In-Service Inspection

Abstract

In-service inspection is a more awkward exercise on sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFR) than on water reactors due to the sodium opacity, to its reactivity, to temperature and to the non-removable character of internal structures, which often lead to favour approaches from the outside. Superphenix developed a number of techniques, innovative at that time and very interesting for future reactors: the MIR robot for vessel weld inspection from the interspace between vessels, the ultrasonic sensors for the steam generator tube internal inspection, the video inspection of structures in argon covers, etc. A number of these techniques will be resumed and developed for Phenix safety reassessment and some proposals that had not resulted in a realization on an already built reactor could undoubtedly be taken over from the design stage on new reactors. Moreover a transient book keeping and monitoring had been introduced at Superphenix, in order to have the equipment rate of use continuous estimates.