CEGB automated inspection procedure of the PISC II PWR inlet nozzle

In July 1983 a team led by the CEGB NDT Applications Centre carried out a sophisticated, highly automated ultrasonic examination of PISC (Programme for the Inspection of Steel Components) II Plate No. 3, the Westinghouse PWR inlet nozzle specimen. The inspection examined the weld for both longitudinal and transverse defects using probes scanning on the bore of the nozzle and on both the inner and the outer surfaces of the vessel. The nozzle bore was inspected for defects to a depth of about 40 mm below the clad surface. This paper gives a brief summary of the essential features of the procedure, discusses the practical implementation of the inspection and outlines the results. (author)