Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Meet the 203-foot truck on its way to save Fukushima's No. 4 reactor

Japan has turned to its neighbor across the water for help in cooling the number four reactor at the Tokyo Electric Company's nuclear power plant in Fukushima. So far, scientists and engineers have used everything from helicopters to fire trucks to get sea water to the reactor's fuel rods in order to prevent a meltdown, but according to China Realtime Report, a Wall Street Journal blog, a new solution is in the works. A 203-foot long concrete pumper truck has been called up from Chinese heavy equipment manufacturer Sany.

Instead of directing a stream of concrete up a sky scraper, this $1 million truck that was originally on its way to a Saudi client will now be used to pump sea water over the 141-foot reactor group in order to keep everything cool. Even at that height, the truck will still be able to remain 14 meters, or about 46 feet, away. Sany says that the truck left port in China on March 20 and has safely reached Japan, though there's no word on whether or not it has begun operations at Fukushima.

Tokyo Electric Company originally offered to purchase the truck, but Sany is donating it and a full support team free of charge, and this isn't the first time that the construction equipment manufacturer has lent a hand in international disaster efforts. The company also donated a giant crane to assist in the evacuation of the Chilean miners who were trapped in a mine last year.

Unfortunately, the very latest update from Japan is that Fukushima's No. 3 reactor is leaking water with 10,000 times the normal level of radiation, which may indicate a breach of the reactor's core. If that's the case, there's no telling how the Sany pump truck will be used when it arrives on site, or if it will be needed at all.

Gallery:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/sana-...-pump/#4001910

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/03/25/m...imas-no-4-rea/

LiCelsior

iTrader: (32)

to Sany.

MrKV

That's nice that it was donated to them, hopefully it will solve the problem.

lamar411

hope the situation is resolved quickly

I8ABMR

I hope this works

Kaydee

skyline looks familiar

G Star

iTrader: (2)

Very nice gesture from China to Japan donating the vehicle and professional volunteer staff.

Bad blood may still exist but deep down we're always there to support a fallen brother no matter what color or history.

Jetfire

iTrader: (3)

good luck to the truck.

SaintNexus

I agree.

I find it fascinating that even though there are countries at war, and hate each other, and How Japan bombed pearl harbor, and america bombed hiroshima 70 years ago, and now, we're helping each other.

It's like you said, no matter how bad things were in the past, or how bad it is now, it's tragic that innocent lives are being lost in a catastrophe such as this, because this could've happened to any country, and any other country will always be there to assist one other.

I sometimes worry about humanity with all the hate out there, but it's sad that only during sad times is when countries unite.

spwolf

japanese were one of the first to help when earthquake hit china in 2008 and china even allowed japanese self-defense force to land their planes for the first time after WWII :-)

GS3Tek

iTrader: (8)

definitely an invaluable gesture

nthach

According to TEPCO, it looks like Sany's truck is being used:
http://www.tepco.co.jp/en/press/corp...1032912-e.html
Scroll down where it mentions concrete pumper. However, i'd be worried about the electronics - especially the multiplexed control systems that run the hydraulics.

DustinV

The truck is actually a Mercedes-Benz Actros. Looks like Sany either manufactures them under license or this is blatant product copyright infringement for which the Chinese are well-known for.




Either way, a gesture of help is always a positive sign.