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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.
K. Petersen, H. Barthels, H. E. Drescher, C. B. Von Der Decken, N. Iniotakis, W. Schenk, R. Schulten
Nuclear Technology | Volume 46 | Number 2 | December 1979 | Pages 306-311
Technical Paper | Nuclear Power Reactor Safety (Presented at the ENS/ANS International Meeting, Brussels, Belgium, October 16–19, 1978) / Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT79-A32331
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Unrestricted core heatup analysis based on recent experimental investigations of heat, gas, and fission product transport mechanism under ultimate accident conditions proves for the example of the 500-MW(thermal) plant the inherent safety potential of the pebble-bed high-temperature reactor. Under the hypothetical assumptions of depressurization of the primary circuit through a large hole within the prestressed concrete reactor vessel top region and the failure of all heat sinks, including the liner cooling system, the core structure, fuel elements, and consequently the essential fission product barriers remain undamaged. The integrated 137Cs contamination of the containment after depressurization rises only to 1 Ci after 100 h.
