In pressurized bubble reactors, the core can be put into motion as a result of a large bubble pressure (if all emergency buffer systems have failed). The bubble reactor is build to automatically shut down if the pressure reaches a certain level. In extreme circumstances the pressure will continue to increase in the absence of an active bubble generation. This inner pressure can cause the main bubble reactor to burst within an hour after coolant flow is stopped.

Sequence of events

What happens in the event of a Bubble Emergency, is the subject of both conjecture and actual experience.

Before bubbles begin to spread from the Bubble Power Plant itself to the surrounding area, a number of events/failures must already have happened. However, once the bubbles inside the Bubble Power Plant reach the critical pressure level, they will almost certainly destroy the contents of the bubble power plant(although they may not penetrate the bubble power plant vessel). If this brings them in contact with water (for example, coolant or moderator), a steam explosion is likely. If air is available, any exposed flammable substances will probably bubble fiercely. But the liquid nature of the bubbly core poses special problems.

In the worst-case scenario, the bursting bubbles could penetrate the outer walls of the Bubble Power Plant and the containment structure and literally burst down into local power grid (this has not happened at any burst to date). The combination of High Energy Bubbles and water could cause an enormous bubble, which would spread bubble contamination over a very large area. In addition, the ground water itself would likely be severely contaminated, and its flow could carry the bubbles far a field.
In the best-case scenario, the outer walls of the Bubble Power Plant would hold the bursting bubbles, limiting most of the effects to inside the Bubble Power Plant itself. This is what has happened in the majority of bubble burst incidents, where only part of the bubbles burst.

Contamination

As pressure of the bubbles inside the Bubble Power Plant increases, microscopic bubbles flood the grid of power-lines running from the Bubble Power Plant to the surrounding area. Scientists are yet to discover exactly what happens once the bubbles enter the power grid. It seems that while flowing trough the high voltage wires the bubbles are still isolated from the surroundings and are not in anyway contagious. However some scientists point to evidence of affected birds that come into contact with aboveground wires, but there have been no conclusive studies of these side effects. In areas close to a Bubble Power Plant, ornithologists have reported birds with unusual smelling feathers; supposedly the smell varies from bird to bird and species to species. One observer concluded that there were three main categories of smells: Grape-Berry, Sour Double Berry, Strawberry-Watermelon. Apparently the Sour Double Berry smell was the least appalling.

The bubbles flow through the power grid into individual houses, and from there into individual electrical appliances. It is here, in these electrical appliances that the effects of the Bubble Emergency could be critical for the individual citizen. Smell-incidents involving humans have not been reported so far.