Decay Heat

From shutdown to Criticality, and from there to full power

It is fission and fission all the way and the  neutron shower

In the reactor U-235 fissions to two parts of unequal weight

Releasing 200 MeV energy and two neutrons for chain as a bait

The fission products carry more neutrons than they need

They thus eject them out or an alpha or  beta as per need

They get the energy balance or adjust after another decay

Many times  product that comes is a simple gamma ray

 

Do not go by cute names of gamma and  baby new-tron

As terrible kids of fission causing heat in cauldron

The gamma, beta, neutron are small yet full of heat

Even when they say hello to atoms on friendly meet

On shutdown the power goes down  by exponential decay

But fission products keep the furnace hot by their own decay

The decay heat is a small fraction of  rated power

It is 7% of total and cooled by SDCP for all 24 hour

The decay heat goes down for months and for long

If not removed will  melt the fuel rod before long

For reactor on power, loss of cooling in cases three

Small, medium, large  loca push coolant in stages three 

SD cooling with a back up pump was never an issue

Till its drowing in tsunami water became a big issue

Now the SD cooling will get respect more than main

And be put on high pedestal with redundacy as item main

India wins World Cup 2011!

Religion may divide us as Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Issai but as cricket lovers we are one
We eat cricket, drink cricket either one or four glasses or sometimes a six or even a ton

Cricket can unite us like no other glue and release energy more than Tsunami of Japan
Whole nation tied to TV screens watching us wash away teams of Lanka and Pakistan

As a rare shot, the film stars at Wankhede danced with  players and their fans alike
And players lifted Sachin- the master blaster on shoulders as if he was light like a bike

The politicians of all hue and shades showered praise, cutting across party line
To Dhoni and all his boys to rise from slump and deliver a play super  fine

It was not only Indians in India alone but across all the seas and all lands
Who watched with bated breath and prayed for our success with folded hands

Although the players remained and the wickets too but the ball count was getting low
With players on the crease and spectators on stands were wishing for victory somehow

Close to the end of game the run rate and balls in hand were just the same
Missing a run would be risky so Dhoni hit a grand six and easily won the game

After winning the Cup the nation became a scene of crackers and wine all night long
Never seen in India even when Rama won Sita back from Ravana after a battle long

Entire country was erupting in happiness from northern hills to the southern seas deep
The players were happy and overjoyed with tears wondering whether to laugh or weep

Dhoni was not even an embryo when India had won the ‘83 World Cup at Lord
With his birth was born the dream to get Cup again, howsoever team had to work hard

Winning the cup has once again proved that the strength lies in union of teams
Self belief and rigorous training add to happiness of a nation bursting at seams