Sany Heavy Industries, China: Pump truck cools reactor: Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant
-Introduced as an extrajudicial measure after the Great East Japan Earthquake! –
2021.03.13
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident:
On March 11, 2011, the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident occurred due to the Great East Japan Earthquake.
At that time, cooling the reactor was an urgent and important issue.
It is not well known that “the rescue work was a big success for Chinese pump trucks.”
Urgent import of pump trucks from China:
The Great East Japan Earthquake struck on March 11, 2011.
There was an urgent need to “cool the reactor” in order to “not spread the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant any further”.
At that time, one Chinese-made pump car played an active role.
Reactor cooling:
At that time, TEPCO and the Japanese government sought various ways to cool the reactor.
Watering from a helicopter,
Although tried to discharge water using a fire engine,
Neither worked.
Therefore, “a method of water injection by a concrete pump car with a long boom” was proposed.
Water is injected with a concrete pump truck.
What is a concrete pump truck?
For the chassis of a general heavy-duty truck
With a pump for concrete pumping,
With piping to send concrete to high places,
A construction machine with a foldable boom.
It was more effective than using a fire engine or helicopter.
Japanese regulations get in the way:
But there was a big problem.
In Japan, the boom length is limited to a maximum of 36m.
There is no 60m class pump truck in Japan that can be used for water injection work at nuclear power plants.
Pump truck of Sany Heavy Industries, China:
As a result of searching all over the world, Sany Heavy Industries of China manufactured a concrete pump truck with a boom of 62 m in length.
Moreover, remote control is possible from a distance of 2 km.
Donating pump trucks to the disaster area:
Mr. Liang Wengen, the president of Sany Heavy Industries, gave a surprising answer.
Japan is a neighboring country.
The two countries are separated by only a narrow strip of water.
Now is the time to reach out for support.
We will donate the pump truck to the disaster area in Japan.
In other words, he replied, ” would like to provide a concrete pump car of 150 million yen free of charge instead of selling it.”
It’s not just about sending vehicles.
Three professional engineers are also dispatched from Sany Heavy Industries.
He also gave a lecture on how to operate it.
Now 10 years later:
Sany’s concrete pump truck has created a new history of friendship between Japan and China.
It has been 10 years since it was donated to Japan.
What’s going on now?
TEPCO Holdings:
I asked the Fukushima Headquarters Public Relations Department.
The pump truck is still stored on the premises of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.
The purpose of storage is to use it in an emergency.
We have confirmed that it can still be used by checking the operation.
Sany Heavy Industries’ Japanese distributor WWB
Even now, regular inspections of vehicle operation are required.
Does the base vehicle and all parts work properly?
Help that requires maintenance work,
Parts replacement etc. for various maintenance
It is said that WWB is doing everything free of charge.
The Japanese do not know this fact:
Few articles mentioned concrete pump trucks donated by China 10 years ago.
Many Japanese will not know this fact.
Even now, with the cooperation of Sany Heavy Industries and WWB
Regular maintenance is done
A system that can be dispatched immediately in the event of an emergency
It seems that only a limited number of people know what is being prepared.
“Memory that we want to leave for posterity”:
Japan succeeded in “cooling the nuclear power plant as early as March 10 years ago.”
In the background
Donated by Sany Heavy Industries, China,
Including Japan agency WWB Co., Ltd.
It was accomplished with the cooperation of the Japanese and Chinese governments, many organizations, institutions and those involved.
This is a “memory that we want to leave for posterity.”
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