• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제49권7호
• /
• pp.1463-1471
• /
• 2017

In order to monitor the pipe thinning caused by flow-accelerated corrosion (FAC) that occurs in coolant piping systems, a shear horizontal ultrasonic pitch-catch waveguide technique was developed for accurate pipe wall thickness monitoring. A clamping device for dry coupling contact between the end of the waveguide and pipe surface was designed and fabricated. A computer program for multi-channel on-line monitoring of the pipe thickness at high temperature was also developed. Both a four-channel buffer rod pulse-echo type and a shear horizontal ultrasonic waveguide type for high-temperature thickness monitoring system were successfully installed to the test section of the FAC proof test facility. The overall measurement error can be estimated as ${\pm}10{\mu}m$ during a cycle from room temperature to $200^{\circ}C$.

• 센서학회지
• /
• 제28권6호
• /
• pp.414-419
• /
• 2019

An ultrasonic based magnetostrictive position sensor (MPS) provides an indication of real target position. It determines the real target position by multiplying the propagation speed of ultrasonic wave and the time-of-flight between the receiving signals; one is the initial signal by an excitation current and the other is the reflection signal by the ultrasonic wave. The propagation speed of the ultrasonic wave depends on the temperature of the waveguide. Hence, the change of the propagation speed in various environments is a critical factor in terms of the positioning accuracy in the MPS. This means that the influence of the changes in the waveguide temperature needs to be compensated. In this paper, we presents a novel way to improve the positioning accuracy of MPSs using temperature compensation for waveguide. The proposed method used the inherent measurement blind area for the structure of the MPS, which can simultaneously measure the position of the moving target and the temperature of the waveguide without any additional devices. The average positional error was approximately -23.9 mm and -1.9 mm before and after compensation, respectively. It was confirmed that the positioning accuracy was improved by approximately 93%.

• 한국정밀공학회지
• /
• 제31권12호
• /
• pp.1115-1119
• /
• 2014

In this article, a 20 kHz ultrasonic waveguide for nano-surface treatment was designed and manufactured. When designing the system, finite element analysis with ANSYS software was performed to find optimal dimensions of the waveguide, which can raise energy efficiency. Consequently an anti-resonance frequency of an Al waveguide with a piezoelectric actuator was 20 kHz, which predicted the experimentally obtained value of 18 kHz well. For the assessment of the performance, Steel Use Stainless (SUS) 304 and chromium molybdenum steel (SCM) 435 specimens were tested. Cross-sectional microscopies of SUS304 were taken and they showed that the treated thickness was $30{\mu}m$. Additionally, hardness tests of SCM435 were done and the hardness before the process was 14.0 Rockwell Hardness-C scale (HRC) and after the process was 20.5 HRC, respectively, which means 46% increase. Considering these results, the developed ultrasonic system is thought to be effective in the nano-surface treatment process.

• 한국음향학회지
• /
• 제22권7호
• /
• pp.545-553
• /
• 2003

압전 변환기를 사용하는 초음파유량계에서 고온의 유체로부터 압전 변환기를 보호하기 위하여 도파관을 사용하면서 종진동 초음파 전파성능을 향상시키기 위한 연구를 하였다. 도파관을 따라 전달되는 열을 효율적으로 차단하는 도파관 재질을 선정하였고, 압전 변환기를 보호할 수 있는 도파관의 최소 길이를 파악하였다. 균일한 원형 봉의 종진동 가진 응답을 구하여 진폭을 최대로 하는 도파관 길이를 선정하였다. 원추형 테이퍼 봉의 가진 응답을 구하여 도파관의 단면 크기가 길이방향으로 작은 쪽에서 파동이 증폭됨을 확인하였다. 균일한 도파관에서 단면 반지름이 작을수록 펄스 파 분산이 줄어듬을 파악하고, 단일 봉 도파관을 사용한 실험으로 이를 입증하였다. 실용적 도파관으로서 철심 조합형 도파관을 제시하고 제작과 평가를 통하여 파동 전파의 우수성을 확인하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제52권4호
• /
• pp.776-783
• /
• 2020

As the refueling of a sodium-cooled fast reactor is conducted by rotating part of the reactor head without opening it, the monitoring of existing obstacles that can disturb the rotation of the reactor head is one of the most important issues. This paper deals with the ultrasonic ranging technique that directly monitors the existence of possible obstacles located in a lateral gap between the upper internal structure and the reactor core in a prototype generation IV sodium-cooled fast reactor (PGSFR). A 10 m long plate-type ultrasonic waveguide sensor, whose feasibility has been successfully demonstrated through preliminary tests, was employed for the ultrasonic ranging technique. The design of the sensor's wave radiating section was modified to improve the radiation performance, and the radiated field was investigated through beam profile measurements. A test facility simulating the lower part of the upper internal structure and the upper part of the reactor core with the same shapes and sizes as those in the PGSFR was newly constructed. Several under-water performance tests were then carried out at room temperature to investigate the applicability of the developed ranging technique using the plate-type ultrasonic waveguide sensor with the actual geometry of the PGSFR's internal structures.

