CURRENT NDT ACTIVITIES AT CEKMECE NUCLEAR
RESEARCH AND TRAINING CENTER
Ekinci S.
Turkish Atomic Energy Authority, Istanbul, Turkey
ABSTRACT
Nondestructive testing (NDT) activities at Çekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center (CNAEM) has been initiated in the Industrial Application Department of the Center which was established in 1976 as the Radioisotope Applications Group for Industry. The Department started its first NDT activity with industrial radiography. The NDT activities have been developed by the support of various national (State Planning Organization (DPT)) and international (IAEA and UNDP) projects. Today, there are five basic NDT techniques (radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle, liquid penetrant and eddy current) used in the Industrial Application Department. The Department arranges routinly NDT qualification courses
projects and gives NDT services in the laboratory and in the field. Digital radiography and digital ultrasonic techniques are being used in advanced NDT applications. This paper describes the NDT activities of CNAEM.
WHAT IS NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING (NDT)?
Nondestructive testing (NDT) has been defined as comprising those test methods used to examine an object, material or system without impairing its future usefulness. The term is generally applied to nonmedical investigations of material integrity. Nondestructive testing is used to investigate the material integrity of the test object. A number of other technologies - for instance, radio astronomy, voltage and amperage measurement and rheometry (flow measurement) - are nondestructive but are not used to evaluate material properties specifically. Nondestructive testing is concerned in a practical way with the performance of the test piece - how long may the piece be used and when does it need to be checked again? Radar and sonar are classified as nondestructive testing when used to inspect dams, for instance, but not when they are used to chart a river bottom.
PURPOSES OF NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
Nondestructive tests in great variety are in worldwide use to detect variations in structure, minute changes in surface finish, the presence of cracks or other physical discontinuities, to measure the thickness of materials and coatings and to determine other characteristics of industrial products.
Modern nondestructive tests are used by manufacturers (1) to ensure product integrity, and in turn, reliability; (2) to avoid failures, prevent accidents and save human life; (3) to make a profit for the user; (4) to ensure customer satisfaction and maintain the manufacturer's reputation; (5) to aid in better product design; (6) to control manufacturing processes; (7) to lower manufacturing costs; (8) to maintain uniform quality level; and (9) to ensure operational readiness.
CLASSIFICATION OF NDT METHODS
Nondestructive testing is a branch of the materials sciences that is concerned with all aspects of the uniformity, quality and serviceability of materials and structures. The science of nondestructive testing incorporates all the technology for detection and measurement of significant properties, including discontinuities, in items ranging from research specimens to finished hardware and products. By definition, nondestructive techniques are the means by which materials and structures may be inspected without disruption or impairment of serviceability.
NDT methods can be classified into Volume Oriented Methods and Surface Oriented Methods:
Volume Oriented Methods: - Radiography
- Resonant Analysis - Sound Emission - Thermography - Ultrasonic
Surface Oriented Methods: - Dye Penetrant
- Eddy Current - Magnetic Particle - Visual Inspection
DISCONTINUITY DETECTION
Nondestructive testing is not confined to crack detection. Other discontinuities include porosity, wall thinning from corrosion and many sorts of disbonds. Nondestructive material characterization is a growing field concerned with material properties including material identification and microstructural characteristics - such as resin curing, case hardening and stress - that have a direct influence on the service life of the test object. Nondestructive testing has also been defined by listing or classifying the various methods. This approach is practical in that it typically highlights methods in use by industry.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION DEPARTMENT OF CNAEM
The Industrial Application Department was established in 1976 as the Radioisotope Applications Group for Industry. The Department started its first NDT activity with industrial radiography. Today there 5 basic NDT methods and 2 advanced NDT methods used in the Department. The Department has three major activities: Nondestructive Testing, Nuclear Analysis and Process Control. There are 12 people working in the Department. The NDT group has 8 engineers and one technician. The activitiy scheme of the Department is shown in Figure 1.
