A PULSED EDDY CURRENT TECHNIQUE FOR MEASURING CLAD THICKNESS. Metallurgy Program 12.1.2
A pulsed eddy current technique for measuring the cladding thicknesses of reactor fuel elements is described. Special emphasis has been put on the measurement of zirconium cladding. In this technique an electromagnetic field is applied at the surface of the clad fuel element by means of a probe coil. Whenever the waves enco nter a sudden discontinuity, such as an interface,''echoes'' are produced. The same probe coil is used for sending the electromagnetic radiation and receiving the echces. The echo received from the front surface of the specimen is balanced out by means of a bridge circuit. The echo from the clad core interface contains formation concerning the thickness of the clad. The echo has a positive peak followed by a small negative peak. The ''crossing point'' between the positive and negative peak or the amplitude of the echo can be used to determine clad thickness. One of the difficult problems with this technique is the extreme sensitivity to variations in probe-to-metal spacing. Methods for eliminating or minimizing this effect have been tried, with some success. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Argonne National Lab., Lemont, Ill.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-31-109-ENG-38
- NSA Number:
- NSA-12-016337
- OSTI ID:
- 4298430
- Report Number(s):
- ANL-5614
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-58
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Automated system for assessing the cladding thickness and bond integrity of tubular nuclear fuel elements
Acceptance testing of the eddy current probes for measurement of aluminum hydroxide coating thickness on K West Basin fuel elements