TEPCO released three videos of its robot probe inspections inside unit 3. The videos provided some interesting information, showing some unexplained “blobs”, thick adhered substances, concrete spalling seen in fires, possible melted fuel formations, and thought to be solidified melted fuel around the lower end of a control rod.

TEPCO think the graphite gaskets sealing the control rod holes in bottom of the reactor vessel melted allowing molten fuel to flow through these holes to drip down into the reactor pedestal. Structures in the pedestal show some of the patterns created by the thick substances that appear to have splattered around the containment structures.

TEPCO cites 364 tons of fuel debris (melted fuel, internal reactor parts and control rods) to be expected at unit 3. The videos only show very small views of the damage found making it difficult to determine how much fuel debris was actually found inside unit 3’s pedestal.

 

 

 

Source : Tepco

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/news/library/archive-e.html?video_uuid=qf64ne97&catid=61785

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/news/library/archive-e.html?video_uuid=o6lm23vu&catid=61785

http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/news/library/archive-e.html?video_uuid=u10b97j8&catid=61785