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Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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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.
P. S. W. Chan, A. R. Dastur
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 103 | Number 3 | November 1989 | Pages 283-288
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE89-A23679
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The components of the void reactivity effect in the RBMK lattice are obtained using multigroup multidimensional lattice codes. The relative magnitudes of the reactivity change due to changes, on voiding, in neutron absorption and in neutron moderation are compared for several lattice configurations that include either absorber rods or followers of various materials. This has led to the identification of the mechanism that makes the void coefficient dependent on the number of absorber rods in the core. In line with these results, it is shown that replacing the graphite in the follower with nonmoderating materials reduces the void coefficient dependence on the number of absorber rods and is an economic method that may have potential in the void coefficient reduction program.