In-Service Inspection and On-Line Monitoring of Inaccessible Components in Nuclear Power Plants Using Guided Wave Technology

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florin Turcu ◽  
Mauro Cappelli ◽  
Davide Mazzini ◽  
Sergio Pistelli ◽  
Marco Raugi
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Guided Waves ◽  
Guided Wave ◽  
Ultrasonic Guided Waves ◽  
Critical Parameters ◽  
Nuclear Plants ◽  
On Line ◽  
Service Inspection

One of the most challenging problems in the on-line monitoring of critical parameters of nuclear plants is the inspection of components that result inaccessible or difficult to reach. In this context, there is an increasing interest of the scientific community and industry for the use of Ultrasonic Guided Waves (UGW) for addressing this issue. In this work, the problem of the applicability of the UGW technique with magnetostrictive sensors to NPP structures is described, together with the outline of the related advantages as well as the main technical concerns that may arise from such applications. This methodology has been tested on experimental activities concerning high temperature applications. Results show the effectiveness of such an approach.

Development of On-Line Health Monitoring System for Pipes in Nuclear Power Plants

2006 ◽  
Vol 321-323 ◽  
pp. 441-444
Author(s):  
Heung Seop Eom ◽  
Sa Hoe Lim ◽  
Jae Hee Kim ◽  
Young H. Kim ◽  
Hak Joon Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Monitoring ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Guided Waves ◽  
Guided Wave ◽  
Wave System ◽  
Ultrasonic Guided Wave ◽  
On Line ◽  
Series Of Experiments

This study was aimed at developing an effective method and a system for on-line health monitoring of pipes in nuclear power plants by using ultrasonic guided waves. For this purpose we developed a multi-channel ultrasonic guided wave system for a long-range inspection of pipes and a few techniques which can effectively find defects in pipes. To validate the developed system we performed a series of experiments and analyzed the results.

Guided Waves as an Online Monitoring Technology for Long-Term Operation in Nuclear Power Plants: Experimental Results on a Steam Discharge Pipe

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Cappelli ◽  
Francesco Cordella ◽  
Francesco Bertoncini ◽  
Marco Raugi
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Guided Waves ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Guided Wave ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Term Operation

Guided wave (GW) testing is regularly used for finding defect locations through long-range screening using low-frequency waves (from 5 to 250 kHz). By using magnetostrictive sensors, some issues, which usually limit the application to nuclear power plants (NPPs), can be fixed. The authors have already shown the basic theoretical background and simulation results concerning a real steel pipe, used for steam discharge, with a complex structure. On the basis of such theoretical framework, a new campaign has been designed and developed on the same pipe, and the obtained experimental results are now here presented as a useful benchmark for the application of GWs as nondestructive techniques. Experimental measures using a symmetrical probe and a local probe in different configurations (pulse-echo and pitch-catch) indicate that GW testing with magnetostrictive sensors can be reliably applied to long-term monitoring of NPPs components.

Non-Invasive On-Line Monitoring for Nuclear Power Plants Using Guided Waves Propagating in Steel Pipes With Different Types of Structural Complexity

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Bertoncini ◽  
Mauro Cappelli ◽  
Francesco Cordella ◽  
Marco Raugi
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Guided Waves ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Ultrasonic Waves ◽  
Steel Pipes ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Different Types ◽  
On Line

On-line monitoring for installed piping in Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs), as well as for Oil & Gas and other kind of plants, is crucial to early detect local ageing effects and locate single defects before they may result in critical failures. All the actions able to prevent failures are of great value especially if non-invasive and allowing an In-Service Inspection (ISI). In particular the Long Term Operation (LTO) and Plant Life Extension (PLEX) may be invalidated from radiation, thermal, mechanical stresses besides their own ageing. Hence on-line monitoring techniques are of much interest especially if they assure the required safety levels and at the same time are simple and cost-effective. Guided Waves (GW) satisfy these requirements since they are structure-borne ultrasonic waves that propagate themselves without interfering along the same pipe structure, which in turns through its geometric boundaries serves as a confining structure for the GW used to test its integrity. The frequencies used for GW testing extend up to 250 kHz, thus allowing a long-range inspection of pipes (tens of meters in favorable circumstances). The experimental conditions (e.g. temperature, complex piping structure, wall thickness, materials) have to be considered since they strongly affect the results but GW generated through magnetostrictive sensors are expected to overcome such issues due to their robustness and positioning ease. In this paper, new experimental tests conducted using the proposed methodology for steel pipes having different types of structural complexity are described.

Guided Waves in Pitch-Catch Configuration: A Theoretical Framework to Steer Toward Experimental Tests

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Cordella ◽  
Mauro Cappelli ◽  
Francesco Bertoncini
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Analysis ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Guided Waves ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Guided Wave ◽  
Nuclear Industry ◽  
Discharge Pipe

Abstract Guided waves testing allows a long-range screening in pipes of different types and represents an effective and powerful non-destructing technique for defect detections using a limited number of points of measures. This kind of testing hence represents an appealing technique not only for the Oil and Gas industries but also for the Nuclear Industry, in particular regarding the Structural Health Monitoring of Nuclear Power Plants components. Another point of strength of this technique is that it can be applied in different configurations as the pulse-echo (the same probe is used both for transmission and signal receiving) or the pitch-catch (two symmetric probes are used one for the signal transmission and the second one for the signal receiving). In this way, the guided wave testing with magnetostrictive sensors can be reliably used for the short and long-term monitoring of Nuclear Power Plants components. The objective of this paper is to establish a strong theoretical background to pave the way for a robust experimental investigation. In particular, after the characterization through a general theoretical analysis, the focus is on a real steam discharge pipe with a high mechanical complexity used for many years in a research facility and now dismissed. The experimental method applied is the pitch-catch configuration of two magnetostrictive sensors. Preliminary experimental results conducted on a real complex steam discharge pipe are consistent with the theoretical analysis.

