NDTsi 2001 Session: RPV and Primary Circuit Inspection I-III
Equipment for improved ISI of Smolensk RBMK
J. Thomson, Mitsui Babcock, UK; G. Woodcock, British Energy, UK; J. Sanchez, Tecnatom, Spain; A. Vasiliev, Smolensk NPP, Russia; K. Lebedev, Rosenergoatom, Russia
ABSTRACT
The RBMK reactor is a vertical channel tube design where the fuel (and the control rods) is carried in zirconium "channels". Inlet cooling water enters the lower fuel channel, is heated as it passes over the fuel element and the resulting steam/water mixture exits the top of the channel tube to steam separator vessels with the water returning at lower temperature to the channel inlet to re-start the cycle. A high priority is therefore given to demonstrating the integrity of the zirconium channels and of the remainder of the primary circuit. The paper describes work in progress (funded under the EU Tacis programme) to supply Smolensk NPP with ISI equipment for inspection of the zirconium channels and certain other critical vessel and piping welds. Developments in hardware and software to meet the challenges of combining rapid inspection with reliable defect detection and accurate dimensional measurement will be described.
Publication Source: 3nd International Conference on NDE in Relation to Structural Integrity for Nuclear and Pressurized Components, November 14-16, 2001, Seville Spain. Publisher: Tecnatom s.a. - [Homepage]
