New eddy current testing system in steam generator tubes

Eddy Current Testing (ECT) technique is applied to PWR Steam Generator (SG) tubes during refueling outage inspection. Bobbin type probe is generally used for the inspection, but it cannot provide sufficient detectability for very tight cracks. NEL, R/D Tech (Canada) and AECL (Canada) jointly developed new ECT probe. The probe is transmit and receive type array probe. It has axial defect detection mode and circumferential defect detection mode. Its inspection speed is as fast as conventional bobbin probe, and detectability performance is same or better than performance of rotating pancake coil (RPC) probe, which is used for detailed inspection. As a tester of the new probe, we have developed new ECT tester TC7700. It is able to transmit composite wave from the 4 independent oscillators (simultaneous excitation system) compared with the conventional inspection system. As regarding for field inspection system, we have integrated Zetec (USA) probe positioner, probe pusher and R/D Tech TC7700. We are also developing new analysis software. The software has automated data screening function, which can deal with large amount of data compared with conventional bobbin probe. We plan to perform a large-scale field trial using the probe and new system in near future. (author)