Time Reversal Technique for Ultrasonic Guided Wave Inspection

2006 ◽  
Vol 321-323 ◽  
pp. 776-779
Author(s):  
Hak Joon Kim ◽  
Sung Jin Song ◽  
Jung Ho Seo ◽  
Jae Hee Kim ◽  
Heung Seop Eom
Keyword(s):  
Time Delay ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Time Reversal ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Guided Waves ◽  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Guided Wave ◽  
Ultrasonic Waves ◽  
Ultrasonic Guided Waves ◽  
Ultrasonic Guided Wave

For the long range inspection of structures in nuclear power plant using array transducers, it is necessary to focus waves on defects under interrogation. To take care of such a need, in this study we adopt a time reversal technique that is claimed to be very robust to focus ultrasonic waves on defects. Specifically, we calculate the appropriate time delay using the time reversal technique and re-generate ultrasonic guided waves that are focusing to an interrogated defect with the calculated time delay. In this paper, we describe the principle of the time reversal technique briefly and present the performance enhancement obtained by the time reversal techniques.

Guided Waves As an Online Monitoring Technology for Long Term Operation in NPPs: New Experimental Results on a Steam Discharge Pipe

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Bertoncini ◽  
Mauro Cappelli ◽  
Francesco Cordella ◽  
Marco Raugi
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Guided Waves ◽  
Complex Structure ◽  
Theoretical Background ◽  
Guided Wave ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Primary Circuit ◽  
Term Operation

Guided Wave (GW) testing is regularly used for finding defect locations through long range screening using low-frequency waves (from 5 to 250 kHz) [1]-[3]. Magnetostrictive sensors can overcome some issues, which usually limit the application to Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) [4], like for example, high temperatures [5]-[6], high wall thickness of components in the primary circuit, and characteristic defect typologies. The authors have already shown the basic theoretical background, some simulations and some first experimental results concerning a real steel pipe, used for steam discharge, having a complex structure. Collecting more experimental data with a novel test campaign on the same pipe its complex structure results as a useful benchmark for the application of GWs as Non Destructive Techniques (NDT). Experimental measures using a symmetrical probe and a local probe in different configurations (pulse-echo and pitch-catch) indicate that GW testing with magnetostrictive sensors can be reliably applied to long-term monitoring of NPP components.

Robotics in the Nuclear Environment: Inspection and Repairs Inside the Primary Coolant System

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel Tortolano ◽  
Jacques Guillet
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Primary Coolant ◽  
Pressurized Water ◽  
Nuclear Plants ◽  
Plant Operations ◽  
On Line ◽  
The Cost

EDF is the French national power generating utility. It has built and operates 58 pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plants on 19 sites. Of these, thirty-four are 900 megawatt units (the first of which, the Fessenheim NPP, came on line in 1977), twenty are 1300 MW units, and four are 1450 MW units, the latest of which, at the Civaux plant, came on line in 1998. The average age of these nuclear power plants is thus 20 years. They produce close to 85% of the power EDF generates in France. Renewal of the nuclear plants is under study, as are other means of power generation. For the moment, EDF is requesting approval to run its nuclear plants for up to 40 years. Moreover, it has started a major project on the lifetime of PWR reactors, the main objective of which is to extend the authorized lifetime to 60 years. Major requirements for maintaining the current performance of the French nuclear generating facility and reducing the cost per kWh generated include optimization of expenses and reduction of fuel costs. These factors enabled the cost per kWh to be reduced by 13% in 2001. One way to reduce costs involves optimization of maintenance programs and methods. However, increasing the operating lifetime of plants, and the concomitant ageing of equipment and materials, is likely to result in increasing maintenance requirements. For this reason it is important to establish new, more cost-effective maintenance methods in order to keep costs down. Some of these methods make use of robotics. They make it possible for work to be carried out from the inside of circuits, for inspections and even for repair if defects are detected. The results presented here are those of work carried out by the EDF R&D division on behalf of the Nuclear Power Plant Operations (NPPO) division.

Non-Contact Gas Accumulation Detection in Water Loaded Pipes Using Guided Waves

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhenhua Tian ◽  
Xiaoyi Sun ◽  
Linlin Ma ◽  
Lingyu Yu
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Nuclear Power Plants ◽  
Guided Waves ◽  
Detection Method ◽  
Safety Concern ◽  
Laser Doppler Vibrometer ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Guided Wave ◽  
Gas Accumulation

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Generic Letter 2008-01 due to the safety concern associated with gas accumulation events in emergency core cooling pipes of nuclear power plants. Since the gas accumulation may critically damage pipes, pumps, and valves, and affect the safety operation of nuclear power plants, the gas accumulation needs to be detected as well as quantified. This paper presents a quantitative gas accumulation detection method for water loaded pipes by using guided waves. To establish the detection method, we investigated the differences between guided waves in a free pipe and those in a water loaded pipe. The guided waves in both cases were measured by using a scanning laser Doppler vibrometer, and analyzed by using frequency wavenumber analysis. Analysis results show that guided wave characteristics such as wavenumbers and wave speeds are different between the free and water loaded pipes. Based on those findings, we developed a gas accumulation detection method that can also provide quantitative information of the gas accumulation. Through a proof-of-concept test, the quantitative gas accumulation detection method was verified.

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