A Ph.D. student with a degree in nuclear engineering took to TikTok to debunk a comment about the risks involved in nuclear power.
Ms. Nuclear Energy (@cunningham.kaylee) explained how improbable a commenter's claim about flashing in a nuclear reactor is.
@cunningham.kaylee #greenscreen Reply to @blangebung Reply to @blangebung #ItsGreatOutdoors #AmazonMusicProudHeroes #MakeNightsEpic #nuketok #nucleartok ♬ original sound - Ms. Nuclear Energy
Flashing is a phenomenon that occurs when the pressure drops in water pipes within a nuclear reactor, causing the heat from the reactor core and the radioactive material to instantly boil the water in the pipes and the surrounding reactor.
However, Cunningham is quick to point out that "the odds of that happening are literally smaller than one in a million."
As she explains, the United States and other countries that use nuclear power have sizable regulatory agencies and regulations in place that constantly monitor and check on every system involved in nuclear power plants to make sure they're working properly.
This ensures that the kind of pressure loss required to cause a flash doesn't occur. On top of that, she says that nuclear reactors and plants have many passive safety systems in place to ensure that, on the off chance something does go wrong, the damage is minimal, and systems can be shut down to help lessen the impact.
"Worst-case scenario, if a flash boiling or flashing event did cause a steam explosion," she says, "it would not cause pipes to melt and the building to turn to dust." She explains that the reactor vessel could rupture if things go really badly, but that the reactor is encased in a massive room specifically designed to contain the radiation and fallout from just such a catastrophic failure.
Nuclear power is undergoing a renaissance in popularity around the world, as countries look for green energy solutions to help combat our changing climate.
Canada is working on four modular nuclear reactors, each of which can power 300,000 homes. A team in China has found a new way to optimize radiation shielding in reactors, making them safer than ever. And researchers have made huge strides in molten salt reactors, which can provide clean, safe power and make energy more affordable for all.
While there are certainly risks associated with nuclear energy, particularly around the disposal of its waste, the sort of catastrophic scenario described by the commenter here is highly unlikely.
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