Biennial activity report of the Division for PIE and NDT Development [for years] 1989-1990

This is the first biennial report of the Division for Post-Irradiation Examination and Non-Destructive Testing (DPEND) of the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam. It covers the research and development (R and D) activities of the Division during 1989 and 1990. The R and D activities of the Division are both multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. The principal areas of R and D of DPEND are post-irradiation examination of fuel and structural materials, irradiation experiments, non-destructive evaluation for material characterisation, quality assurance and inservice inspection, failure investigations, remote technology etc. These R and D activities are reported in the form of extended summaries arranged under the headings: research and development in non-destructive evaluation, material characterisation, instrumentation, development of techniques, software development, mechanical equipment and systems (development and commissioning), inspections, and failure analysis. Some of the highlights of these activities are : (1)setting up of a radio metallurgy laboratory with hot cells with recirculating nitrogen gas environment to facilitate post-irradiation examination of the carbide fuel of the Fast Breeder Test Reactor. (FBTR), (2) development of the remote milling and drilling machine and development of pressurised capsules for irradiation creep measurement experiments in FBTR, (b) fabrication of non-destructive testing (NDT) reference standards with controlled defects for use in Nuclear Fuel Complex, Hyderabad. There are a number of appendices listing publications, conference paper, invited talks, internal reports etc. by the scientists of the Division and also awards/prizes won by the scientists. A staff-chart of the Division is also given. (M.G.B.)