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.
Takeo Nishitani, Mikio Enoeda, Masato Akiba, Toshihiko Yamanishi, Kimio Hayashi, Hiroyasu Tanigawa
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 52 | Number 4 | November 2007 | Pages 971-978
Technical Paper | Tritium, Safety, and Environment | doi.org/10.13182/FST07-A1620
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) plays a role of the principal institute in Japan for the design and the development of a solid breeder (WCSB) blanket and a helium cooled solid breeder (HCSB) blanket, in the ITER Test Blanket Modules (TBM) programt. The WCSB and HCSB modules consist of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel, F82H, as the structural material, Li2TiO3 as the tritium breeder material, beryllium or Be-Ti alloy as the neutron multiplier. One of the R&Ds for the WCSB TBM, the mockup of the first wall with embedded cooling channels was fabricated by applying HIP technique. Pebbles of Be12Ti, which is a candidate material for the advanced neutron multiplier, were produced by a small-scale rotating electrode method. Mechanical and chemical properties and irradiation effects have been studied for Be12T pebbles. Both oxidation and steam interaction were about 1/1000 as small as those of beryllium metal, which indicates a possibility to reduce a risk of a water or air ingress accident. The test schedule of TBMs is discussed according to the ITER operation phases.
