Nondestructive evaluation of BWR internal attachment welds : Anon Electric Power Research, Institute, Palo Alto, California (United States), TR-101760, 56pp. (Dec. 1992)

Abstract

Some BWR RPV internal components are attached with welds that contain Inconel 182 and may be susceptible to IGSCC. Through fabrication and examination of attachment weld mockups, ultrasonic and eddy current NDE techniques were developed to detect and characterize cracking if it occurs. Crack detection reliability was high for both methods. Crack depths were measured ultrasonically within 0.03 inch of their intended fabrication depths. Position of the pad/base metal interface was measured within 0.01 inch of its true position, so that base metal penetration by the cracking can be assessed with only a 0.04-inch-wide band of uncertainty. Further work will use mockups with less optimized geometry and surface conditions.