In-situ optical profilometry of CANDU fuel channels

Conference · Sun Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1996

OSTI ID:277815

Jarvis, G N; Cornblum, E O; Grabish, M G ^[1]; Mader, D L; Kuurstra, J C; McNabb, S C ^[2]

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1. Ontario Hydro Nuclear, Pickering, Ontario (Canada). Nuclear Technology Services Div.
2. Ontario Hydro Technologies, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

Detailed knowledge of flaw geometry is crucial in the stress analysis of flaws found in the thin-walled Zirconium alloy pressure tubes of CANDU reactors. While ultrasonic inspection can provide much of the required data, the measurement of the sharpness, or root-radius, at the bottom of a flaw has not so far been possible in-situ. This paper will describe the application of optical profilometry techniques, to measure directly the depth and root-radius of open inside-surface flaws, within a flooded reactor pressure tube. The tool uses a rad-tolerant television camera, custom optics and light stripe generators to collect digitized image data from three different views of a flaw. Software has been developed to manage the collection of the image data and provide a full range of display and automated analysis options. The tool has recently been used successfully to measure fretting flaws in the 100--250 micron deep range.

• OSTI ID: 277815
• Report Number(s): CONF-960306--; ISBN 0-7918-1226-X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
CANDU TYPE REACTORS
DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEMS
DATA ANALYSIS
DEFECTS
IN-SERVICE INSPECTION
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
PRESSURE TUBES