AREVA successfully utilized its new Ultrasonic Dual Blade Probe for reactor vessel head nozzle inspections at Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) Watts Bar-2 nuclear facility in eastern Tennessee in early December.
The new probe incorporates what previously required two probes, reducing inspection time while exceeding single probe accuracy. As a result, AREVA completed the inspections of 73 control rod drive mechanism nozzles at Watts Bar-2 one day ahead of schedule at a rate of eight nozzles per 12-hour period.
This project is a strategic example of AREVA’s NDE (Non-Destructive Examination) Solutions division leveraging its worldwide expertise to launch another successful new technology. AREVA’s Technical Center in France (Intercontrôle) developed the new probe, and the company’s Training Center in Lynchburg, Va., performed the final proof-of-concept and field hardening testing.
“AREVA's new Ultrasonic Dual Blade Probe is a testament to our ongoing innovation and dedication to meeting our customers' needs,” said AREVA Inc. Chief Operating Officer Mike Rencheck. “The new dual probe demonstrates our commitment to safety and quality and our global capabilities.”
Other benefits of the new probe include:
- Dose savings of up to 40%
- Data reporting of inspection results in half the time
- Scan speed remaining the same as both the axial and circumferential inspection data can be obtained simultaneously
- No additional specialty tooling is required
The dual-probe data acquisition and data transfer to customer was greatly improved with no loss of data quality.