Formation mechanisms of insoluble Cs particles observed in Kanto district four days after Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident

Hidaka, Akihide   

The insoluble Cs particles (Type A) were firstly observed in Tsukuba-city on the morning of March 15. The particles have been considered to be generated in RPV of Unit 2 by evaporation/condensation based on the measured Cs/Cs ratio and the core temperatures of each unit. However, the Type A particles with smaller diameter than the Type B particles of Unit 1 origin, are covered by almost pure silicate glass and have a trace of the quenching. This indicates that the particles could have been generated due to the melting of the HEPA filter in SGTS by the fire of H detonation at Unit 3, and atomization followed by quenching of the molten materials by air blast of the explosion. Although the particles were mostly dispersed to the sea because of the wind direction, some of them deposited onto the lower elevation of R/B at Unit 3, could have been subsequently re-suspended and released into the environment, by the steam flow in the R/B caused by restart of the Unit 3 core cooling water injection at 2:30 of March 15.