Westinghouse Electric Company LLC

Thomas W Nenno

Warren R Junker

Conrad S Wyffels

Richard M Novotny

Qui V Le

Paul J Boone

Hermann O Lagally

Patrick M Minogue

Richard Fredenberg

Jeffrey Monaco

Rick D Rishel

Benjamin Bachman

Corey Adamonis

Ronald J Pocratsky

John C Lichauer

Daniel J Yaklich

Kyle M Flanigan

Daniel C Wood

A method of employing an eddy current sensor to perform an inspection of a tube of a steam generator involves accelerating and decelerating the eddy current sensor in a predetermined fashion that substantially reduces the likelihood of damage to the eddy current sensor. The reduction of probe stresses reduces radiological waste and reduces radiation exposure to workers involved in changing damaged probes The recording of an eddy current signal at each of a plurality of equally spaced apart locations along the tube permits the velocity of the eddy current sensor to be varied without compromising the validity of the data that has been recorded. The inspection system employs an encoder that outputs a series of signals as the probe is advanced incremental distances within the tube of the steam generator, and eddy current sensor signals are recorded responsive to at least some of the signals from the encoder.

Position-based sampling for eddy current inspection of steam generator tubes

An eddy current probe testing apparatus structured to operate concurrently in a driver pick-up mode and said impedance mode is provided. The eddy current probe has two coils. The eddy current probe testing apparatus also includes a signal producing device, an output device, and a switch assembly. The switch assembly is structured to switch how an input signal from the signal producing device is provided to the two coils. Thus, an inspection may be performed in two modes concurrently.

Inspection mode switching circuit

An eddy current probe testing apparatus structured to operate concurrently in a driver pick-up mode and said impedance mode is provided. The eddy current probe has two coils. The eddy current probe testing apparatus also includes a signal producing device, an output device, and a switch assembly. The switch assembly is structured to switch how an input signal from the signal producing device is provided to the two coils.

A method of synthesizing nondestructive examination data of a component that combines data sets acquired at least two different frequencies. At least one of the data sets is interpolated or extrapolated to the equivalent of data acquired at one of the other frequencies employing a third, reference set of eddy current inspection data that is acquired at each of the inspection frequencies being combined.

Eddy current data interpolation/extrapolation

An ultrasonic testing assembly structured to examine a test object, wherein the test object has a surface, and the examination examines the structure of the test object under the surface as well as the profile of the surface. The ultrasonic testing assembly includes a sled assembly structured to support a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, the sled assembly including at least one support member having a lower surface, at least one surface ultrasonic transducer coupled to the sled assembly and structured to extend below the support member lower surface and further structured to engage the test object surface, the surface ultrasonic transducer structured to examine internal structure of the test object and provide a first output, at least one profiling device coupled to the sled assembly, the profiling device structured to measure the profile of the test object surface and provide a second output, and a control device structured to correlate the first output and the second output and to calculate a corrected output.

Device and method for ultrasonic inspection using profilometry data

A method of synthesizing nondestructive examination data of a component including the steps of generating nondestructive examination data of the component in the field and separately generating nondestructive examination data of a specimen machined to simulate selected flaws in the component and combining portions of the specimen data with the field data in a combined data stream.

Eddy current data union

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Murrysville, PA, United States of America

Thomas W Nenno