NDE Assessments of Cast Stainless Steel Reactor Piping Components
Studies conducted at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in Richland, Washington, have focused on developing and evaluating the effectiveness and reliability of novel NDE approaches for the inspection of coarse-grained, cast stainless steel reactor components. The primary objective of this work is to provide information to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC) on the utility, effectiveness and reliability of ultrasonic testing (UT) and eddy current testing (ET) inspection techniques as related to the in-service inspection of primary piping components in pressurized water reactors (PWRs). This paper describes recent developments and results from assessments of three different NDE approaches including an ultrasonic phased array inspection methodology, an eddy current testing technique and a low-frequency ultrasonic inspection methodology coupled with a synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT). Westinghouse Owner’s Group (WOG) cast stainless steel pipe segments with thermal and mechanical fatigue cracks located close to the weld roots, were used for assessing the inspection methods. ET studies were conducted on the inner diameter (ID) surface of piping specimens while the ultrasonic inspection methods were performed from the outer diameter (OD) surface of the specimens. The ET technique employed a ZETEC MIZ-27SI Eddy Current instrument and a ZETEC Z0000857-1 cross point spot probe with an operating frequency of 250 kHz. On some samples where noise levels were high, degaussing of the sample resulted in significant improvements. The phased array approach was implemented using an RD Tech Tomoscan III system operating at 1 MHz and composite volumetric images of the samples were generated. The low-frequency ultrasonic method employs a zone-focused, multi-incident angle; inspection protocol (operating at 250-450 kHz) coupled with a synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) for improved signal-to-noise and advanced imaging capabilities. Results from laboratory studies for assessing detection, localization and sizing effectiveness are discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 984682
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-43704; 401001060; TRN: US1005959
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on NDE inrelation to Structural Integrity for Nuclear and Pressurised Components, 6-8 December 2004 -London UK
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
APERTURES
DETECTION
EDDY CURRENT TESTING
EDDY CURRENTS
FOCUSING
IN-SERVICE INSPECTION
PWR TYPE REACTORS
REACTOR COMPONENTS
RELIABILITY
SIZE
STAINLESS STEELS
ULTRASONIC TESTING
ULTRASONIC WAVES
Ultrasonic
Phases Array
SAFT
Austenitic Piping