Rod Bow Ultrasonic Measurements Possibilities

The ultrasonic (UT) measurements have a long history of utilization in the industry, also in the nuclear field. As the UT transducers are developing with the technology in their accuracy and radiation resistance, they could serve as a reliable tool for measurements of small but sensitive changes for the nuclear fuel assembly (FA) internals as the fuel rods are. The fuel rod bow is a phenomenon that may bring advanced problems as neglected or overseen. The quantification of this issue state and its probable progress may help to prevent the safety-related problems of nuclear reactors to occur—the excessive rod bow could, in the worst scenario, result in cladding disruption and then the release of actinides or even fuel particles to the coolant medium. Research Centre Rez has developed a tool, which could serve as a complementary system for standard postirradiation inspection programs for nuclear fuel assemblies. The system works in a contactless mode and reveals a 0.1 mm precision of measurements in both parallel (toward the probe) and perpendicular (sideways against the probe) directions.