Salt buildup likely to harm pumping system before reactor, expert says

Japan's nuclear emergencySTORY HIGHLIGHTSSalt is left behind as the seawater boils offThere is some concern about the buildup of salt crystalsExpert: The salt is likely to melt before the fuel rods get hot enough to crackBut this is uncharted territory, he says (CNN) -- While the buildup of salt from seawater pumped in to cool reactors at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant may become a concern, it is likely to affect the pumping system itself before it affects the fuel rods, one expert said Thursday.

"In the core, it's probably not that great of a concern because it's going to be pretty hot in there," and the salt is likely to melt before the core reaches a dangerous temperature, said Gary Was, a nuclear engineering expert at the University of Michigan.

Seawater has been used as an emergency measure after the tsunami that followed the March 11 earthquake left the plant crippled.

When salt water boils and evaporates, it leaves the salt behind. There are some concerns that those salt crystals could adhere to the fuel rods -- insulating them against future efforts to cool them, allowing the temperature to rise and possibly resulting in overheating.

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