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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 Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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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.
W. F. Oberbeck, Jr., K. G. Mayhan, D. R. Edwards, J. R. Lopata, J. F. Montle, D. R. Leritz
Nuclear Technology | Volume 28 | Number 2 | February 1976 | Pages 183-193
Technical Paper | Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT76-A31558
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An apparatus was designed and constructed to test the performance of coatings under conditions of high-pressure steam and radiation that might exist under a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA). Results from the “simultaneous” exposure of coatings to high-pressure steam and radiation are compared to results obtained from the conventional “simulated” test procedures. Coating systems were selected that had a history of performing well under simulated LOCA conditions and included zinc-based, epoxy, and phenolic primers with phenolic and modified phenolic topcoats. Coatings were exposed to 60Co radiation doses in the range of 108 to 109 rad. The study showed that the conventional simulated LOCA conditions were more severe on the coatings than those tested under the simultaneous exposure to high-pressure steam and 60Co radiation. It was concluded that coatings that satisfactorily passed the simulated LOCA tests will also pass the simultaneous LOCA tests.
