• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.57-60
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• 2016

Non Destructive Testing (NDT) methods that are capable of detecting the wall thinning and defects through insulation and cladding sheets are necessary. In this study we developed a Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC) system to detect wall thinning of ferro magnetic steel pipes covered with 95 mm thick fiber glass thermal insulator and shielded with aluminum plate of thickness 0.4 mm. In order to confirm the thickness change due to wall thinning, two different sensors, a hall sensor and a search coil sensor were used as a detecting element. In both the cases, the experimental data indicates a considerable change in the detected pulse corresponding to the change in sample thickness. The thickness of the tube was made to change such as 2.5 mm, 5 mm and 8 mm from the inner surface to simulate wall thinning. Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) was calculated using window approach and the results were summarized which shows a clear identification of thickness change in the test specimen by comparing the magnitude spectra.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.635-643
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• 2016

Improvements were made in the study for the design of the conventional Eddy Current Separator (ECS) used for separating small sized non-ferrous particles in the waste. These improvements include decreasing the air gap between the material and magnetic drum, making the drum position adjustable and placing the splitter closer to the drum. Thus, small particles were separated with high efficiency. The magnetic drum was removed from inside the ECS conveyor belt system as design change and was placed as a separate unit. Hence, the force generated on the test material increased by about 5.5 times while the air gap between the non-ferrous materials and drum decreased from 3 mm to 1 mm. The non-metal material in the waste is separated before the drum in the novel design. Whereas non-ferrous metal particles are separated by falling into the splitter as a result of the force generated as soon as the particles fall on the drum. Every material that passes through the drum can be recycled as a result of moving the splitter closer to the contact point of the drum. In addition, the drum can also be used for the efficient separation of large particles since its position can be adjusted according to the size of the waste material. The performance of the novel design ECS was verified via analytical approaches, finite element analysis (FEA) and experimental studies.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.295-299
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• 2016

Residual foreign objects at the secondary side (top of the tubesheet and tube support plates) of a steam generator are likely to cause a leak by causing wear in the tube. The extent of wear is significantly affected by the material, shape, and size of the foreign object, and the corrosion properties of the tube. The presence of foreign objects at the top of the tubesheet and tube support plates has been identified using remote visual inspection methods such as the foreign object search and retrieval and eddy current test (ECT). The detection of the residual foreign object at the secondary side of a steam generator has limitations that depend on the material properties and the condition of contact with the tube. In this study, which is vertical and horizontal from the upper tubesheet, the corresponding bobbin ECT signals were collected and analyzed to measure its ability to detect foreign objects.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1991.07a
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• pp.730-733
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• 1991

The inspection for steam generator tubes of nuclear power plants is performed by eddy current test method. In the current, human experts should check enormous amounts of eddy current(EC) signals to find abnormal ones on the computer screen. This method could cause a few problems. The purpose of this paper is to develop an expert system which can automatically evaluate EC signals of steam generator tubes. Since this expert system can replace or help human experts, the reliability in EC signal evaluation can be improved, and the required man-power can be reduced. Additionally, application of this system can shorten the overhaul period, contribute to a safe operation of the nuclear power plant.

• Journal of Magnetics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.64-70
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• 2011

Surface-mounted permanent magnet (PM) machines were examined experimentally and theoretically, through power loss measurements and calculations. Windage, friction and copper losses were calculated using simple analytical equations and finite element (FE) analyses. Stator core losses were calculated by determining core loss coefficients through curve-fitting and magnetic behavior analysis through non-linear FE calculations. Rotor eddy current losses were calculated using FE analyses that considered the time harmonics of phase current according to load. Core, windage and friction open-circuit losses and copper loss were determined experimentally to test the validity of the analyses.

