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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
Laila El-Guebaly, Mohamed Sawan
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 79 | Number 8 | November 2023 | Pages 932-940
Research Article | doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2023.2181049
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The inclusion of test modules in the U.S. Fusion Prototypic Neutron Source (FPNS) offers the opportunity to test a wide variety of materials in a representative radiation environment of the fusion Pilot Plant, DEMO, and power plant. The testing may include various generations of structural materials for conventional and advanced blanket and divertor concepts. Since all structural materials derived from the fission industry are inadequate for fusion applications (due to the more damaging effects of the 14-MeV fusion neutrons), radiation-resistant reduced-activation structural materials (reduced-activation ferritic-martensitic steel, vanadium alloy, W alloy, and SiC/SiC composites) were specifically developed for fusion and could be tested in the FPNS to qualify for the highly irradiated fusion components surrounding the plasma. The large atomic displacement and the helium and hydrogen generations by fusion neutrons are unique to fusion materials. The most important attribute for the FPNS would be the typical fusion-relevant He/displacements per atom (dpa) ratio of ~10 for steel in particular. By comparison, irradiation in the fission spectrum of the High Flux Irradiation Facility (HFIR) would underestimate the dpa and provide a very low He/dpa ratio of ~0.3 for steel, which is irrelevant to fusion. This paper reviews the neutron irradiation impacts and presents a few examples of dpa and transmutation products for steel, W, and SiC based on modeling in several fusion design studies. The operating conditions of advanced U.S. fusion power plants were considered along with the credible lifetime goal of 200 dpa and 20 MW·yr/m2 fluence that could be achieved with directed research and development programs coupled with the construction of the FPNS 14-MeV neutron facility.
