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 PlantExplorer
 
Location: middle TN
Gender: Male
 |  | Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
< on 7/5/2008 9:01 PM >
|  | | | Well, a few people here have been begging for these photos, and I've got a little time to kill, so I'll go ahead and post them and the story here.
My friend and I passed between the two cooling towers, using their shade to protect us from the blistering sun, and walked towards the nearer containment building. My friend was very hesitant, but not hesitant enough to keep us from getting up next to it. There was a corrugated sheet metal structure sticking off the bottom of the tower, with a standard gray door with round doorknob on it. The hinges were rusty but the knob was shiny and new-looking. We looked around for people or cameras, saw nothing, and gave the knob a twist.
It turned.
The door opened.
We stepped inside.
Once our eyes adjusted, we saw that we were in a long semicircular hallway, maybe 20-25 feet across. You could comfortably fit two semi trucks side-by-side through this thing. It also showed just how thick the outer cement structure was. Cell phone signal dropped to zero almost immediately.
1) Only blurry picture, I promise. This is the view from the inside towards the outside through the semicircular portal.
Inside, we looked around and were pretty much in awe of what we were seeing. We were standing in a huge room, so tall the maglight beam couldn't reach the ceiling, with an elevator on the left and a staircase on the right. All was silent. Looking over the door, my friend spotted a huge steel dome hanging off the wall.
"Dude, I think that's a door. I'll bet it opens!"
"... Or closes."
At that point he notices that the steel door is perfectly shaped to cover the multiple-semi-truck-sized entrance we used. Creeeeeeepy.
2) The blast door, designed to seal off the containment building from the outside.
3) The room was full of incomplete conduits and pipes and all sorts of stuff.
4) The elevator next to the entrance, seen from the second floor.
Once we got our bearings, we began looking around. We soon discovered there were, in fact, two containment buildings - one inside the other. We saw plenty of pipes and some dark holes leading into the inner one, but could see no route in, so we continued exploring.
5) I noticed that the pipes all seemed to be on shock absorbers, and there were big gaps between the pipes and the holes. Perhaps they didn't have their insulation yet?
6) The space between the outer and inner containment vessels was pretty narrow in some areas as we walked around to the other side.
7) On the other side, we started running into more interesting pieces. I'm not sure what this tank is for, but it's pretty impressive.
In the backdrop of that photo, notice the door. My friend and I walked up to it and inspected it, and to say the least we were impressed. There were actually two doors; one on each side of the containment wall. The wall itself was a good eight to ten feet thick, so there was not so much a door as a tunnel through it, capped on both sides by these beastly things.
8) Interior door.
9) Exterior door. Check out those locking pistons!
10) Outside and inside the doors were control boxes. It's hard to describe the chill you get when you read buttons saying "Reactor Door Close" and "Emergency Stop" with warning lights for "Pressure Unequal" and "Reactor Operating" and so on.
11) Detail of the buttons, using a flashlight but no flash.
12) On the far side of the containment building, we reached a sort of maintenance area. There was a big crane that reached down into a hole. Electronics cabinets hummed and a few small lights were on, so my friend and I didn't linger long here.
13) Upstairs we found some control rooms and many more of these electronics closets. The place was littered with them, and they're all humming with energy. These boxes haven't been touched in sixteen years, but they still look brand new.
14) More control boxes. In the rooms where these were, you had to practically yell to be heard over the electric hum. This is especially frustrating since the otherwise deathly quiet of the place gives you an extreme urge to whisper everything, so that the Nothing won't hear you, or something.
Having circumnavigated the zone between the containment walls on both the first and second floors, my friend and I were returning to the exit and went down a flight of stairs to the first floor. To our surprise, the staircase continued downward. We looked at each other, nodded silently, and proceeded down. It was ten to fifteen degrees cooler inside the cement structure than it was outside, but while descending the staircase it got fifteen to twenty degrees cooler still. The air was so still that you could stand on the stairs and feel the cold subterranean air on your legs and the warmer above-ground air on your arms. At the bottom of the staircase, we could see our breath in the flashlight beams. The sterile cement floor had a quarter inch of water puddled on it, from condensation I assume. We noticed that we hadn't seen a single sign of life down here yet. No dust. No spider webs. No beetles or roaches. No footprints. Nothing. This place was utterly devoid of life, and it was extremely chilling. Then, my friend pointed out a recess in the inner containment wall, about the size of a person.
