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Conference Spotlight
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. M. Haas, C. A. Erdman, P. L. Garner, A. B. Reynolds
Nuclear Technology | Volume 26 | Number 2 | June 1975 | Pages 146-164
Technical Paper | Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT75-A24414
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Models were developed for the analysis of noncoherent mixing of fuel and sodium, reduction in two-phase heat transfer between fuel and sodium, and heat loss from sodium to cladding during a fuel-coolant interaction in a liquid-metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR). The analysis is based on the supposition that fragmentation of molten fuel followed by its relatively rapid intimate mixing with sodium can occur in an LMFBR accident, a supposition still under widespread investigation. Calculations were made for whole-core accidents to evaluate the extent to which reductions in mechanical work might be expected from these phenomena. Although reductions in work were indicated for each phenomenon and reductions were more significant when the several phenomena were considered simultaneously, large order-of-magnitude reductions were not indicated.