The Events of the Chernobyl Disaster
Specific Purpose: The aim of the speech outline is to inform the audience about the outcomes and realized the side effects of the Chernobyl catastrophe.
Central Idea: The Chernobyl catastrophe when a consequent reactor fire caused an unprecedented and wide release of nuclear reactants having a serious effect on the environment and the public.
INTRODUCTION
- (Attention Getter) The Chernobyl catastrophe that occurred on April 1986 was a result of inadequately trained employees and flawed reactor design.
- The subsequent steam explosion and random fires released approximately 5% of the total radioactive reactors into the atmosphere.
- The Chernobyl catastrophe caused the death of thirty operators and firefighters.
- Approximately 237 patients were diagnosed with acute radiation syndrome [ARS].
- The catastrophe exists as the only accident in history concerning commercial nuclear power plants that reported radiation incidences.
- The violent and deadly chain reaction spewed highly corrosive nuclear radiation throughout Europe as vast amounts of radionuclides burst into the atmosphere.
- The catastrophe begun during safety self-test of a nuclear reactor (Aitsi-Selmi & Murray, 2016).
- The catastrophe started before a routine shutdown after the crew started preparing random tests to evaluate spinning of long-turbines and main supply power for pump circulation (Aitsi-Selmi & Murray, 2016).
- The main electric power supply failed leading to a series of operational actions of automatic shutdown mechanism.
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- (Relevance Statement) Critics believe that the Chernobyl disaster was a consequence of Cold War and isolation linked with occurrences.
- Shift change and test delay.
- A sudden drop of the reactor power.
- (Credibility Statement) The test procedure confirmed a gradual reduction in power output for reactor 4.
- (Reveal Topic) The radionuclide and chemical composition of fuel substances closely matched that of an irradiated nuclear fuel but with limited fractions of volatile radionuclides (Yablokov et al., 2010).
- (Preview) On the other hand, outcomes of the massive contamination greatly affected the environment leading to the immediate evacuation of approximately 200,000 citizens from affected regions.
(Translation) Results show that the countermeasures of environmental contamination consumed numerous financial and scientific resources.
BODY
- The Chernobyl disaster occurred as a result of human error.
- The explosion happened on April 1986 after a routine maintenance check.
- The fire outbreak was contained by 5 a.m. but the preceding graphite-fueled fire outbreak took approximately 10 days to put out.
- Research reports confirm that toxic and harmful emissions were continuously pumped into the atmosphere for an additional week.
- Nearly all the released radiation from the nuclear exposure was brought about by fission with substances such as cesium and iodine.
- Studies confirm that iodine has a short-half-life of approximately 8 days after rapid ingestion into the atmosphere and localizes in the thyroid glands.
- The operators planed on testing and examining the electric system after turning off the vital control system (Aitsi-Selmi & Murray, 2016).
- Critics confirm that the planned electric systems that were turned off was against the mentioned safety rules and regulations
- The process resulted in reactors being dangerously unstable causing a low-power level.
- Reactor 4 was shut down the previous day to allow ease when performing maintenance supervision to match safety systems during power blackouts (Aitsi-Selmi & Murray, 2016).
- The first outburst was caused by surplus steam whereas the second explosion was predisposed by hydrogen concentration.
- The surplus steam occurred by the decline of cooling water that caused steam accumulation in the cooling pipe systems that is known as the positive-void coefficient (Aitsi-Selmi & Murray, 2016).
- The operator’s error was a serious issue of concern because of the following contributing factors that include:
- The nuclear plant did not include safety standards but showed unsafe features after the Chernobyl catastrophe.
- Poor safety analysis precaution was performed.
- Little attention was given to independent safety review matters.
- The preferred operating protocols were not satisfactory during the detailed safety analysis (Yablokov et al., 2010).
- Safety information was inadequately communicated to employees of the nuclear plant.
- The regulatory plans were insufficient to handle counter pressures during production of power blackout (Yablokov et al., 2010).
- The steam build up caused a serious power surge that was unpreventable thus could not be shut down.
- The explosion started at around 1:30 a. m on April.
- Outcomes cased a significant destruction of reactor 4 producing a serious bombing fire.
- Various radioactive fragments of nuclear substances and reactor 4 substances rained while fire escalated from the built housing.
- The blowing wind carried toxic fumes and various nuclear particles.
- The explosion of the nuclear disaster ended up killing two plant workers.
- The individual’s from the emergency team tried to contain the fire and nuclear radiation leaks.
- The death toll rose as workers succumbed to acute radiation complications.
CONCLUSION
- In conclusion, outcomes of the Chernobyl catastrophe were significant in urban settings because of natural weathering processes that include but not limited to snow melting, traffic movement, rainfall, and street washing. The process resulted in the detachment of radionuclides that were transported to urban settlement centers during human migration.
- Human migration activities and natural processes reduced dose density rates through various recreational activities. Nonetheless, the sewage system significantly played a role in washing off contaminated leaves gathered from settlement settings. The composition included radionuclides collected from concrete pavements and seasonal defoliation.
References
Aitsi-Selmi, A., & Murray, V. (2016). The Chernobyl disaster and beyond: implications of the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030. PLoS medicine, 13(4), e1002017.
Yablokov, A. V., Nesterenko, V. B., Nesterenko, A. V., & Sherman-Nevinger, J. D. (2010). Chernobyl: Consequences of the Catastrophe for People and the Environment. John Wiley & Sons.