Ultrasonic Phased Array Evaluations Of Implanted And In-Situ Grown Flaws In Cast Austenitic Stainless Steel Pressurizer Surge Line Piping

Conference · Sun Jul 31 04:00:00 EDT 2011

OSTI ID:1038395

Crawford, Susan L; Cinson, Anthony D; Moran, Traci L; Prowant, Matthew S; Diaz, Aaron A; Anderson, Michael T

A set of circumferentially oriented thermal fatigue cracks (TFCs) were implanted into three cast austenitic stainless steel (CASS) pressurizer (PZR) surge-line specimen welds (pipe-to-elbow configuration) that were salvaged from a U.S. commercial nuclear power plant that had not been operated. Thus, these welds were fabricated using vintage CASS materials that were formed in the 1970s. Additionally, in-situ grown TFCs were placed in the adjacent CASS base material of one of these specimens. Ultrasonic phased-array responses from both types of flaws (implanted and in-situ grown) were analyzed for detection and characterization based on sizing and signal-to-noise determination. Multiple probes were employed covering the 0.8 to 2.0 MHz frequency range. To further validate the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) findings, an independent in-service inspection (ISI) supplier evaluated the flaws with their American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code, Section XI, Appendix VIII-qualified procedure. The results obtained by PNNL personnel compared favorably to the ISI supplier results. All examined flaws were detected and sized within the ASME Code-allowable limits.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1038395
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-78594; 401001060
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CONFIGURATION
DEFECTS
DETECTION
ENGINEERS
FREQUENCY RANGE
IN-SERVICE INSPECTION
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PERSONNEL
PRESSURE VESSELS
PRESSURIZERS
PROBES
SIZE
STAINLESS STEELS
SURGES
THERMAL FATIGUE
ULTRASONIC WAVES
Ultrasonic PA
cast stainless steel
thermal fatigue cracks