TEPCO reinserts camera in Fukushima reactor 2

TEPCO reinserts camera in Fukushima reactor
TEPCO, the operator of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, has again begun using a camera probe inside the containment vessel of the No. 2 reactor.
Taking pictures of the molten fuel inside is regarded as an important step towards decommissioning the reactors that melted down.
On Tuesday, workers at the plant tried to insert a camera into a pipe leading into the containment vessel.
But the camera got stuck in the pipe’s opening. The rubber, which had shrunk due to cold, blocked it.
In a second attempt on Thursday, workers tried to push the camera into the pipe while warming the rubber with thermal material. They were successful.
Footage from the camera shows a black substance adhering to the surface of metal rails in the vessel. The rails will be used as tracks for a robot to do a survey in February.
TEPCO expects the camera may capture footage of molten fuel for the first time since the 2011 meltdown
https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20170126_31/

TEPCO begins taking video inside Fukushima No. 1 nuke plant reactor
Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) began work on Jan. 26 to take video inside the No. 2 reactor at its tsunami-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant, company officials said.
A camera attached to the tip of a pipe was inserted into the reactor containment vessel to shoot video inside of the vessel to check the condition of the melted fuel within. It was also done in preparation for sending in a camera-equipped robot to get a closer look at conditions. The robot will follow 7.2-meter-long rails leading to an area just below the reactor’s pressure vessel.
Video released by TEPCO on Jan. 26 shows dripping liquid and what appears to be steam drifting inside the containment vessel. What looks like rust is seen on a foothold and the rails, but nothing that could block the robot has been found.
TEPCO is poised to use a longer pipe to check if there is any obstacle inside the reactor next week and beyond. Company officials said the firm may be able to photograph the melted fuel.
http://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170127/p2a/00m/0na/002000c

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