NDTsi 2001 Session: Major Component Inspection I-IV
Contribution of the "Round Robin Test" PISC III of the Steam Generator Tubes to the Tecnatom Validation Program
A. Garcia Bueno, Tecnatom, Spain
ABSTRACT
Organised by the "Joint Research Centre" of the European Commission, Tecnatom with its eddy current testing inspection system and 18 more teams, of 8 different countries, participated in the "Round Robin Test" belonging to the PISC III Action 5 (Programme for the Inspection of Steel Components) relative to the inspection of steam generator tubes. The main objective was the experimental evaluation of the performance of test procedures and techniques in use for steam generator tubes in nuclear power stations during the in service inspection, regarding the existing damage mechanism. The exercise was characterized by the geometry (thin-walled tubing), the material, the large number of flaws, and the inspection techniques (eddy current predominantly). The definition of the programme was based on the interest of the participating countries in a large variety of failure mechanism. The teams received three training tube boxes with typical examples of simple flaws and some composite flaws. Later, nine blind test boxes containing straight or curved tubes were available to be inspected, where a total of 95 flaws were implanted: isolated or combined flaws. When the inspection results were available, and ensuring the confidentiality of the participant teams by means a secret code, all data were processed and all procedures and techniques coded. A destructive examination in order to compare NDE results with the real dimensions and characteristics of the flaws was performed. The participation of Tecnatom in this exercise, have contributed to the eddy current technique validation programme normally required to perform inspection of the steam generator tubes.
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]
