TV or not TV

stooperbike

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Oct 2004
Location
New Hampshire
Posts
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Off the topic but..

I wanted to post this question for some time now and get some opinions if what I am seeing on TV is real, fantasy or just plain stupid. I have been watching the show 24 on FOX and the latest adventure for Jack Bowher is to get back a device that remotely controls every nuclear power plant in the county. The device came into the hands of terrorist and they would use this device to cause each power plant to meltdown. Understand I have no knowledge of nuclear power plants but I do know controls so my question is could something like this exist? My opinion is no, with all the different engineers and contractors involved in a large scale project there could not possible be enough continuity in the controls design for such a device. My other thought was if there was such a device and it did fall into the wrong hands there are enough controls people out there that could prevent a catastrophe like the one on the show. What rattled my chain more was the fact that the CTU computer geek was suddenly an expert on power plants and was able to re-write each plants control code and save the day (remotely). I may be looking at this wrong but the little voice inside of me is saying “don’t be so close minded”? Anyway, any opinion would be appreciated.
 
Its hard to say really and I offer this for thought.

This country has always been on the paranoid side concerning being attacked on its own soil..hence
The interstates were designed to be landing strips.
Waterways are under federal jurisdiction.
Energy plants are also governed and regulated by the US gov.

It has always been known/accepted that the President could initiate nuclear strikes from any location.
Is it also possible the gov/president could shutdown (not sure about meltdown) power plants if they fell into the wrong hands?
 
The last time we built a new nuclear power facility in the USA was... 1976. Think about the controls we were using then, and about the fact that nuclear-reliable controls are typically 5-10 years behind state-of-the-art.

I'm not saying they aren't amazingly complex and reliable, or that many haven't been upgraded, I'm just saying they aren't "master-control-suitcase" capable.

I don't have the patience to watch "24". I download episodes of The Daily Show and The Shield and that's enough TV for my week.
 
As a Navy trained "nuc" and a civilian nuc (Trojan 76) I think I can safely reply
1. We had a computer control system at Trojan. First went online in 76.

2. Could you take control externally of a reactor - in theory yes
or all reactors probably not unless you got all the differing controls to talk to each other.

3. Nuc plants are designed to be fail safe just like a boiler - turn the power off the boiler shuts down (if all electric control) same goes for nucs. SO even if you had control externally and the plant operator killed power to the control rods then rods drop and reactor is shut down.

4. For this to work you would have to have all the plant operators in on the conspiracy and cooperate.

5. I love TV - where do they cook up this BS??

Dan Bentler
 
Oh yeah I forgot - it is easier to take out the power grid. Just go around with a .22 rifle and shoot a hole in the oil cooler of the switchyard transformers.

Dan
 
Years ago I was watching LA Law, which was very popular at the time. As I sat there eating my Boston Market Chicken Dinner, this lady, (the mean one that you loved to hate) pushes a button for the elevator and the doors open, and she steps into an empty hoistway falling to her death. I was shocked, as I personally know that this is impossable, (door motor rides on the car), but it didnt matter. The next morning the phones lit up with customers, and even a newswoman all asking if this can really happen. At first this was pretty funny, but by the end of the day I got pretty tired of it.

Nowdays I stick to the news (which is also hard to belieave), and the Science & History Channels..I get enough fiction at work...
 
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No elevator!

My first week at my current workplace (1984) I was working midnight shift during plant shutdown (major overhaul).
I was on the 3rd floor, 50' up and opened the cargo elevator doors. One slides up the other down. I was holding onto the nylon strap attached to the top part of the door, talking to my buddy and stepped over the bottom door into an empty shaft. My buddy grabbed me by the collar and I looked forward and hung in a freaky balancing act for what seemed like minutes (probably a full second) until he pulled me back and I collapsed on the floor shaking like a leaf. Turns out some guy I didn't know at the time got clever and tied back an interlock switch because the elevator was not hitting the floor level exactly and he was getting stuck. I was new and didn't pursue the matter further. Today this Bozo is my "team leader" and we lock horns daily on safety issues and everything else. Anyway thanks for letting me unload that old matter on you guys.

Brian.
 
Brian,

Somethings amiss with your elevator doors. There's a device known as a plug-proof rod that prevents one from tieing the interlock back with the door open. The retiring cam on the car unlocks the door, but unless the plug-proof rod is in the proper position the door interlock cannot be closed without the door being closed to allow the elevator to run. Your boss had to screw up about 3 different safety devices to make this happen. But it can be done, though it takes more work then just fixing whatever the real problem is.
 
I should just stick to the news. I have a problem when I watch a movie or a TV show I am constantly bugging my wife saying "What, that would never happen!" I get upset when I see a show like this because I feel it can cause unneeded worry with its realistic real time feel.
 
Thanks Mike,
I'll talk to the elevator repair guy the next time he's in to see if it ever was put back to proper safe condition.
Believe me, I never step into an elevator without looking now.
To get back on topic with this off topic thread....
If you were wiring a bomb (like seen on TV/movies) would you color code the wires so that a bomb disposal guy could figure out which wire to cut? It's a bomb, no one needs to know how to fix it! Blue wire....NO! red wire....wait...let's get the PLC controlled robot with wire cutting attachment!
Time for an Alexander Keith's India Pale Ale,

Brian
 
i am constantly amazed at the trash the have on TV. like i tell my family, the news is the past, the weather is the future, sports is the now. sports is the real reality show.
 
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