Nondestructive evaluation of component interiors

Technical Report · Fri Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990

OSTI ID:6923779

Birring, A S; Franke, E A; Peterson, E C; Crouch, A E ^[1]

---

1. Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (USA)

This program is part of the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) objective to develop technology for plant-life extension (PLEX) of nuclear power plants. It is expected that one of the critical needs for such a program would be a detailed inspection from the inside surface (ID) of piping systems and boiling water reactor (BWR) pressure vessels. Because these inspections currently cannot be performed because of the unavailability of commercial inspection tools, this program was undertaken to develop conceptual designs of inspection crawlers for both of these components. The pipe inspection crawler was designed so that it could traverse and inspect pipe sizes with an ID ranging from 6 to 36 inches, pass through bends, and maneuver itself into T- and Y-branch connections. The pipe crawler would also have the capability to move through horizontal as well as vertical sections of pipe. The BWR vessel crawler was designed so that it could maneuver in the annulus between the core shroud and the vessel ID. Both crawlers would have visual, ultrasonic, and eddy current sensors capable of detecting corrosion, cracks, and material degradation in the nuclear components being inspected. It is expected that development of these two inspection crawlers will be a significant technological step towards implementation of a PLEX program. 27 refs., 15 figs., 10 tabs.

• Research Organization: Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (USA); Southwest Research Inst., San Antonio, TX (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: EPRI
• OSTI ID: 6923779
• Report Number(s): EPRI-NP-6811
• 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
22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS
220900 -- Nuclear Reactor Technology-- Reactor Safety
BWR TYPE REACTORS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTAINERS
CORROSION
CRACKS
JOINTS
MAINTENANCE
MATERIALS TESTING
NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
PIPES
POWER PLANTS
PRESSURE VESSELS
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
REACTOR MAINTENANCE
REACTOR SAFETY
REACTORS
RELIABILITY
REMOTE SENSING
ROBOTS
SAFETY
SERVICE LIFE
TESTING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
WELDED JOINTS