• KEPCO Journal on Electric Power and Energy
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2019

Thermal power generation accounts for the highest percentage of domestic power generation, among which coal-fired boiler generation accounts for the highest percentage. Coal boilers generate harmful substances and fine dust during coal combustion and have a serious effect on air pollution. So, fluidized-bed boilers have been introduced as eco-friendly coal boilers. It uses a fluid medium which affect the combustion temperature of coal. Because of it fluidized-bed boilers emit less pollutants than original one. Water-wall tubes play an important role in this fluidized bed boiler. Due to the fluid medium, the wall damage is more severe than the existing boiler. However, there is no quantitative maintenance technique in Korea yet. Remote field eddy current testing is a non-destructive evaluation technique that is often used for inspection of inner and outer wall of tube. it can inspect with non-contact and high speed. However, it is an inspection that proceeds from inside the pipe, and the water-wall tube is not able to enter the interior. In this study, we designed and simulated an external remote field eddy current sensor suitable for water-wall tube of a fluidized - bed boiler using simulations. By obtaining a signal similar to the existing remote field eddy current test, the criteria for the external remote field eddy current sensor design can be presented.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.98-103
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• 2009

The nuclear power plants have been safely operated by plugging the steam generator tubes which have the crack indications. Tube rupture events can occur if analysts fail to detect crack indications during in-service inspection. There are various types of crack indication in steam generator tubes and they have been detected by the eddy current test. The integrity assessment should be performed using the crack-sizing results from eddy current data when the crack indication is detected. However, it is not easy to evaluate the crack-depth precisely and consistently due to the complexity of the methods. The current crack-sizing methods were reviewed in this paper and the suitable ones were selected through the laboratory tests. The retired steam generators of Kori Unit 1 were used for this study. The round robin tests by the domestic qualified analysts were carried out and the statistical models were introduced to establish the appropriate depth-sizing techniques. It is expected that the proposed techniques in this study can be utilized in the Steam Generator Management Program.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.288-294
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• 2016

This paper aims to compare the ability to detect notch defects existing in the plate and welded area using a flexible ECA (eddy current array) probe with OmniScan MX and MS-5800E. The characteristics of signals with various frequencies and lift-offs were also compared. As a result, when signals of frequencies 500, 1000, and 1500 kHz were used, the amplitude of the signal increased, as the depth of the notch increased, but reduced linearly in accordance with the lift-off variation. In addition, the detection sensitivity of the weld defect was found to be closely related to the contact surface of the probe and specimen. In this paper, it was demonstrated that the detection sensitivity was excellent when the contact surface of the probe and the specimen was sufficient, but it was poor when the contact surface was insufficient.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.356-363
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• 2003

An eddy current testing system was developed for detection of flaws in the ferromagnetic steel tubes. Because the eddy current signals from the ferromagnetic steel tubes could be distorted easily due to an irregularity of magnetic permeability, magnetic saturation is required to suppress this variation of magnetic fields. A magnetic saturation probe with the Hemholtz coil was designed for the inspection of the steel tubes. The bandwidth pass filters were adapted to minimize the noise from the DC magnetization. When using the designed test probe, the flaw signals could be discriminated from the noise. The system was tested at the production line and showed a capability of detecting flaws, like a drilled hole of the diameter of 2.0mm at the moving speed of 1m/sec.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.330-337
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• 2010

In this paper, 3-dimensional electromagnetic numerical analysis is performed about the eddy current(EC) array probe characteristic which is the next generation probe for accurate diagnosis of steam generator(SG) in nuclear power plants(NPPs). ASME(American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Standard and X-probe combo calibration standard tube are selected for acquisition of eddy current testing(ECT) signals and this result of compared with the real test signals for reasonability of result. Based on the analysis result of calibration standard tube, ECT signals that are about the defects of pitting, stress corrosion cracking(SCC), multiple SCC and wear is obtained. Material of specimen was Inconel 600 which is usually used for SG tubes in NPPs. The operation frequency of 300 kHz were used. The signal characteristics could be observed according to the various defects. The results in this paper can be helpful when the ECT signals from EC array probe are evaluated and analyzed.