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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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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.
Warren F. Witzig, Michael E. Foster
Nuclear Technology | Volume 38 | Number 2 | April 1978 | Pages 258-263
Technical Paper | Low-Temperature Nuclear Heat / Radioactive Waste | doi.org/10.13182/NT78-A32022
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The concept of utilizing processed fission product wastes as a heat source to produce low-pressure steam in a nuclear waste boiler (NWB) has been analyzed. The conceptual NWB design utilizes solidified wastes from spent fuel reprocessing plants in a natural circulation boiler that is sectionalized to permit continuous operation during refueling. Any one of several proposed commercial solidification processes provides wastes in a containerized form suitable, without modification, to be used in this concept. The NWB is analyzed in terms of its fuel cycle, design, safety, and economic potential. It is competitive with fossil plants of similar capacity in limited applications when substantial quantities of waste are available.