In-Situ Test of High Temperature Pipes in Nuclear Power Plant (UltraHotTest)

核电厂高温管道原位测试（UltraHotTest）UltraHotTest是一种独特的新型传感器系统，用于评估核电厂高温蒸汽管道的状况。老化的核电站是一个日益严重的全球性问题，75%的反应堆处于设计寿命的后半期，许多核电站需要延长寿命。需要高度的维护以保持老化设备的管道系统安全运行。管道故障可能是灾难性的和昂贵的（约。1亿英镑）。日益增加的安全和环境法规要求更频繁的检查，以减轻意外故障或不安全条件的风险。然而，目前的检测技术要么不准确，要么只能在室温下工作，因此需要昂贵的停机（每天价值100万英镑的能量不可用）来执行检测。UltraHotTest将使用一种新型高温超声相控阵（PA）探头结合飞行时间衍射（TOFD）技术，在高达580°C（英国AGR电厂过热蒸汽管道的最高工作温度）的温度范围内提供准确可靠的探伤和监测。这种高温组合式PATOFD系统已开发到初始原型阶段，并在580°C（TRL6）下进行了实验室验证。这个“首创”（FOAK）项目的目标是首次在英国AGR发电厂的过热蒸汽管道（SHSP）上部署该技术。该项目将分两个阶段进行。第一阶段将为UltraHotTest系统的商业部署制定详细的商业计划，证明该系统的市场可行性。第二阶段将在英国AGR工厂进行部署。这将需要设计和建造高温相控阵探头，将系统集成到适合安装在运行电厂的涡轮机蒸汽供应管道上的原型中，并提供现场服务，以安全地进行部署，并将对电厂运行的干扰降至最低。这些FOAK试验将证明客户的利益，为该技术的商业化铺平道路。UltraHotTest将降低核能发电的成本并提高其安全性。它将通过减少故障和停机时间来提高运营商的盈利能力，每年为英国核电行业节省5600万英镑。它具有开发4000万英镑新收入的商业潜力，5年内累计利润为2500万英镑，为该财团领导的中小企业创造75个新工作岗位，投资回报率为20：1。

In-Situ Test of High Temperature Pipes in Nuclear Power Plant (UltraHotTest) UltraHotTest is a unique new sensor system for assessing the condition of high temperature steam pipes used in nuclear power generation plant. Ageing nuclear plants are an increasing problem globally, with 75% of reactors in the last half of their design life and many plants subject to lifetime extension. A high degree of maintenance is required to keep the pipe-work of ageing plants operating safely. Pipe failures can be catastrophic and expensive (ca. £100M per event). Increasing safety and environmental regulation requires more frequent inspection to mitigate risks of unplanned failure or unsafe conditions. However, current inspection techniques are either inaccurate or only work at room temperature, thus requiring expensive shutdown (energy unavailability worth £1M per day) to perform the inspection. UltraHotTest will use a novel high temperature ultrasonic phased array (PA) probe combined with Time of Flight Diffraction (TOFD) to provide accurate and reliable flaw detection and monitoring up to 580°C, the maximum operating temperature of super-heated steam pipes in UK AGR power plant. This high temperature combined PATOFD system has been developed to an initial prototype stage and laboratory validated at 580°C (TRL6). The objective of this “First Of A Kind” (FOAK) project is to deploy the technology, for the first time, on super-heated steam pipes (SHSP) in a UK AGR power plant. The project will be conducted in two phases. Phase 1 will develop a detailed business plan for commercial deployment of the UltraHotTest system, demonstrating market viability of the system. Phase 2 will deliver the deployment at a UK AGR plant. This will entail the design and construction of high temperature phased array probes, system integration into a prototype suitable for installation on turbine steam supply pipe-work in operational power plant, and on-site services to conduct the deployment safely and with minimum disruption to plant operation. These FOAK trials will demonstrate customer benefits, paving the way for commercialisation of the technology. UltraHotTest will reduce the cost of nuclear electricity generation and improve its safety. It will improve the profitability of operators by reducing failures and downtime, saving the UK nuclear power industry £56M p.a. It has commercial potential to develop new revenues of £40M with a profit of £25M cumulative within 5 years, creating 75 new jobs for the SME led the consortium and ROI of 20:1.