• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.65-69
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• 2011

This paper introduces the multi-coil eddy current sensor and its characteristic in magnetic material gas turbine rotor. In the past, magnetic particle inspection method was used for qualitative defect evaluation in magnetic material gas turbine rotor. And the ultrasonic inspection method was used for quantitative defect evaluation. Nowadays, eddy current method is used in magnetic gas turbine rotor inspection due to advanced sensor design technology. We developed multi-coil eddy current sensor for the rotor dovetail inspection. At first, rotor stress is analyzed for the determination of sensor position and number. The sensor coils are designed to cover the stress concentration area of rotor dovetail. We select optimum frequency according to material standard penetration data and experiment results. The rotor mock-up and artificial defects were made for the signal detection and resolution analysis of multi-coil eddy current sensor. The results show that signal detection and resolution capabilities are enhanced in comparison to the commercialized sensor enough for the gas turbine rotor inspection. So, this developed multi-coil eddy current sensor substituted for commercialized one and it applied in real gas turbine rotor inspection.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.63-67
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• 2010

This paper introduces the eddy current signal characteristic of magnetic and non-magnetic gas turbine rotor. In the past, Magnetic particle inspection method was used in magnetic material for qualitative defect evaluation and the ultrasonic test method was used for quantitative evaluation. Nowadays, eddy current method is used in magnetic gas turbine rotor inspection due to advanced sensor design technology. We are studying on the magnetic gas turbine rotor by using eddy current method. We prepared diverse depth specimens made by magnetic and non-magnetic materials. We select optimum frequency according to material standard penetration data and experiment results. We got the signal on magnetic and non-magnetic material about 0.2 mm, 05 mm, 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm 2.0 mm and 2.5 mm depth defects and compare the signal amplitude and signal trend according to defect depth and frequency. The results show that signal amplitudes of magnetic are bigger than non-magnetic material and the trends are similar on every defect depth and frequency. The detection and resolution capabilities of eddy current are more effective in magnetic material than in non-magnetic materials. So, the eddy current method is effective inspection method on magnetic gas turbine rotor. And it has the merits of time saving and simple procedure by elimination of the ultrasonic inspection in traditional inspection method.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2017

Eddy current array (ECA) technology provides the ability to electronically scan without mechanical scanning for a footprint of probe that consists of several eddy current coils arranged side-by-side and two dimensionally. Compared to single-coil eddy current technology, the ECA technology has a higher inspection speed and reliability because a large area can be covered in a single-probe pass and the obtained images can facilitate data interpretation. In this study, we developed an eddy current array probe with $2{\times}16$ coil arrays and a multiplexer that can select transmit-receive coils sequentially and operate in transmit-receive mode. Surface inspection was performed using this probe for specimens that had various flaws and the characteristics of transmit-receive mode ECA technology was studied through an analysis of the obtained eddy current signals and C-scan images.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.258-267
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• 2015

Eddy current testing is widely used for inspecting steam generator tubing in nuclear power plants (NPPs). The inspection technique for steam generator tubing in NPPs should be qualified in accordance with examination guidelines. When the components of a qualified system such as eddy current tester, probe, and data analysis program, are changed, the equivalency of the modified system to the originally qualified system must be verified. The eddy current tester is the most important part of an eddy current testing system because it excites and transmits alternating currents to the probe, receives coil impedance of the probe and generates signals for anomalies. The Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co., Ltd. (KHNP) developed an eddy current testing system with an eddy current tester and data acquisition-analysis program for inspecting the steam generator tubing in NPPs; this system can be used for an array probe and as a bobbin and rotating probes. The equivalency assessment for the currently developed system was carried out, and we describe the results in this paper.

