Inspection of Extruded Aluminium components in Special Nuclear Materials Storage Facilities

英国的钚储存在安全的储存设施内的不锈钢容器中。在一个这样的设施中，包裹被水平地储存在铝储存管内的轨道上，作为将包裹与外部冷却空气分开的二级密封屏障。铝管的完整性需要得到令人满意的证明，这样才能支持运行寿命的假设。本项目旨在确定和发展一种检查铝储存管的方法。此外，由于对存储环境的访问受到限制，研究还将考虑远程部署无损评估（NDE）技术的方法。该项目将研究几种无损检测技术，包括超声波（主要使用电磁声换能器（EMATs））、涡流检测和热成像。所选择的技术将适合任何访问要求，并将进行评估和开发，以识别和量化可能存在的任何完整性问题。通过使用几种技术，可以使用数据融合来获得对任何缺陷的更可靠的度量。该项目最初将与epsrc资助的无损评估研究中心（RCNDE）资助的一个为期两年的项目一起运行，RCNDE正在与斯特拉斯克莱德大学的研究人员合作，研究EMATs在机器人爬行器上的应用。有可能将其扩展到携带其他有效载荷。超声波小组通过位于华威大学的工业超声波中心（CIU）和RCNDE与工业界密切合作。Joe将通过会议向业界展示研究成果，并准备在《应用物理快报》和《无损检测与电子国际》等期刊上发表研究成果，这些成果将在公共领域获得批准。作为为期4年的iCASE项目的一部分，Joe预计将在NNL和/或Sellafield Ltd度过至少3个月的时间，这将使他有机会体验工业环境中的研究，并了解所开发技术的工作条件。

The UK's stock of plutonium is stored in stainless steel containers within secure storage facilities. In one such facility the packages are stored horizontally on rails within aluminium storage tubes which act as the secondary containment barrier separating the packages from the external cooling air. The integrity of the aluminium tubes needs to be satisfactorily demonstrated so that operational lifetime assumptions can be underpinned. This project seeks to identify and develop a method of inspecting the aluminium storage tubes. In addition the research will also consider methods for remote deployment of the non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique since access to the storage environment is restricted.The project will investigate several NDE techniques, including ultrasound (primarily using electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs)), eddy current inspection, and thermography. The techniques chosen will fit any access requirements, and will be assessed and developed for identifying and quantifying any integrity issues which may be present. By using several techniques it is possible to use data fusion to obtain a more reliable measure of any defects. The project will initially run alongside a two-year project funded by the EPSRC-funded Research Centre for Non-Destructive Evaluation (RCNDE), which is investigating implementation of EMATs onto robotic crawlers, in collaboration with researchers at the University of Strathclyde. There is the potential to extend this to carry other payloads.The ultrasound group works closely with industry through the Centre for Industrial Ultrasonics (CIU) based at Warwick, and RCNDE. Joe will present research results to industry through their meetings, as well as preparing work for publication in journals such as Applied Physics Letters and NDT & E International, subject to approval of results being in the public domain. As part of the 4-year funded iCASE project Joe will be expected to spend at least 3 months at NNL and or Sellafield Ltd, which will give him the opportunity to experience research in an industrial environment, and see the conditions in which the developed techniques will work.