Robotic inspection of dry storage casks for spent nuclear fuel

C. J. Lissenden, S. Choi, H. Cho, A. Motta, K. Hartig, X. Xiao, S. Le Berre, S. Brennan, K. Reichard, R. Leary, B. McNelly, I. Jovanovic

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

Extended dry storage of spent nuclear fuel makes it desirable to assess the structural integrity of the storage canisters. Stress corrosion cracking of the stainless steel canister is a potential degradation mode especially in marine environments. Sensing technologies are being developed with the aim of detecting the presence of chloride-bearing salts on the surface of the canister as well as whether cracks exist. Laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) methods for the detection of Chlorine are presented. Detection of a notch oriented either parallel or perpendicular to the shear horizontal wave vector is demonstrated using the pulse-echo mode, which greatly simplifies the robotic delivery of the noncontact electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs). Robotic delivery of both EMATs and the LIBS system is necessary due to the high temperature and radiation environment inside the cask where the measurements need to be made. Furthermore, the space to make the measurement is very constrained and maneuverability is confined by the geometry of the storage cask. In fact, a large portion of the canister surface is inaccessible due to the presence of guide channels on the inside of the cask's overpack, which is strong motivation for using guided waves for crack detection. Among the design requirements for the robotic system are: to localize and track where sensor measurements are made to enable return to those locations, to avoid wedging or jamming of the robot, and to tolerate high temperatures and radiation levels.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationMaterials and Fabrication
PublisherAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
ISBN (Electronic)9780791850435
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2016
EventASME 2016 Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference, PVP 2016 - Vancouver, Canada
Duration: Jul 17 2016Jul 21 2016

Publication series

NameAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers, Pressure Vessels and Piping Division (Publication) PVP
Volume6B-2016
ISSN (Print)0277-027X

Other

OtherASME 2016 Pressure Vessels and Piping Conference, PVP 2016
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityVancouver
Period7/17/167/21/16

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Mechanical Engineering

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Robotic inspection of dry storage casks for spent nuclear fuel'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this