Diver sucked into nuclear power plant cooling system

[admikar]

Face palm. I wish stupid people would be held accountable.

The same was said on personal rights and obesity thread, ALL people should be held accountable, but no, it is easier to be victim and sue someone.

 

[catone]

Story as it appears on yahoo:

Scuba Diver Miraculously Survives Horror Ride Through Nuclear Plant Intake Pipe

I don't know the dive site, but reading some of the comments to the yahoo article, it appears there is nothing miraculous or horror about it, just a guy looking for some settlement money. Is it possible to actually happen the way the diver described it?

 

[diversteve]

It's happened before. Diver sucked into nuclear power plant

It seems possible if you're a jellyfish - at least in 2011 - actually a good read about how they try to protect the grouper and other species in the pond: Jellyfish swarm shuts down St. Lucie nuclear power plant | www.palmbeachpost.com

 

[divad]

It looks like a scam replete with requisite (practiced) moistening-of-the-eyes. They can't possibly be that stupid. They don't look that stupid, rather, they look that organized.

 

[Bob DBF]

I'd just arrest the homegrown terrorist and turn him over to the cops or send him to Guantamo, depending on how much of a PITA he decided to be. Of course I don't believe in stupidity as an excuse, unless one is proved genetically stupid.

At least make his lawyer work for his money.

Bob

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I dove there with my son last summer or the summer before. We were under the impression that the intakes had grates covering them to prevent the intake and killing of federally protected jewfish, turtles etc. We were snorkeling and trying to find fish, getting sucked in would have been fatal. You can not feel or see the intake current until you get very close to the structure.

We left as soon as I realized there was an opportunity to be sucked up. I knew the guy who got sucked into the pipe and almost died like 25 or 30 years ago. he told me a horrible story of tumbling through the black pipe being cut up by oysters and barnacles and thinking he was going to go through an impellor.

the people who took me to the place a few years ago told me it was safer.. They were wrong.

I really though they were required to install grates that would prevent the intake of people and large marine creatures. Not too long ago, FPL killed a bunch of large Goliath groupers - jewfish in the pond. they threw them in a dumpster and reported the dead fish as undetermined species - i think it was.. Didn't really let the law enforcement agency know how many federally protected jewfish they killed until quite some time later. don't think they got a fine or anything for the mortality..

Maybe they should install devices that prevent very large fish and turtles (and ignorant divers) from being sucked up and potentially killed?

Edit: Oh just scanned that news report from 2011. FPL was disappointed they killed jewfish?? Of course those fish are going to seek open dark pipes to hide in. If they cared about jewfish mortality, they would exclude them from the cooling pond.. Seems simple enough to me..

 

[JohnnyC]

I guess it all depends on what exactly this means; "The diver intentionally swam into one of the intake pipes after bypassing a piece of equipment to minimize the entry of objects."

 

[Redshift]

If the suction is that powerful, wouldn't having a grate been the death of him, because he'd get stuck to it?
And whoever was driving the boat should know that that yellow buoy marks danger. So there is a warning and they didn't respect it.

 

[scagrotto]

If the suction is that powerful, wouldn't having a grate been the death of him, because he'd get stuck to it?

Maybe. An intake designed for safety would have a much larger cross sectional area than the conduit it leads to, so that the water flowing into the intake would move at a much lower speed. Of course that would be more expensive. I'll guess that part of the reason for the reservoir between the intake conduit and the plant itself is to provide a buffer for anything that is drawn through the intake.

And whoever was driving the boat should know that that yellow buoy marks danger. So there is a warning and they didn't respect it.

Are you suggesting that boaters should actually know about the various buoys and other navigational aids they may encounter? I'm pretty sure that the recreational boating community refers to that as heresy. In all fairness, a yellow buoy is a generic warning that's a bit like a traffic cone in the road. It's possible that these guys were anchored on the opposite side of the intake, and may have initially been 100 yards from the buoy.

Call me silly, but I'm inclined to think that if a company puts something hazardous in a public pool they should provide warning about that hazard that's more substantial than a single buoy.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Maybe. An intake designed for safety would have a much larger cross sectional area than the conduit it leads to, so that the water flowing into the intake would move at a much lower speed. Of course that would be more expensive. I'll guess that part of the reason for the reservoir between the intake conduit and the plant itself is to provide a buffer for anything that is drawn through the intake.

I'm thinking a grate that is at an angle to the pipe would allow people to slide past. I think.