Eddy-current inspection for steam generator tubing program. Semiannual progress report for period ending June 30, 1984. Vol. 1

Technical Report · Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6379150

Dodd, C V; Deeds, W E; Smith, J H; McClung, R W

Eddy-current inspection is the most suitable method for rapid boreside evaluation of steam generator tubing. However, small flaws can be masked by the effects of harmless variables, such as tube supports. To identify the critical properties accurately and reliably in the presence of extraneous signals caused by variations of unimportant properties, sufficient information is needed to identify harmful variations and to reject harmless ones. For this reason we are developing instrumentation capable of measuring both the amplitude and phase of the eddy-current signal at several different frequencies and computer equipment capable of processing the data quickly and reliably. Our probes and test conditions are also computer-optimized. The most recent probe design embodies an array of small flat pancake coils and improves the detection of small flaws and the rejection of tube support signals. We adapted our new IBM System 9000 computer to take and process the larger amounts of data required by additional variables, such as copper coating and intergranular attack. We also completed construction of the hand-wired versions of the 8- and 16-coil arrays and the multiplexing circuitry and computer codes to handle the data.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6379150
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-3949-Vol.1; ORNL/TM-9339/Vol.1; ON: TI85005581
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
STEAM GENERATORS
EDDY CURRENT TESTING
INSPECTION
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
TUBES
BOILERS
ELECTROMAGNETIC TESTING
MATERIALS TESTING
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
TESTING
VAPOR GENERATORS
210200* - Power Reactors
Nonbreeding
Light-Water Moderated
Nonboiling Water Cooled