Induced nuclear reactions: processes – systems – and elements – Testing – sensing – measuring – or detecting a fission reactor...
Patent
1994-01-04
1995-05-23
Wasil, Daniel D.
Induced nuclear reactions: processes, systems, and elements
Testing, sensing, measuring, or detecting a fission reactor...
376258, 73622, G21C 1700
Patent
active
054188237
ABSTRACT:
A combined ultrasonic and eddy-current method and apparatus for non-destructively determining the liner thickness of a zirconium liner provided at the inner surface of a zirconium alloy nuclear fuel rod tube utilizes dimensional data acquired via conventional ultrasonic measurement techniques and impedance data acquired through electromagnetic techniques to calculate liner thickness in accordance with a specific formula. The apparatus utilizes a computer or programmable arithmetic unit with associated memory and I/O devices connected to electromagnetic and ultrasonic measurement subsystems. A particular eddy-current probe arrangement consisting of a differential coil pair is employed to obtain impedance measurements from the outside of the cladding tube. Calibrated reference impedance values for various different inner and outer tube diameters having a constant liner thickness are measured and retained in a memory. Calibrated reference impedance values for tubes of various liner thicknesses with the same inside and outside diameter dimensions are also measured and stored. A specimen cladding tube is tested and an inside diameter is computed using conventional electromagnetic techniques. The specimen tube inside diameter is also measured ultrasonically and a specific calculation of liner thickness is performed based on the difference between the inside diameter as determined by ultrasonic technique and the inside diameter as measured by eddy-current technique. The specific method of calculation utilized corrects for the erroneous effect that variations in cladding tube liner thickness can have on dimensions computed via conventional electromagnetic eddy-current techniques alone.
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"Liner Thickness Measurement for Zirconium Lined Zircaloy Cladding Tube Using Dual Frequency Eddy Current Method", Iwasaki et al.
Ellis Kurt D.
Kervinen John A.
Chelliah Meena
General Electric Company
McGinness J. E.
Wasil Daniel D.
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