S | TURKISH ATOMIC ENERGY AUTHORITY 3EKM ECE NUCLEAR RESEARCH AND TRAINING CENTER
ACTIVITIES OF INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION DEPARTMENT
r
1Nuclear Analysis Nondestructive Testing Process Control
. _L
n
Gamma Spectrometry EDXRF Basic NDT Methods Advance NDT Methods Services
'Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) 'Natural Activity Analysis Energy dispersive X-Ray Flourçscence Analysis 'Radiography 'Ultrasonic 'Magnetic particle 'Liquid penetrant 'Eddy Current
'Digital Industrial Radiography
'Digital Ultrasonic *Level Measurement 'Digital Magnetic Particle
-Domestic projects (DPT, Universities) -IAEA Projects
-Service to Industry and other establishments -Illicit material analysis -Research and Development
T
-R&D
-Service to Industry and other establishments -Projects!DPT ve IAEA) -Training 'Montage ve demontagej of Level Measurement Sources 'Calibration of Level Measurement Systems 'Density Measurement 'Density and Coating Thickness Measurement!
j
P.K. 1 Atatürk Havalimanı, 34831 Istanbul Tel: (0212) 548 40 50 Faks: (0212) 548 22 30
Fig. 1. Activities of the Industrial Application Department
NDT METHODS USED IN THE INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION DEPARTMENT There are basic and advanced NDT methods used in the Industrial Applivation Department Basic NDT Methods:
- Radiography (Figure 2a)
- Ultrasonic (Figure 2b)
Digital NDT:
- Digital Radiography
o Fluoroscopy ( Figure 3a)
o Laser Film Scanner (Film Digitization) (Figure 3b)
- Digital Ultrasonic (5 Axis Free Scanner, A-, B- and C-Scan) (Figure 4)
c
Fig. 2. Basic NDT systems
Fig. 4. Digital ultrasonic system
PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN THE INDUSTRIAL APPLICATION DEPARTMENT The projects carried out in the Industrial Application Department are mainly supported by Turkish State Planning Organization (DPT) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The following projects have been and are still carried out in the Department:
- Industrial Application of Isotopes: DPT 78 DO 80050, 1978-1988
- Development of Nondestructive Testing within the Nuclear Research and Training Center of the TAEA: TUR/87/016, UNDP-IAEA Technical Cooperation, 1987-1990
- QA&QC in the Nuclear Programme: DPT 87 K 120280,1987-1991
- Validation of Protocols for Corrosion and Deposit Measurement in Pipes by radiography: TUR/9657, IAEA Research Contract, 1987-1990
- Development of Advanced NDT Techniques: DPT 97 K 120 240, 1997-2005
- QA&QC of Nuclear Power Plant: DPT 98K 120 280, 1998-2002
- Establishment of Advanced NDT Techniques and Accreditation of NDT Laboratory: IAEA TUR/8/015, 2001-2004
- Validation of Protocols for Corrosion and Deposit Evaluation in Large Diameter Pipes by Radiography: TUR/12115, IAEA Research Contract:, 2002-2004
NDT TRAINING ACTIVITIES
In 1987, IAEA experts trained the NDT staff of Industrial Application Department on five basic NDT techniques (RT, UT, MT, PT, ET) for Level 1, 2, 3 according to ISO 9712 standart and IAEA tecdoc 628 guideline. Participants from industry have been trained on NDT techniques by the department staff since 1988. The number of participants between 1988 and 2003 is given in Table 1.
Table 1. Number of NDT participants between 1988 and 2003 ^''-'M çthod
Level
Radiography Ultrasonic Surface Methods Eddy
Current
Mag.Part. Dye Penet.
1 160 156 117 99 101
2 101 104 72 62 32
Subtotal 261 260 189 161 133
TOTAL: 1004
Some pictures from the NDT training courses are shown in Figure 5.
a b
Fig. 5. NDT training activities
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ON NDT
The Industrial Application Department carries out research and development activities in frame of the above projects. Main working fields are material characterization by ultrasonic, inspection of concrete, investigation of thin objects by electron emission method and validation of protocols for corrosion and deposit determination in pipes by radiographic methods. Software development for radiographic image processing and development of an automatic manupulated digital ultrasonic sytem are the tasks of the advanced NDT activities.
NDT SERVICE
NDT service is given on field and in the laboratory. Most common customers are casting and steel manufacturers, petrochemical facilities, manufacturers of power plant components, automotive industry, etc.
CONCLUSIONS
With its qualified and experienced staff, the Industrial Application Department of CNAEM is in leader position on NDT activities in Turkey. Most of the staff was on the job training in the European institutions. Digital radiography and digital ultrasonic testing systems have been established. Further development of advanced NDT techniques and its training are the future goals of the Department.
