Sentences with phrase «exposed fuel rods»

Not exact matches

If the pool leaks or the cooling system breaks, as happened in Japan, the nuclear fuel rods could become exposed and release radioactive gas.

After all, the spent fuel pools that may have been exposed by the power plant explosions contain more than 200 metric tons of used uranium fuel rods that have been cooling for weeks, months or even years — and smoke or steam continues to billow from the exposed spent fuel pool of reactor No. 3.

Because of the harsh environment fuel rods are exposed to — heat, steam, and neutrons that emanate from nuclear reactions — extensive further testing will be needed on any new cladding for use in commercial reactors, Kazimi says.

Hours earlier, Gregory Jaczko, the head of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, told Congress that spent fuel rods in Unit 4 of the plant had been exposed, resulting in the emission of «extremely high» levels of radiation.

Fuel rods became exposed and began to melt, while generating large amounts of hydrogen from the rapid oxidation of zirconium contained in the cladding surrounding the nuclear fFuel rods became exposed and began to melt, while generating large amounts of hydrogen from the rapid oxidation of zirconium contained in the cladding surrounding the nuclear fuelfuel.