NDE & NDT | DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Taking NDE to the next generation
Non-destructive Evaluation (NDE) is widely used in the nuclear power industry for routine maintenance, asset management and in-service assessments. The NDE industry is constantly evolving its tools and techniques with the integration of new and emerging automation technology
By Danny Keck, Independent NDE Consultant and Current Chair of the Board of ASNT; Randy Linden, Senior Level III for Sonic Systems International;
Bret Flesner, Principal Technical Leader at EPRI; Luke Breon, Senior Technical Leader at EPRI
IN THE EARLY DAYS OF nuclear power plant inspection, there were only the basic methods of radiography (RT) and manual ultrasonic testing (UT) for volumetric examinations. Inspectors used cumbersome single-wave UT tools that had limited capabilities to detect flaws in nuclear reactor components and piping. Today, the once analogue practice of nuclear plant inspections has undergone a digital transformation. Technological advances in predictive maintenance, such as AI, sensors and other automated tools, have led to improved inspection quality to enhance nuclear safety.
Non-destructive Evaluation (NDE), or Non-destructive
Testing (NDT), refers to the inspection of materials without affecting their useability and the overall integrity of the asset in which they are installed. NDE is applied in many industries. In the case of nuclear power generation, it is used to evaluate components in both the initial manufacturing phase and throughout the reactor’s lifecycle. NDE helps maintain the very strict quality control
standards in place to ensure safe operation of nuclear power plants. Engaging certified NDE inspectors in routine evaluations helps reduce the risk of manufacturing defects and in-service flaws going undetected, which in a worst- case scenario, may lead to operational failure.
Changing NDE in the nuclear industry With the integration of new technology, NDE is shaping the future of nuclear safety. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) heavily regulate nuclear power plants in the United States. For both Boiling Water Reactors (BWR) and Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR), several safety-related systems are required to undergo regular inspections, in addition to routine assessments of primary reactor components and containment vessels. The rules dictate when and how often inspectors must test each asset using NDE and which inspection methods should be applied. Frequently used NDE techniques in the nuclear power industry include ultrasonic testing and Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT), Liquid Penetrant Testing (PT), Eddy current Testing, (ET), Magnetic Particle testing (MP) and Visual Testing (VT). Of these, PAUT represents an advanced method of UT inspection, and uses a set of probes made up of multiple segments that can be individually computer- activated by the examiner. Each of the probes allows separate, staggered pulses, enabling NDE professionals to create a guided sound beam to sweep across the component collecting data and visualising the component’s inspected area.
Right:
The nuclear industry has moved beyond manual ultrasonic testing for volumetric examinations
28 | March 2024 |
www.neimagazine.com
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