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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 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.
Hans Gransell, R. Höglund
Nuclear Technology | Volume 38 | Number 1 | April 1978 | Pages 144-154
Technical Paper | Low-Temperature Nuclear Heat / Reactor | doi.org/10.13182/NT78-A16167
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The SECURE reactor was developed by a Finnish-Swedish project group in 1976–1977. It is a small low-pressure and low-temperature nuclear plant for district heating purposes. The special safety requirements for a reactor of this kind have led to an unconventional design with certain inherent safety features to guarantee safe shutdown without the use of any active components. The reactor is located inside a large, slightly pressurized pool containing cold water with about 1000 ppm natural boron. On shutdown, the pool water flows into the primary system to keep the reactor subcritical. Boron is also used for power control, whereas burnup is compensated for by use of the burnable absorber Gd2O3.