• Journal of Power System Engineering
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.60-64
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• 2010

This paper introduces reliability improvement and time saving in eddy current inspection by signal characteristic optimization of multi-coil eddy current array probe. In the past, Multi-coil array probe and single probe were used for the gas turbine rotor surface inspection & defect evaluation. The multi-coil array probe was used for the broad area inspection. But the signal deviations among multi-coil array probe are maximum 28% in commercial probe. This differences were considered to impedance differences among coils, so it is very difficult to evaluate exact defect size. The signal deviations among multi-coil array probe are maximum 28% in commercial probe. So, single coil inspection was used for exact defect sizing. The purpose of this study is to improve signal deviations of multi-coil array probe. The introduced new technology can improves this deviation by adjusting input voltage in each coil. At first, apply same voltage in each coil and collect signal amplitude of each coil. And calculate new input voltage based on signal amplitude of each coil. If the signal amplitude deviation is within 5% among multi-coil array probe, the signal amplitude of multi-coil array probe is reliable. The proposed technology gives 2% signal deviation among multi-coil array probe. The proposed new technology gives reliability improvement and inspection time saving in eddy current inspection.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.199-206
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• 2015

Regular high-strength carbon steel is currently the most commonly used pipe material for onshore and offshore pipelines. The corrosion of offshore pipelines is a major problem as they age. The collapse of these structures as a result of corrosion may have a heavy cost is lives and assets. Therefore, their monitoring and screening is a high priority for maintenance, which may ensure the integrity and safety of a structure. Monitoring risers and subsea pipelines effectively can be accomplished using eddy current inspection to detect the average remaining wall thickness of corroded low-alloy carbon steel pipelines through corrosion scaling, paint, coating, and concrete. A test specimen for simulating the offshore pipeline is prepared as a standard specimen for an analysis and experiment with differential bobbin eddy current sensors. Using encircling coils, the signals for the defect in the simulated specimen are analyzed and evaluated in experiments. Differential bobbin eddy current sensors can diagnose the defects in a specimen, and experiments have been carried out using the developed bobbin eddy current sensor. As a result, the most optimum coil parameters were selected for designing differential bobbin eddy current sensors.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.306-312
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• 2017

Press rolls are constantly exposed to physical and heat stresses on their surface and are prone to crack, bruise, and spall if the accumulated stress goes beyond the critical point. Such surface phenomenon can cause them to lose their functionality and eventually lead to a halted production line. Eddy current testing can be considered a useful method to investigate the surface of the roll. The method involves the application of a high intensity magnetic field onto the surface of the roll, and thereby finding any early stage of possible defects. When the method was applied for roll inspection, the cross section of the sensor was regulated as per the overall testing speed. A smaller cross sectional area implied a better resolution but a longer testing time. In this paper, a convenient method to increase both overall system resolution and inspection speed of eddy current roll inspection is suggested by using a devised array sensor structure.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1533-1538
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• 2008

The development of new material systems like Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) places ever higher demands on the techniques for non-destructive material characterisation. Image-producing eddy current methods also need to satisfy these demands. Eddy-current imaging of FRP is based on the anisotropic electrical properties of the material investigated. Significant differences in conductivity between carbon fibres, polymer matrix and integrated functional components can be found. The availability of high-resolution sensors enables access to the local distribution of the electromagnetic properties. The static and dynamic procedures for isolating influential characteristics, already in use in eddy-current technology, can now be supplemented by topographical images. The precondition for a successful implementation of the eddy-current procedure is a deeper understanding of the image-generating process which allows correct interpretation of the images obtained.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2009

Steam Generator(SG) tube is an important component of Nuclear Power Plant(NPP), which comprises of the pressure boundary of primary system. The integrity of SG tube has been confirmed by the eddy current test every outage. In Korea, Bobbin probe and MRPC probe have been generally used for the eddy current test. Meanwhile the usage of Array probe has gradually increased in U.S., Japan and other countries. In this study, we investigated the defect detection capability of the Array probe through its preliminary application to SG tube inspection. The Array probe has the equivalent capability in the defect detection and sizing as the conventional methods. Thus it is desirable that the Array probe is generally applied to SG tube inspection in the domestic NPPs.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.15-22
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• 1990

Since in-core flux thimble tube wear the due to flow-induced vibration could degrade the integrity of nuclear reactor, the effective detection and interpretation of the wear is important. In order to establish an inspection technique for thimble tubes, an eddy current experiment was performed to determine the optimum test frequency, defect sensitivity and evaluation accuracy. Eddy current probes were designed and fabricated with a theory. Specimens with artificial defects were fabricated using electro discharge machining method. The results from inspection technique developed and on-site inspection showed good applicability.