"Hey, that looks like it might be a tunnel"
We get off the stairs and slowly creep towards it, the quiet splashes of our feet making the only sound in the universe. Indeed, it is a tunnel; a sort of S-shaped passage through the inner wall. I step out into the other side and shine my flashlight up through the middle of the room.
"Holy. Shit."
15) There it was. The reactor core itself. The creature that all this preparation was constructed to harness. Oh. My. God.
16) Through the gaping maw torched in its shell, we could see the control rod lattice. Some of the rods were hanging down a bit. Look at the bottom middle.
17) Here's the massive pump that would be used to push water up and through the reactor.
Standing there in the depths of this behemoth is a feeling that words fail to describe. We were alone, in the cold depths of this man-made monster. Warm puffs of breath were the only movement for many minutes as we basked in its presence. Finally though, we found a single sign of life. The first we'd seen this entire trip.
18) A single lonely abandoned hammer and a few nails. What a hammer and nails would have to do with a nuclear reactor, I may never know.
My friend and I beat a careful retreat at this point. We left the building, closed the door, and made sure we left no trace of our presence.
19) We took one last photograph before we walked back to the car.
- fin
[last edit 7/6/2008 1:57 AM by PlantExplorer - edited 2 times]
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nutekk
     
Location: Central NJ
Gender: Male
| |  | Re: Exploration Part 3: The Interior
<Reply # 1 on 7/5/2008 10:00 PM >
| | | | ahhh this place is even cooler than i had hoped for. damn yer lucky to have been able to check this out ! looks like yer one of the very lucky few that will get to see inside it ! kudos !!!
cheers !
" Take only pictures, leave only footprints" |
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Shr-eddie
 
Location: Toronto
Gender: Male
| | Re: Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
<Reply # 2 on 7/6/2008 2:22 AM >
| | | | Wow, how long has it been closed?
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RhoXS
Location: Florida
Gender: Male
| | Re: Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
<Reply # 3 on 7/6/2008 3:31 AM >
| | | | If anyone is interested, here is some insight into what the pictures above actually show.
Pictures 1 and 2 show what is referred to as the "Equipment Hatch". This is typically only opened when the reactor is completely shutdown to cold metal (less than 200 degrees F). It is used to move large tools, equipment when doing repairs and maintenance.
Picture 5 is "containment penetration". Based on the size of the pipe I suspect it is one of four main steam lines but it is hard to judge because there is really no frame of reference. There is intentionally a space/gap between the pipe and the hole to allow movement of the pipe. Inside the hole, where you can't see, is a massive bellows or conical type of seal. These lines are indeed supported by large shock absorber looking devices called snubbers. Snubbers are designed to absorb energy from sudden pipe movements as may occur during some transients and/or seismic events. They also support the lines.
Picture 6 is called the annulus. There are a number of different designs for containment structures but this design consists of two completely separate free standing structures. The inner structure is a steel (about 1" thick) welded pressure vessel. The reactor coolant system contains approximately 90,000 gallons of water. If a so called Large Break Loss Of Coolant Accident (LOCA) occurs, all this water (at 2250 psig and 574 degrees) suddenly flashes to steam. This inner building contains the steam so nothing escapes to atmosphere. The outer building is three foot thick concrete. It is also a free standing building and is called the "shield building". It provides the shielding to keep all the zoomies inside in the event of an accident that causes core damage.
Picture 7 is probably one of four "safety injection accumulators". It is partially filled with heavily borated water and a nitrogen head of about 600 psig. It is connected to the reactor coolant system via a large pipe and check valve. If a large break LOCA occurs, the pressure in the reactor will suddenly drop from 2250 psig to about 20 psig. The nitrogen head in the SI accumulator will then suddenly force the water contents into the reactor to quickly reflood the core. This is just a holding action to allow the Safety Injection pumps to start and provide continuous cooling to the core.
Pictures 8 and 9 are of the not yet completed "personnel hatch". What is pictured is either the inner or outer door, I cannot tell which since they are identical. Both doors are mechanically interlocked so only one can be open at a time. This allows personnel entry during power ops and still maintain the sacred containment integrity. Containment entries at power are not common but they do occur. The reactor is very well shielded by a huge concrete "cylinder" called the "Bioshield" so entry into the containment at power does not necessarily mean any significant doses. I have made about three power entries in the past three years to deal with equipment issues (in accessible areas of course).
Picture 13 is electrical switchgear, probably 4160 volts. Each vertical cabinet contains one circuit breaker. This equipment is not installed inside containment buildings as it needs to be readily accessible (It just about takes an act of god to make a power entry into the containment). This pic was probably taken in what is referred to as the Reactor Auxiliary Building (RAB ). I cannot overemphasize how dangerous this equipment is. NEVER open any doors, especially those in the rear. Inside, even what might appear to be well taped and insulated connection will kill you painfully dead!
