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Conference Spotlight
Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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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.
P. Y. Hsu, L. G. Miller, G. A. Deis, Y. D. Harker, G. R. Longhurst, T. S. Born, E. H. Ottewitte, K. D. Watts
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 4 | Number 2 | September 1983 | Pages 1216-1221
Blanket and First Wall Engineering | doi.org/10.13182/FST83-A23023
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A large-volume, distributed, pulsed, 14 MeV neutron source, which utilizes the high powered (270-GW) Power Burst Facility (PBF) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, is described. The concept of utilizing existing fission test reactors to test fusion first wall/blanket (FW/B) components and systems has been adequately documented. In all previous scenarios, the normal fission spectrum (including tailoring) was shown to produce adequate heating profiles and some tritium breeding. However, one recognized shortcoming has been the absence of the 14 MeV neutron component. This paper describes a scheme whereby the fission neutrons would be employed to produce the desired 14 MeV component. The data obtained from tests in this large-volume [20 em (8 in.) in diameter and 90 em (36 in.) in length], distributed neutron source will pertain to both near-term (Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor—TFTR) and future pulsed fusion machines. Specifically, application requiring high flux but low fluence is foreseen in the areas of dosimetry benchmarking for tritium breeding performance code verification. As a general purpose, FW/B integrated technology development capability, the PBF is shown to be pertinent to addressing the bulk-heated, solid breeder blanket thermal and mechanical issues; tritium permeation in the presence of radiation, and barrier development in the prototypical radiation environment associated with the first wall; issues associated with the technology of breeder materials; and in situ tritium recovery process characterization and system development.