Evaluation of Interface Defects in Inaccessible Reactor Shrink Fit Nozzle Welds Using Ultrasonic Waves

This study proposes an effective method to inspect inaccessible nuclear power reactor head nozzles using interface waves that propagate along the shrink fit boundary of a reactor head. The reactor head is relatively thick, which makes it difficult to inspect from the outside by conventional ultrasonic testing. However, interface waves can propagate a long distance from a fixed transducer position. The inside of the nuclear reactor has limited access due to the high radiation, so the transducers are located outside the nuclear reactor head, and interface waves propagate into the nuclear reactor to detect defects. A numerical simulation and experiments were carried out to validate the method. Various defect cases that simulate field failures are also presented, and the proposed technique shows satisfactory defect classification.