ASTRID In Service Inspection and Repair: Review of R&D program and associated results

In the frame of the CEA / EDF / AREVA coordinated research program for the Generation IV sodium-cooled reactors, the improvement of in-service inspection and repair (ISI&R) capabilities was identified as a major issue. The future French demonstrator, ASTRID (Advanced Sodium Technological Reactor for Industrial Demonstration) is directly impacted. The Periodic Examination and Repair are looked at through the following main R&D axes: i) optimization of the plant structure design for easing periodic examination and repair, ii) development of inspection techniques (Non Destructive Testing tools and related simulation), iii) accessibility and associated robotics, and iv) development and validation of repair processes. The associated needs are being defined through an iterative work between designers and inspection specialists. They are mainly: adaptation of the Design to ISI&R capabilities and requirements, development of ultrasonic transducers and of some other NDT techniques (under sodium ultrasonic visualization) and of laser repair processes, and of robotic equipment. A review of the R&D efforts done in these fields is presented in this paper. (author)