UNION (Ultrasonic Nuclear InspectiON)

Completed

Nuclear Fission and Fusion(Nuclear Fission, Nuclear supporting technologies)

Applied Research and Development

PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Physics)
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering)

Not Cross-cutting

Project Contact
Plant Integrity Limited

Collaborative Research & Development

Innovate UK

01 April 2015

31 March 2018

36 months

£786,935

East of England

Competition Call: 1403_CRD2_ENE_GEN_DCNS - Developing the civil nuclear supply chain CRD. Activity Developing the civil nuclear supply chain ( CR&D)

Project Contact, Plant Integrity Limited

Project Contact, Applied Inspection Limited
Project Contact, Brunel University

The goal is to achieve nondestructive inspection (NDI) of nuclear power generation and reprocessing plant pipework carrying cooling water or generator steam, along pipe runs that are embedded in concrete, buried underground and/or clad in protective coatings such as plastic or bitumen. Key examples are (i) primary coolant and steamline pipework passing respectively through the concrete primary and secondary containment walls; and (ii) pipework for spent fuel cooling. Any breach of these pipes carries risks of nuclear radiation leakage and shut down for repair. Embedding/cladding materials all highly attenuate ultrasound, making current ultrasonic NDI practice in nuclear plant unusable or requiring cladding removal. The innovative solution is to use low frequency guided ultrasonics (LFGU), which can propagate through embedding and cladding materials, in both periodic inspection and continuous structural health monitoring modes. Enhanced signal to noise ratios through new high power transducers and low noise receiver combined with advanced signal processing for trend analysis will allow detection of smaller crack and corrosion defects than hitherto possible by LFGU.The goal is to achieve nondestructive inspection (NDI) of nuclear power generation and reprocessing plant pipework carrying cooling water or generator steam, along pipe runs that are embedded in concrete, buried underground and/or clad in protective coatings such as plastic or bitumen. Key examples are (i) primary coolant and steamline pipework passing respectively through the concrete primary and secondary containment walls; and (ii) pipework for spent fuel cooling. Any breach of these pipes carries risks of nuclear radiation leakage and shut down for repair. Embedding/cladding materials all highly attenuate ultrasound, making current ultrasonic NDI practice in nuclear plant unusable or requiring cladding removal. The innovative solution is to use low frequency guided ultrasonics (LFGU), which can propagate through embedding and cladding materials, in both periodic inspection and continuous structural health monitoring modes. Enhanced signal to noise ratios through new high power transducers and low noise receiver combined with advanced signal processing for trend analysis will allow detection of smaller crack and corrosion defects than hitherto possible by LFGU.The goal is to achieve nondestructive inspection (NDI) of nuclear power generation and reprocessing plant pipework carrying cooling water or generator steam, along pipe runs that are embedded in concrete, buried underground and/or clad in protective coatings such as plastic or bitumen. Key examples are (i) primary coolant and steamline pipework passing respectively through the concrete primary and secondary containment walls; and (ii) pipework for spent fuel cooling. Any breach of these pipes carries risks of nuclear radiation leakage and shut down for repair. Embedding/cladding materials all highly attenuate ultrasound, making current ultrasonic NDI practice in nuclear plant unusable or requiring cladding removal. The innovative solution is to use low frequency guided ultrasonics (LFGU), which can propagate through embedding and cladding materials, in both periodic inspection and continuous structural health monitoring modes. Enhanced signal to noise ratios through new high power transducers and low noise receiver combined with advanced signal processing for trend analysis will allow detection of smaller crack and corrosion defects than hitherto possible by LFGU.

04/12/15