Picture 14 is more electrical equipment known as Motor Control Centers. These are rated at 480 volts and typically handle loads rated 100 HP and less.
Picture 15 is not the reactor vessel. The reactor vessel is located in such a way inside the bio shield that one really cannot see it, except from the top. What is pictured is one of four "steam generators". Water at 2250 psig is pumped through the reactor core and then, through approximately 36" pipes, goes into the Steam Generators. In the Steam Generators it passes through thousands of small tubes and then is returned to the reactor to be reheated. This water is under so much pressure that it does not boil even though its average temperature is about 574 degrees at 100% power. The shell side of the steam generators contains water that is under less pressure and is allowed to boil. The steam goes to the turbine. In other words, the steam leaving the containment never enters the reactor and is not at all radioactive.
Picture 16: I believe what is seen here is the underside of the tube sheet in the steam generators but I cannot really tell for sure. The reactor core and fuel assemblies look nothing like this. In fact, the only reason security is so lax is because there never was any nuclear fuel on site.
Picture 17 is the pump bowl of one of four 6000 HP Reactor Coolant pumps. These are the pumps that move water from the reactor to the steam generators and back again. The "L" shaped pipe that goes into the bottom of the pump is called the "Intermediate Leg". The vertical tank to the right is a Steam Generator. The pump takes suction from the steam generator and forces it through the core.
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PlantExplorer
Location: middle TN
Gender: Male
| | Re: Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
<Reply # 4 on 7/6/2008 4:25 AM >
| | | | Shreddie, it was canceled in 1988 and locked down in 1992.
RhoXS, that's really interesting stuff, and it's great to have more info on all this stuff we're seeing.
The door photos are of both the inner and outer doors. The first is the inner, the second is the outer.
The steam generator thing that we called the reactor was perfectly centered in the bottom middle of the inner containment dome; if that's not the reactor, where would it be? Directly above somewhere?
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RhoXS
Location: Florida
Gender: Male
| | Re: Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
<Reply # 5 on 7/6/2008 5:35 AM >
| | | | Your absolutely correct. The reactor vessel is indeed located at the bottom center of the containment. There is nothing above it as it is fueled from the top. The four steam generators and the pressurizer surround it.
However, that picture just does not look like the reactor. Although there is not a good frame of reference, from the height that I can see in the picture, it just looks much too skinny. The vessel, without the closure head installed, is somewhat short (probaly less than 24' high) & squat (maybe about 15' in diameter). The core itself is more or less a cylinder only about 12' high and 12' in diameter.
The very bottom of the vessel is in a hole below the lowest level of the containment (one has to climb down a long vertical ladder to get underneath it). The bulk of the vessel is surrounded 360 degrees by the massive concrete bioshield without very much clearance between the vessel and the concrete. It is also supported (actually hung) only by large reinforced structural steel members under the very large (circa 36") hot and cold leg nozzles that are located just below the closure flange at the top of the vessel. There is absolutely nothing supporting it from below.
The picture also shows some relatively small bore piping penetrating the sides of the vessel. The reactor vessel has many instrument penetrations at the very bottom but none that I know of along the sides except the big hot/cold leg nozzles. The penetrations in picture 15 look very much like steam generator instrument sensing taps (level) and the Blowdown line.
The picture just does not look like what I would expect to see if it was the reactor vessel but I am only seeing a small portion of what you saw.
I also just noticed that the vessel on the right side of picture 17 looks just like what we are discussing in picture 15. The vessel in picture 17 is, without any doubt, a Steam Generator. I know this for sure because the "L" shaped suction line for the Reactor Coolant Pump comes from the SG, not the reactor.
I know from painful experience how easy it is to misjudge ones location inside the containment. Please do not be offended but I do not think you were really dead nuts in the center. In any case I really envy your visit as it would be fascinating to see this site. I attached some generic pics that might help.
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Rankine Cycle
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
| | Re: Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
<Reply # 6 on 7/6/2008 1:33 PM >
| | | | Agreed, that is a steam generator for sure.
Fascinating to have explored this plant. Very very outstanding.
By far the greatest exploration thread on this forum.
So damm refreshing compared to all the friggin overdone asylum, chair and peeling paint threads......
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nutekk
Location: Central NJ
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
<Reply # 7 on 7/6/2008 2:12 PM >
| | | | Posted by Rankine Cycle
Agreed, that is a steam generator for sure.
