Applicability of eddy current technique in in-bore NDT tool for ITER hydraulic pipe welds

Abstract

Eddy current testing (ECT) is a potential candidate for non-destructive testing of pipe welds in fusion facilities because of its simple configuration and applicability in radiation environments. This paper provides an applicability assessment of the ECT method to detect weld defects in the ITER blanket module hydraulic pipes. We found that ECT is not only effective for detecting surface defects, but may also be able to detect defects from the opposite side of test objects by optimizing the measurement conditions of the probe (frequency and coil size), especially in cases of cracks or weld imperfections along the weld line.