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Trip to a nuclear power plant
Sep. 3rd, 2007 09:16 pmToday we went on a trip to the nuclear power plant Forsmark. Our boss had rented a mini bus, and we started our drive at seven thirty. The traffic was really bad in Stockholm. At some point it took forty minutes to drive 2 km. It was really insane.
Anyway, after three hours we arrived at the power plant forty minutes late. We were met with our tour guide for the day who said it had been her childhood dream to work with nuclear power (!)
Our first tour was of the mountain where they keep the low and medium active nuclear waste. (The highly active waste is shipped out to another facility.) We then drove to the man made lake where the cooling water from the reactor is let out. It's very warm and the guide said she has bather there. The wildlife is very rich there, as they have collaborations with the department of fishing and The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation.
Then we had lunch in their employee cafeteria. After lunch we got to go inside the nuclear power plant. (Or rather, one of the plants since the whole facility had three.)
The entire time we were inside the plant we were escorted by a security guard. First we took our jackets off. Then we were told we had to spit out gums and drink water if we were thirsty since you're not allowed to chew or drink anything (or kiss!) inside the plant in case you get radioactive particles in your mouth.
Then we got to sit on this bench and put on a protective boot on one leg and swing it over the other side, then take on the other boot and swing that leg over too. Then when you were on the other side of the bench you could put on a special robe and then we got the tour.
My co-worker Peter got the wear a geigermeter to measure the radiation. It was pretty fascinating. We got to see the top lid of the reactor, submerged under 10 m of perfectly distilled water that is 100 times cleaner than normal distilled water. Then we got to see the turbin hall where the turbins and generator are.
After that we got to go through machines that scanned for radioactivity. You put your arms in a certain position and you legs in another, and then the machine measures you for 3 seconds before it tells you to turn over and repeat. Then the computer voice says: "Not contaminated" and you get to walk through. Then take off your robe and boots, and go through a second set of scanners that are different, this time to measure the radiation in your normal clothes.
After the end of the tour the geigermeter showed 0.000 ms. The guide said you get more radiation from taking a walk in nature. We then got our jackets back and drove back to the main building where we got a brif presentation of how nuclear plants work. We then drove back which "only" took two and a half hours. I was home late enough to decide not to go to the gym tonight, in any case.
The trip was definitely interesting and I'm glad I got to go.
Anyway, after three hours we arrived at the power plant forty minutes late. We were met with our tour guide for the day who said it had been her childhood dream to work with nuclear power (!)
Our first tour was of the mountain where they keep the low and medium active nuclear waste. (The highly active waste is shipped out to another facility.) We then drove to the man made lake where the cooling water from the reactor is let out. It's very warm and the guide said she has bather there. The wildlife is very rich there, as they have collaborations with the department of fishing and The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation.
Then we had lunch in their employee cafeteria. After lunch we got to go inside the nuclear power plant. (Or rather, one of the plants since the whole facility had three.)
The entire time we were inside the plant we were escorted by a security guard. First we took our jackets off. Then we were told we had to spit out gums and drink water if we were thirsty since you're not allowed to chew or drink anything (or kiss!) inside the plant in case you get radioactive particles in your mouth.
Then we got to sit on this bench and put on a protective boot on one leg and swing it over the other side, then take on the other boot and swing that leg over too. Then when you were on the other side of the bench you could put on a special robe and then we got the tour.
My co-worker Peter got the wear a geigermeter to measure the radiation. It was pretty fascinating. We got to see the top lid of the reactor, submerged under 10 m of perfectly distilled water that is 100 times cleaner than normal distilled water. Then we got to see the turbin hall where the turbins and generator are.
After that we got to go through machines that scanned for radioactivity. You put your arms in a certain position and you legs in another, and then the machine measures you for 3 seconds before it tells you to turn over and repeat. Then the computer voice says: "Not contaminated" and you get to walk through. Then take off your robe and boots, and go through a second set of scanners that are different, this time to measure the radiation in your normal clothes.
After the end of the tour the geigermeter showed 0.000 ms. The guide said you get more radiation from taking a walk in nature. We then got our jackets back and drove back to the main building where we got a brif presentation of how nuclear plants work. We then drove back which "only" took two and a half hours. I was home late enough to decide not to go to the gym tonight, in any case.
The trip was definitely interesting and I'm glad I got to go.
