A Study on 3-Dimensional Profilometry of Steam Generator Tube Using a New Eddy Current Probe

Abstract

There are many types of the geometric transitions such as dent, bulge, protrusion, expansion, etc, on the inner and outer surfaces of heat exchanger tubes, steam generator tubes, and condenser tubes of nuclear power plants. Such geometric transition causes a local residual stress in heat exchanger tubes and acts as a structural factor accelerating the evolution of defects, in particular stress corrosion cracks. In the conventional eddy current test methods, the bobbin coil profilometry can provide 2-dimensional geometric information on the variation of the average inner diameter along the tube length, but the 3-dimensional distribution and the quantitative size of a local geometric transition existing in the tube cannot be measured. In this paper, a new eddy current probe, developed for the 3-dimensional profile measurement, is introduced and its superior performance is compared with that from the conventional bobbin coil profilometry for the various types of geometric transition. Also, the accuracy of the probe for the quantitative profile measurement is verified by comparing the results with that from the laser profilometry. It is expected that the new eddy current probe and techniques can be effectively used for an optimization of the tube expansion process, and the management of tubes with geometric transitions in service.