• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.19-25
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• 2011

Steam Generator(SG) tube is an important component of Nuclear Power Plant(NPP), which is the pressure boundary between the primary and secondary systems. The integrity of SG tube has been confirmed by the eddy current test every outage. The eddy current technique adopting bobbin probe is currently the primary technique for the steam generator tubing integrity assesment. The bobbin probe is one of the essential components which consist of the whole ECT examination system and provides us a decisive data for the evaluation of tube integrity. Until now, all of the ECT bobbin probes in Korea which is necessary to carry out inspection are imported from overseas. However, KHNP has recently developed the bobbin probe design technology and transferred it to domestic manufacturers to fabricate the probes. This study has been conducted to establish technical requirements applicable to the steam generator tube inspection using the bobbin probes fabricated by the domestic manufactures. The results have been compared with the results obtained by using foreign probe to identify the availability to the steam generator tube inspection. As a result, it is confirmed that the domestic bobbin probe is generally applicable to SG tube inspection in the NPPs.

• 한국정보통신설비학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.08a
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• pp.241-245
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• 2006

In the examination of Steam Generator (SG) tube in Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Eddy Current Testing (ECT) probes play an Important role in detecting the defects. Bobbin probe and Rotating Pancake Coil (RPC) probe is usually used for the inspection of SG tube. Bobbin probe is good at high speed inspection, but ability of detection of circumferential defect is very weak. On the contrary RPC probe, which moves for inspection in the direction of axial and circumferential simultaneously, has very slow inspection speed, but it was excellent detection capability fur small cracks, which is hardly detected by bobbin probe. Many examinations of SG tube examination of NPP are achieved during short period. Therefore, solution about this must develop probe of new form for examination performance and examination time shortening of other probe. In this paper, analyzed technological present condition of Bob-bin probe and RPC probe been using in Nondestructive Testing (NDT) for SG tube defect detection and Appeared about background theory and view of developed probe newly.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.403-410
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• 2006

Eddy current testing (ECT) signals produced by a differential bobbin coil probe vary according to probe design parameters such as the number of turns, geometry and coil gap size. In the present study, the characteristics of a differential bobbin coil probe signals are investigated by numerical simulation in order to determine the optimum coil gap. For verification of numerical simulation accuracy, a specially designed bobbin probe of which the coil gap can be adjusted is fabricated and a series of experiments to acquire signals from two kinds of standard tubes with the variation in coil gap is performed. Then, the experimental signals are compared to the simulation results. Based on this investigation, a decision on the optimum range of coil gap is made. The theoretically predicted signals agree very well to the experimental signals. In fact, this excellent agreement demonstrates a high potential of the simulation as a design optimization tool for ECT bobbin probes.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.89-96
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• 2007

The bobbin probe examination is basic and the important method among other ECT techniques for the steam generator tube integrity assesment that is practiced during each plant outage. The bobbin probe is one of the essential components which consist of the whole ECT examination system, and provides us a decisive data for the evaluation of tube integrity in compliance with acceptance criteria described in specific procedures. The selection of examination probe is especially important because the quality of acquired ECT data is determined by the probe design characteristics, such as geometry and operation frequency, and has enormous effects on examination results. In this study, An optimal differential bobbin probe is designed for the steam generator tube inspection in nuclear power plants(NPPs). Based on the test results for electrical and ECT signal characteristics, the prototype bobbin probe satisfies all the criteria.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2012

Two kinds of eddy current probes are mainly used to perform the steam generator tube integrity assesment in NPPs. The first one is the bobbin probe using for inspection of volumetric defect like a fretting wear. The second one is the rotating probe using for inspection of non-volumetric defect like a crack. The eddy current probe is one of the essential components which consist of the whole eddy current examination system, and provides a decisive data for the tube integrity in accordance with acceptance criteria described in specific procedures. The design of ECT probe is especially important to improve examination results because the quality of acquired ECT data is depended on the probe design characteristics, such as coil geometry, electrical properties, operation frequency. In this study, it is analyzed that the coil winding number of differential bobbin probe affects the electrical properties of the probe. Eddy current bobbin probes for the steam generator tubes in NPPs are designed and fabricated according to the results. Experiment shows that the change in coil winding number has much effects on the optimum inspection frequency determined by the tube geometry and material. Therefore, the coil winding number in bobbin probe is very important in the probe design. In this study, a basis of the coil winding number for the eddy current bobbin probe design for steam generator tubes in NPPs is established.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2005.07b
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• pp.1008-1010
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• 2005

