streams, or at a sea or lake shore. Mind that roughly 75% of the developed heat must be cooled off at the site, only 25% of the energy is converted to electricity. This is why the locations, as an enormous cooling capacity is required. In all other locations, cooling towers are built instead and this should be forbidden for nuclear power plants! |
Of course, the risks involved with the handling of nuclear waste remain, but to date no disasters with that have occurred. Disasters like Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and latest Fukushima, would never have happened, had the reactors been placed below a natural water level!