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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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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.
Eugene A. Eschbach
Nuclear Technology | Volume 41 | Number 2 | December 1978 | Pages 168-179
Technical Paper | Extraction of Energy From Nuclear Fuels Without Reprocessing to Separate Plutonium / Fuel Cycle | doi.org/10.13182/NT78-A32102
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A review of the plutonium fuel recycle program (1955–1967) did not reveal an economically compelling alternative fuel cycle to slightly enriched uranium, plutonium recycle, or the plutonium breeder. The review included systems involving no chemical separations compared with slightly enriched uranium once through. Nor did freestanding thorium systems appear economic, although synergisms between uranium and thorium may be worth considering, including reduced-density thorium fuels with high fuel durability as an alternative to uranium load following and peaking fuel. The crossed progeny system involving 233U enrichment of uranium in light water reactors (LWRs) and conversion of the plutonium to 233U in fast reactors may offer a method of providing a high-performance denatured LWR fuel for the period beyond the availability of economic slightly enriched uranium.