• 비파괴검사학회지
• /
• 제26권1호
• /
• pp.18-24
• /
• 2006

액체금속로 원자로 노심과 내부구조물 들은 불투명한 소듐 내에 잠겨 있어 육안검사를 수행할 수 없다. 액체금속로 내부구조물의 육안검사를 수행하기 위해서는 초음파를 이용한 소듐내부 가시화가 적용되어야 한다. 본 연구에서는 소듐내부 가시화에 적용하기 위한 판형 초음파 웨이브가이드 센서를 개발하였다. 웨이브가이드 센서에서의 판파 전파특성을 분석하고 판파 적용모드로 제0차 반대칭 $A_0$ 모드를 선정하였다 웨이브가이드 센서에 액체 웨지를 적용하여 $A_0$ 모드의 저주파수 분산 영역에서 판파가 발진되도록 하였으며 입사펄스의 주파수 변조에 의하여 초음파 빔 방사각을 변환시킬 수 있는 새로운 방법을 제안하였다 본 방법은 웨이브가이드 센서를 기계적으로 구동하지 않고 빔 방사각을 조정할 수 있어 기존 웨이브가이드 센서의 구동 제한성을 극복할 수 있게 해 준다. 웨이브가이드 센서의 빔 방사각 변환 특성을 실험적으로 검증하였으며, 수중 C-스캔 시험을 수행하여 웨이브가이드 센서의 소듐내부 가시화 적용 가능성을 확인하였다.

• 한국생산제조학회지
• /
• 제24권5호
• /
• pp.530-534
• /
• 2015

Ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) is an example of a nanoscale-surface modification that has become noticeable because of its effects on the mechanical improvement of metallic materials. UNSM equipment needs to be both utilized and improved. The equipment is based on an ultrasonic waveguide whose role is to strike surfaces of metallic materials to achieve nanoscale deformation. In this paper, we introduce the development of one kind of UNSM equipment. Using piezoelectric elements, we repeatedly design and fabricate a 20-kHz ultrasonic waveguide. With respect to the composition of the equipment, the waveguide is automatically transferred by two axial stages automatically. In addition, a static force is constantly applied by pneumatic devices. We perform an experiment to verify the feasibility of the equipment.

• 비파괴검사학회지
• /
• 제28권4호
• /
• pp.364-371
• /
• 2008

소듐냉각고속로 원자로 내부구조물의 소듐내부가시화를 위한 새로운 웨이브가이드 초음파센서를 개발하였다. 소듐냉각고속로에 적용할 수 있는 웨이브가이드 초음파센서 어셈블리의 구조 설계 개념을 제시하고 그 적용 타당성을 평가하였다. 길이가 10 m인 웨이브가이드 초음파센서 어셈블리를 제작하고 성능평가 시험을 수행하였다. $A_0$ 모드 판파의 장거리 전파 성능을 확인하였으며, 수중 C-스캔 분해능 성능시험을 수행하여 웨이브가이드 초음파센서의 적용 가능성을 실험적으로 검증하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• 제54권1호
• /
• pp.186-192
• /
• 2022

Flow accelerated corrosion (FAC) is a type of pipe corrosion in which the pipe thickness decreases depending on the fluid flow conditions. In nuclear power plants, FAC mainly occurs in the carbon steel pipes of a secondary system. However, because the temperature of a secondary system pipe is over 150 ℃, in situ monitoring using a conventional ultrasonic non-destructive testing method is difficult. In our previous study, we developed a waveguide ultrasonic thickness measurement system. In this study, we applied a waveguide ultrasonic thickness measurement system to monitor the thinning of the pipe according to the change in pH. The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute installed FAC-proof facilities, enabling the monitoring of internal fluid flow conditions, which were fixed for ~1000 h to analyze the effect of the pH. The measurement system operated without failure for ~3000 h and the pipe thickness was found to be reduced by ~10% at pH 9 compared to that at pH 7. The thickness of the pipe was measured using a microscope after the experiment, and the reliability of the system was confirmed with less than 1% error. This technology is expected to also be applicable to the thickness-reduction monitoring of other high-temperature materials.

• 한국음향학회지
• /
• 제39권6호
• /
• pp.568-575
• /
• 2020

초음파는 다양한 산업 분야에서 널리 사용이 되고 있다. 그 중에 도전적인 분야로 전자부품의 냉각이 있다. 초음파 냉각 기술은 작동 유체로, 기존의 지구온난화를 유발하는 프레온 가스 대신에 Ar(아르곤), N₂(질소) 등의 기체로 대체가 가능하다. 또한 움직이는 부품이 없어 높은 내구성을 가질 수 있다. 그러므로 이러한 환경 문제와 내구성 관점에서 초음파 냉각 장치의 개발이 필요하다. 본 논문에서는 설계와 제작 공정에 대하여 설명하고 있다. 이 시스템을 설계할 때, 냉각기 시제품을 이용하여 유효성 테스트를 수행하였다. 이 결과를 바탕으로, ANSYS 프로그램을 사용한 유한요소해석을 수행하였다. 반공진 주파수는 34.8 kHz로 예측이 되었으며, 이는 실험치인 34.6 kHz과 0.6 %의 오차로 잘 일치하였다. 또한 초음파 웨이브가이드의 반공진 주파수는 39.4 kHz로 예측이 되었고, 역시 실험치인 39.8 kHz과 1.0 %의 오차로 잘 일치함을 알 수 있었다. 이러한 결과를 바탕으로 볼 때, 개발된 초음파 웨이브가이드는 마이크로칩의 냉각에 활용 될 수 있을 것으로 보인다.