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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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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.
Dieter H. Wach
Nuclear Technology | Volume 141 | Number 1 | January 2003 | Pages 54-62
Technical Paper | Nuclear Plant Instrumentation, Control, and Human-Machine Interface Technologies | doi.org/10.13182/NT03-A3349
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The recent publication of an international standard on vibration monitoring of reactor internal structures (IEC 61502, standard of the International Electrotechnical Commission) concludes a long-standing development of methods for a new type of nuclear power plant instrumentation and control system. This new system differs from traditional monitoring systems, as it is aimed primarily at early failure detection. Useful information is provided to plant operators, but in particular to the inspection/maintenance personnel. Powerful modern computer technology allows - in an effective manner - correlation and spectral analysis, feature extraction and trending, alert level monitoring, and remote data/signature transmission of dynamic process signals such as neutron noise, vibration signals, pressure noise, etc. The signature and feature trends are stored in a central databank and form a useful reference for assessment of components and systems in case of actual incipient failure development or at the estimated end of the plant lifetime as part of the aging condition assessment measures.The standard IEC 61502 is used as an example for early failure detection and on-line condition monitoring methods based on signature analysis and feature vector monitoring in general. The reasons/background for structuring this particular standard in a mandatory and an optional part as well as the resulting consequences are explained. But emphasis is also placed on demonstration of the principles, i.e., measurement analysis and usefulness of such methods for maintenance and refurbishment strategies. The transferability of the methods is discussed when applied for other tasks, for instance, for condition/aging assessment of process instrumentation.