Acoustic leak detection and ultrasonic crack detection

Conference · Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1983

OSTI ID:5517289

Kupperman, D S; Claytor, T N; Groenwald, R

A program is under way to assess the effectiveness of current and proposed techniques for acoustic leak detection (ALD) in reactor coolant systems. An ALD facility has been constructed and tests have begun on five laboratory-grown cracks (three fatigue and two thermal-fatigue and two field-induced IGSCC specimens. After ultrasonic testing revealed cracks in the Georgia Power Co. HATCH-1 BWR recirculation header, the utility installed an ALD system. Data from HATCH-1 have given an indication of the background noise level at a BWR recirculation header sweepolet weld. The HATCH leak detection system was tested to determine the sensitivity and dynamic range. Other background data have been acquired at the Watts Bar Nuclear Reactor in Tennessee. An ANL waveguide system, including transducer and electronics, was installed and tested on an accumulator safety injection pipe. The possibility of using ultrasonic wave scattering patterns to discriminate between IGSCCs and geometric reflectors has been explored. Thirteen reflectors (field IGSCCs, graphite wool IGSCCs, weld roots, and slits) were examined. Work with cast stainless steel (SS) included sound velocity and attenuation in isotropic and anisotropic cast SS. Reducing anisotropy does not help reduce attenuation in large-grained material. Large artificial flaws (e.g., a 1-cm-deep notch with a 4-cm path) could not be detected in isotropic centrifugally cast SS (1 to 2-mm grains) by longitudinal or shear waves at frequencies of 1 MHz or greater, but could be detected with 0.5-MHz shear waves. 13 figures.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab., IL (USA); GARD, Inc., Niles, IL (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-31-109-ENG-38
• OSTI ID: 5517289
• Report Number(s): CONF-8310143-67; ON: DE84004037
• Resource Relation: Conference: 11. NRC water reactor safety research information meeting, Gaithersburg, MD, USA, 14 Oct 1983; Other Information: Portions are illegible in microfiche products
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
42 ENGINEERING
BWR TYPE REACTORS
LEAK DETECTORS
HATCH-1 REACTOR
ACOUSTIC MONITORING
ULTRASONIC TESTING
PWR TYPE REACTORS
STAINLESS STEELS
WATTS BAR-1 REACTOR
CRACKS
INTERGRANULAR CORROSION
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
STRESS CORROSION
ACOUSTIC TESTING
ALLOYS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHROMIUM ALLOYS
COOLING SYSTEMS
CORROSION
CORROSION RESISTANT ALLOYS
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
IRON ALLOYS
IRON BASE ALLOYS
MATERIALS TESTING
MONITORING
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
POWER REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTORS
STEELS
TESTING
THERMAL REACTORS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
220900* - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Reactor Safety
210100 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
210200 - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
420500 - Engineering- Materials Testing