Describe what went wrong at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Three Mile Island Incident in 1979 occurred because of a coolant malfunction in the second reactor leading to a partial meltdown. Chernobyl disaster in 1986 was due to a flawed reactor design along with inadequately trained personnel, and it resulted in numerous health problems along with environmental damage. Fukushima disaster in 2011 was caused by a powerful earthquake and tsunami that led to meltdowns and the release of radioactive materials from the plant’s cooling systems.

Step by step solution

01

Understand the Three Mile Island Incident

The Three Mile Island accident in 1979 was caused by a coolant malfunction in the second reactor which led to a partial meltdown. This incident occurred due to a combination of equipment malfunctions, design-related problems, and operator errors. Although, there wasn't a full meltdown, radioactive gas was released into the atmosphere.
02

Analyze the Chernobyl Disaster

The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 was the worst nuclear power plant accident in history. The explosion was caused by a flawed reactor design that was operated with inadequately trained personnel. The immediate impact resulted in two workers' death on the day of the accident and followed by 29 more deaths within few days due to acute radiation sickness. In the long term, it resulted in numerous health problems and a significant impact on the environment.
03

Examine the Fukushima Incident

The Fukushima disaster in 2011 was triggered by a powerful earthquake and tsunami that hit the eastern part of Japan. The plant’s cooling systems failed to cool the nuclear reactors due to power loss, resulting in meltdowns and the release of radioactive materials. The disaster led to the evacuation of thousands of residents in the proximity and severe environmental damage.

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