Acoustic emission (AE) technology for continuous Evaluation of the flaw i_tdication showed that it could surveillance of a reactor component(s) to detect crack remain in place dur_g the subsequent fuel cycle withinitiation and/or crack growth has been developed at out compromising safety. The existence of this flaw Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL), operated by indication offered a long sought opportunity to validate Battelle Memorial Institute, under support from the AE surveillance to detect and evaluate crack growth U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Office of Nucle-during reactor operation. Through the cooperation and ar Regulatory Research (U. S. NRC-RES). The tech-support of PECO and the U. S. NRC-RES, AE instrunology was validated off-reactor in several major tests, mentation was installed by PNL and PECO under but it had not been validated by monitoring crack PECO Mod. No. 043.002 to monitor the flaw indication growth on an operating reactor system. A flaw indica-during two complete fuel cycles. This report discusses tion was identified during normal inservice inspection of the results obtained from the AE monitoring over the piping at Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO) Lira-period May 1989 to March 1992 (two fuel cycles). crick Unit 1 reactor during the 1989 refueling outage.
Acoustic emission CAE) moni toring of selected pressure bo u ndary areas at TVA ' s Watts Bar , Unit 1 Nuclear Power Plant d u ring hot functiona l preservice testing is descr i bed in t his report.The report deal s wi th background, methodology , and resu l ts .The work discussed here is a major milestone in a program s u p p orted by NRC to develop an d demonstrate application of AE moni toring for continuous surveil l ance of r eactor p ressure boundaries to detect and evaluate growing flaws.The subject work demonstrated that anticipated problem a r eas can be overcome.Work is continuing toward AE monitoring during reactor operation.
Th_sreport was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the United StatesGovernment. Neither the United States Government r'_orany agency thereof, nor Battelle Memorial Institute, _o.r any of their employee.s, makes any warranty, expres=ed or implied, or =,s=umes any legal li, ability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or Jssefulnessof any ;nforma_ion, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents thai itsuse would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or Battelle Memorial Institute. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof.
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