1AREVA - NDE Solutions, Chalon sur Saone, Bourgogne, France
Nuclear industry plays an important role in today’s economic activity. It allows to both produce a large amount of energy and to comply with the consensus on climate change regarding the reduction of greenhouse gas emission.
Safety is an essential aspect of nuclear power plants and a particular attention has been given to inspection techniques deployed to ensure the safe and good operation of our nuclear reactors. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) techniques based on ultrasound are very commonly used to inspect the integrity of nuclear reactors. This talk aims at introducing some of the techniques that are presently used on site and the R&D that will be needed for the future.
The first part will therefore present some of the automated ultrasonic inspections carried out on the primary components of so called Generation 3 reactors. This kind of reactor consists in the majority of those used in today’s nuclear reactor park.
The second part of the talk will present the perspectives for NDT in the nuclear industry with tomorrow’s Generation 4 reactors. These sodium-cooled reactors will require new ultrasonic transducers capable of surviving in a very severe environment, while still providing quality acoustic performances.