Progress towards developing neutron tolerant magnetostrictive and piezoelectric transducers

Brian Reinhardt, Bernhard Tittmann, Joy Rempe, Joshua Daw, Gordon Kohse, David Carpenter, Michael Ames, Yakov Ostrovsky, Pradeep Ramuhalli, Robert Montgomery, Hualte Chien, Bernard Wernsman

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Current generation light water reactors (LWRs), sodium cooled fast reactors (SFRs), small modular reactors (SMRs), and next generation nuclear plants (NGNPs) produce harsh environments in and near the reactor core that can severely tax material performance and limit component operational life. To address this issue, several Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) research programs are evaluating the long duration irradiation performance of fuel and structural materials used in existing and new reactors. In order to maximize the amount of information obtained from Material Testing Reactor (MTR) irradiations, DOE is also funding development of enhanced instrumentation that will be able to obtain in-situ, real-time data on key material characteristics and properties, with unprecedented accuracy and resolution. Such data are required to validate new multi-scale, multi-physics modeling tools under development as part of a science-based, engineering driven approach to reactor development. It is not feasible to obtain high resolution/microscale data with the current state of instrumentation technology. However, ultrasound-based sensors offer the ability to obtain such data if it is demonstrated that these sensors and their associated transducers are resistant to high neutron flux, high gamma radiation, and high temperature. To address this need, the Advanced Test Reactor National Scientific User Facility (ATR-NSUF) is funding an irradiation, led by PSU, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor to test the survivability of ultrasound transducers. As part of this effort, PSU and collaborators have designed, fabricated, and provided piezoelectric and magnetostrictive transducers that are optimized to perform in harsh, high flux, environments. Four piezoelectric transducers were fabricated with either aluminum nitride, zinc oxide, or bismuth titanate as the active element that were coupled to either Kovar or aluminum waveguides and two magnetostrictive transducers were fabricated with Remendur or Galfenol as the active elements. Pulse-echo ultrasonic measurements of these transducers are made in-situ. This paper will present an overview of the test design including selection criteria for candidate materials and optimization of test assembly parameters, data obtained from both out-of-pile and in-pile testing at elevated temperatures, and an assessment based on initial data of the expected performance of ultrasonic devices in irradiation conditions.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication41st Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, Volume 34
EditorsDale E. Chimenti, Leonard J. Bond
PublisherAmerican Institute of Physics Inc.
Pages1512-1520
Number of pages9
ISBN (Electronic)9780735412927
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes
Event41st Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, QNDE 2014 - Boise, United States
Duration: Jul 20 2014Jul 25 2014

Publication series

NameAIP Conference Proceedings
Volume1650
ISSN (Print)0094-243X
ISSN (Electronic)1551-7616

Conference

Conference41st Annual Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, QNDE 2014
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityBoise
Period07/20/1407/25/14

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