ACFM

Nuclear Applications

Introduction

Nuclear power stations contain many components common to other power stations, such as turbines and pipework, which can be inspected by ACFM. However, the industry presents the additional problem that inspection may have to be carried out in a radioactive environment.

Overview

TSC have produced radiation tolerant probes for inspecting nuclear facilities, particularly storage tanks for radioactive waste. The probes produced for these applications are typically array probes designed for deployment by robotic manipulator or crawler. This method of inspection is preferred due to the high level of radioactivity that prevents the use of a human operator.

ACFM is also capable of detecting and sizing surface-breaking defects in the austenite stainless steel welds, or transition welds between austenitic and ferritic steels commonly found in the nuclear industry.

Other components that have been inspected in the nuclear industry include j-tube welds, and the threads on containment bolts.

Projects and Applications

Reactor Head Inspection

 Project Equipment
Nuclear reactor internal head inspection

U19 AMIGO instrument

Standard weld probe 5KHz

Straight long nose probe 5KHz

Right angle mini probe 5KHz

Straight mini probe 5KHz

Custom radioactive hardened nozzle probe 5KHz

A major French / American nuclear power company investigated the possibility of using an electromagnetic technique to support their ultrasonic inspection system for inspecting the welds within a nuclear reactor vessel.

TSC were involved in a project using custom made probes in conjunction with a third party robotic deployment mechanism.

Incremental circumferential scans were performed robotically and TSC successfully developed a radioactive hardened probe to perform the inspections on the underside of the reactor head.

Nuclear Generating Station Stud Inspection

Project Equipment
Reactor stud inspection

U19 AMIGO instrument

Thread probe with 2¾" and 3¼" shoes

Alternating Current Field Measurement (ACFM) inspection was carried out on Optiflow studs at a nuclear generating station in Southern California. A total of 120 studs were inspected using ACFM.

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