In the examination of steam generator(SG) tube in nuclear power plant, eddy current testing probes play an important role in detecting the defects. Bobbin probe and MRPC probe is usually used for the inspection of SG tube. Bobbin probe is good at high speed inspection, but ability of detection of circumferential defect is very weak. On the contrary MRPC probe, which moves for inspection in the direction of axial and circumferential simultaneously, has very slow inspection speed, but it has excellent detection capability for small cracks, which is hardly detected by bobbin probe. In this paper, for the accurate analysis of experimental ECT signals, construction of MRPC probe signals database according to the variation of defect size is the main purpose. Using 3-D finite element method, ECT signals are analyzed, and signals analysis add according to frequency ingredient. The results, which are analysis and characteristics ion of electromagnetism simulation signals, is databased.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2009

Steam Generator(SG) tube is an important component of Nuclear Power Plant(NPP), which comprises of the pressure boundary of primary system. The integrity of SG tube has been confirmed by the eddy current test every outage. In Korea, Bobbin probe and MRPC probe have been generally used for the eddy current test. Meanwhile the usage of Array probe has gradually increased in U.S., Japan and other countries. In this study, we investigated the defect detection capability of the Array probe through its preliminary application to SG tube inspection. The Array probe has the equivalent capability in the defect detection and sizing as the conventional methods. Thus it is desirable that the Array probe is generally applied to SG tube inspection in the domestic NPPs.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.50 no.7
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• pp.1160-1167
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• 2018

Detectability of the loose parts (LPs) in steam generator (SG) was studied with eddy current testing technique such as X-probe, bobbin and rotating coils ($MRPC^{(R)}$) as a function of LP size and spacing between LP and tube or between LP and support structures. SG mockup simulating SG tube and support structures with LP was fabricated. The X-probe showed slightly better detectability than $MRPC^{(R)}$ for LP of ferrous (F-LP) material and vice versa for LP of nonferrous (NF-LP) material. In terms of feasibility, inspection rate and other predictable features of the SG tubing inspections, X-probe can be used reliably for monitoring the LPs and the flaws formed by LPs on SG tubes.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.29-33
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• 2008

As the measures of nuclear power plant utilities and manufacturers to reduce the defects of tube expansion region during manufacturing steam generators, many types of NDEs(Non-Destructive Examinations) are conducted to inspect the expansion region. The expansion region of tube is subject to degrade because of stress concentration induced by tube expansion, sludge pile and high temperature. So the inspections for tube expansion region have been reinforced. Liquid penetrant test, helium leak test, Bobbin profile test and hydraulic test are performed to confirm the integrity of tube expanded by hydraulic expansion method. Liquid penetrant test and helium leak test are used to inspect seal weld region on tubesheet end part. Bobbin Profile test is used to inspect fully the expanded region of steam generator tube. Hydraulic test finally verifies the integrity of seal weld region on tubesheet end part.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.225-235
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• 2010

There are many types of the geometric transitions such as dent, bulge, protrusion, expansion, etc, on the inner and outer surfaces of heat exchanger tubes, steam generator tubes, and condenser tubes of nuclear power plants. Such geometric transition causes a local residual stress in heat exchanger tubes and acts as a structural factor accelerating the evolution of defects, in particular stress corrosion cracks. In the conventional eddy current test methods, the bobbin coil profilometry can provide 2-dimensional geometric information on the variation of the average inner diameter along the tube length, but the 3-dimensional distribution and the quantitative size of a local geometric transition existing in the tube cannot be measured. In this paper, a new eddy current probe, developed for the 3-dimensional profile measurement, is introduced and its superior performance is compared with that from the conventional bobbin coil profilometry for the various types of geometric transition. Also, the accuracy of the probe for the quantitative profile measurement is verified by comparing the results with that from the laser profilometry. It is expected that the new eddy current probe and techniques can be effectively used for an optimization of the tube expansion process, and the management of tubes with geometric transitions in service.