ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
Standards Program
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!
Latest Magazine Issues
Jul 2025
Jan 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
September 2025
Nuclear Technology
August 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
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.
W. R. Johnson, L. D. Thompson, Thomas A. Lechtenberg
Nuclear Technology | Volume 66 | Number 1 | July 1984 | Pages 88-101
A. Selection, Production, and Development of Alloys for HTGR Component | Status of Metallic Materials Development for Application in Advanced High-Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor / Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT84-A33458
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The utilization of the high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) for advanced or process heat applications will require the use of wrought components operating at temperatures up to 1000°C (1832°F) for times approaching 30 yr. Alloys for such components must withstand the corrosive effects (carburization and oxidation) of the impure helium primary coolant environment and maintain adequate elevated temperature strength. Commercially available wrought alloys have been found to be seriously limited for such applications because of their inherently poor resistance to corrosion in impure helium. As one approach to the solution of this problem, a program has been initiated to develop wrought alloys having a better combination of corrosion resistance and high-temperature strength, under advanced HTGR conditions, than commercial alloys currently available. This program culminated in 1980 with the design, melting, and fabrication of ten experimental Ni-Cr-Mo-W-Al-Ti-Zr-C alloys and with the initiation of efforts to evaluate their corrosion and mechanical behavior. Results of tests showed that all the experimental alloys exhibited superior carburization resistance in advanced reactor helium. In addition, several of the alloys exhibited excellent mechanical properties, including, in the case of one alloy, creep rupture strength at 900°C (1652°F), significantly better than that of the commercial alloy Inconel-617.