Fascinating to have explored this plant. Very very outstanding.
By far the greatest exploration thread on this forum.
So damm refreshing compared to all the friggin overdone asylum, chair and peeling paint threads......
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i couldn't agree anymore.
cheers !
" Take only pictures, leave only footprints" |
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PlantExplorer
Location: middle TN
Gender: Male
| | Re: Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
<Reply # 8 on 7/7/2008 1:32 AM >
| | | | I'll take y'all's word for it; you're the nuclear engineers here, not me  I guess then, the trick will be to find the reactor itself next time, if there's a reactor in Unit 2's containment building at all. That section was only 50% complete from what I've read - the reactor itself may not have been really started yet. When we get to Unit 1 I'll have to do some more thorough investigation since it was over 80% done. Next time, there will be no ladder left unclimbed, no crawlspace unexplored. I'm going to have to guess the reactor was somewhere near where we were though, since I could find no way to go any lower, and we were significantly underground already at that point. The "graphite control rods" I could see through open hole, plus the big pump threw me off since I knew there were rods in the reactor, and water was forced in from the bottom toward the top. Thanks! I'll keep a sharp lookout next time then, those diagrams help quite a bit.
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RhoXS
Location: Florida
Gender: Male
| | Re: Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
<Reply # 9 on 7/7/2008 2:42 AM >
| | | | The reactor vessel is installed early in the construction of the containment because it is so big. However, in spite of your best efforts, you will not be able to really see it because of how it is nested in the concrete bioshield. The best you can do is climb into the sump and see the bottom of it or look down into it from the top but I strongly suspect the top is well covered.
At this time the reactor vessel is certainly nothing more than an empty tank. There is simply nothing in it. The internals are a very long way from being installed. Only after construction is complete, and there is perfect control of cleanliness etc., will the internal parts of the reactor be installed. The fuel assemblies and control rods will not be installed until well after the reactor plant has been completely assembled and tested under normal operating pressure and temperature. The control rods are not graphite but metal tubes made from an alloy of zirconium, about the diameter of a little finger. They are filled with a mixture of silver, indium, and cadmium and are designed to very effectively absorb neutrons.
PLEASE CAREFULLY READ THE FOLLOWING:
If you do find the entrance to the sump below the vessel BE WELL AWARE YOU ARE TAKING A BIG RISK if you decide to go down into it. You will probably find a very long vertical steel ladder. These ladders frequently have a slippery oily residue on them. If you slip you are certain to break somethings and there will be no one to hear your cries for help. The ENTIRE UNFINISHED CONTAIMENT is actually a VERY DANGEROUS PLACE with many opportunities to step in the wrong place or have something unsecured fall on you. Frankly, you are taking an unreasonable risk being in there at all without safety equipment (hard hats, etc.), no effective method of getting help if something happens, and little knowledge of where you really are or where you are going. I know what I am talking about as I have virtually lived in these places for a long time. I also see gruesome pictures regularly cross my desk of accidents in places just like the unfinished containments you are exploring. Incomplete and abandoned construction sites and are not safe. Sorry for pontificating but I really do not want to see anyone hurt or killed, I know how risky the place is, and I also know how likely it is for something regrettable to happen.
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mistergray
Location: Denmark
Gender: Male
What me worry?
| | Re: Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
<Reply # 10 on 7/7/2008 1:03 PM >
| | | | #RhoXS:
Dude, it's just great to read your posts with true knowledge of these things. Thanks man. Big thumbs up.
PlantExplorer:
Great set.
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PlantExplorer
Location: middle TN
Gender: Male
| | Re: Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
<Reply # 11 on 7/8/2008 5:57 AM >
| | | | Don't worry RhoXS, I accept the advice in the spirit offered. I'm going to be much more prepared next time I go, more and bigger lights, better first aid kits, a third man, helmets, right down to refreshing my bowline skills since I haven't tied one of those in a while. I've read plenty of stories myself of UE's that went wrong or almost went wrong, so we'll be extremely careful.
Thanks mistergray, Rankine and Nutekk for the words of encouragement, glad you enjoyed!
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sYnOnYx
Location: Las Vegas , NV
Gender: Male
what happens here, doesnt stay here.
| |  |  | | Re: Exploration Part 3: Unit #2 Interior
<Reply # 12 on 7/14/2008 4:38 AM >
| | | | Wow, agreed with best location on the site !
My Ongoing Blog: :http://www.realismphotography.com/ |
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