Program to develop acoustic emission-flow relationship for inservice monitoring of nuclear pressure vessels. Progress report, February 1 - July 1, 1977. [BWR; PWR]

Technical Report · Mon Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1977

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5357018· OSTI ID:5357018

Hutton, P H; Schwenk, E B

The purpose of the program reported is to evaluate experimentally the feasibility of further assuring reactor safety by detecting and analyzing flaw growth in reactor pressure boundaries through continuous monitoring for acoustic emission (AE). Program objectives are: (1) characterize AE from a limited range of defects and material property conditions; (2) characterize AE from innocuous sources (including defects); (3) develop criteria for distinguishing significant flaws from innocuous sources; (4) develop an AE-flaw damage model to serve as a basis for relating inservice AE to pressure vessel integrity. Steel plate required for the program has been procured and test specimens are being fabricated. Specimen test system has been assembled and calibrated. A technique for rating AE monitor system sensitivity has been developed. An HSST pressure vessel test has been successfully monitored for AE, and data analysis is in progress.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, Wash. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-06-1830
• OSTI ID: 5357018
• Report Number(s): BNWL-2232-2; NUREG-0250-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
210100* -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Boiling Water Cooled
210200 -- Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled
ACOUSTIC MONITORING
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CONTAINERS
COOLING SYSTEMS
DEFECTS
IN-SERVICE INSPECTION
INSPECTION
MONITORING
PRESSURE VESSELS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR COOLING SYSTEMS
REACTORS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS