There shouldn't be any radioactive material in the cooling towers even while the facility is operational, unless the reactor is in a melt down phase. Then all bets are off.
It is impossible. The cooling towers are just that. There is nothing inside that will burn like that - especially since they are constantly cycling water up to have it cool as gravity pulls some of it back down, while the still heated water vapor goes out through the top in a plume of steam. Note - that is not smoke - just water vapor, and it is always white like a cloud. The water is clean, and not radiated because it is a closed system of pipes inside the plant. The cooling water often comes in from a river, ocean, or lake and is returned to the source (minus whatever leaves the tower via a plume). In a closed system, it is estimated that 15-20 millions of gallons are used each day, but a lot of it goes into the atmosphere as steam and most goes back to the source river/ocean/etc. (minus some evaporation).
Think about it - if there was any radiation remotely possible inside the cooling tower would plants be allowed to release "radiated steam" into the atmosphere 24/7?
Those towers are huge and built of concrete, with very little equipment inside that could burn, let alone put out black smoke like in the picture for this post. Even if it could burn, the massive amounts of water flying everywhere in the cooling tower would put a fire out.
I don't believe this happened - or at least they are exaggerating it for some reason.
There shouldn't be any radioactive material in the cooling towers even while the facility is operational, unless the reactor is in a melt down phase. Then all bets are off.
It is impossible. The cooling towers are just that. There is nothing inside that will burn like that - especially since they are constantly cycling water up to have it cool as gravity pulls some of it back down, while the still heated water vapor goes out through the top in a plume of steam. Note - that is not smoke - just water vapor, and it is always white like a cloud. The water is clean, and not radiated because it is a closed system of pipes inside the plant. The cooling water often comes in from a river, ocean, or lake and is returned to the source (minus whatever leaves the tower via a plume). In a closed system, it is estimated that 15-20 millions of gallons are used each day, but a lot of it goes into the atmosphere as steam and most goes back to the source river/ocean/etc. (minus some evaporation).
Think about it - if there was any radiation remotely possible inside the cooling tower would plants be allowed to release "radiated steam" into the atmosphere 24/7?
Here is a diagram of a cooling tower: https://i.sstatic.net/Y76qw.jpg
Those towers are huge and built of concrete, with very little equipment inside that could burn, let alone put out black smoke like in the picture for this post. Even if it could burn, the massive amounts of water flying everywhere in the cooling tower would put a fire out.
I don't believe this happened - or at least they are exaggerating it for some reason.
Here is a good vid on cooling towers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lplZ8fzmats