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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.
Motoe Suzuki, Toyoshi Fuketa, Hiroaki Saitou
Nuclear Technology | Volume 155 | Number 3 | September 2006 | Pages 282-292
Technical Paper | Fuel Cycle and Management | doi.org/10.13182/NT06-A3762
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Exploratory analyses were performed by the RANNS code for simulated tests of the reactivity-initiated accident with two high-burnup pressurized water reactor rods in the Nuclear Safety Research Reactor (NSRR). The code performs thermal and finite element mechanical calculations in an axis-symmetrical cylinder geometry. On the basis of the irradiation-induced rod conditions including bonding, the code analyzed a strong pellet-clad mechanical interaction process that would often lead to low-strain split failure. The predicted quantities such as temperature and stress strain of cladding were discussed and compared with the experimental observations. The calculated cladding permanent strain has a reasonable agreement with postirradiation examination data. The process from crack initiation to final split failure was accounted for by the plastic strain occurrence in the cladding.