Application of the magnetic saturation method for eddy-current inspection of spent fuel elements from fast reactors

Abstract

Experimental results illustrating the effectiveness of the magnetic saturation method in eddy-current inspection of spent fuel elements with cladding made of austenitic steel (ChS-68) and ferritic-martensitic steels (ÉP-450, ÉP-823) are presented. It is shown that decreasing and stabilizing the magnetic permeability of the cladding material greatly improve the quality of nondestructive inspections of standard and experimental fuel elements of fast reactors which are currently operating (BOR-60, BN-600) or being designed (BREST OD-300). © Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2007.