Nitrogen Gas injection to prevent blast in Fukushima

Taking another step towards recovery in Japan, Tokyo Electric Power Co. (TEPCO) began pumping nitrogen gas into a stricken reactor at the troubled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant today. TEPCO is injecting nitrogen gas into the vessel of plants in order to prevent the risk of a hydrogen explosion.

Hydrogen explosion has previously blew apart reactor buildings No. 1 and No. 3, causing dangerous levels of radioactive substances to be released into the atmosphere which the whole world witnessed a few days back. As per TEPCO officials, continuous cooling of reactors with water may lead to accumulation of hydrogen gas and at some point it may explode, so the nitrogen gas injection is necessary to avoid any such further accident.

The situation is not ruled out yet since the outside casing of the reactor vessel is damaged. Though the case of any explosion remains unlikely, TEPCO does not want to take any chance.