EP2076906A2

EP2076906A2 - Method and device for detecting structural abnormalities in a spherical particle, mainly in a nuclear fuel particle for high temperature or very high temperature reactors

Info

Publication number: EP2076906A2
Application number: EP07858426A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sébastien HERMOSILLA-LARA; Lenaig Gravot
Original assignee: Areva NP SAS
Current assignee: Areva NP SAS
Priority date: 2006-10-13
Filing date: 2007-10-11
Publication date: 2009-07-08
Also published as: CN101548338A; US20100026325A1; FR2907223A1; WO2008046986A2; JP5417176B2; CN101548338B; WO2008046986A3; US8248065B2; FR2907223B1; JP2010506184A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting at least one structural abnormality in a spherical particle (33) that comprises at least the following steps: passing the particle (33) through at least one induction coil (15); exciting the induction coil (15) in order to generate Foucault currents in the particle (33); receiving an output signal at the terminals of the induction coil (15); and analysing the signal in order to determine whether or not the particle includes a structural abnormality. Several output signals can be received by passing the particle (33) successively through one or more induction coils (15) with different positions of the particle (33), the or each induction coil (15) being excited at least upon each passage of the particle (33) in order to induce Foucault currents in he particle (33).

Description

Method and device for detecting structural anomalies in a spherical particle, particularly in a nuclear fuel particle for high temperature or very high temperature reactors

The invention generally relates to methods for detecting structural anomalies in a spherical particle, particularly in a nuclear fuel particle for high temperature or very high temperature reactors.

More specifically, the invention relates, in a first aspect, to a method for detecting at least one structural anomaly in a spherical particle, of the type comprising at least the following steps of:

passage of the particle into at least one induction coil;

excitation of the induction coil in order to induce eddy currents in the particle;

- collection of an output signal at the terminals of the induction coil; and - analyzing the signal to determine whether or not the particle has a structural anomaly.

An article in the "Non-destructive testing handbook", second edition, volume 4, pages 195-197, ASNT, 1986, theoretically describes a method for detecting a crack in a spherical particle using a spool. circular induction. The article develops the theoretical aspects of such an eddy current detection method, and specifies the expected performances. It indicates that the output signal is a function of the position of the crack relative to the coil.

This method has the defect that the output signal collected at the terminals of the induction coil is sensitive not only to the presence and orientation of the structural anomaly in the particle, but also to many other physical parameters of the particle, for example its size, the material constituting the particle, etc. This method therefore does not discriminate with a high degree of reliability between healthy particles and particles with structural anomalies. In this context, the invention aims to provide a method that is more reliable.

To this end, the invention relates to a method of detection of the aforementioned type, characterized in that several output signals are collected by passing the particle successively in one or more induction coils with po- The at least one induction coil is energized at least at each passage of the particle to induce eddy currents in the particle.

The method may also include one or more of the following features, considered individually or in any technically feasible combination:

the analysis step is carried out as a function of a quantity representative of the dispersion relative to one another of values of a parameter determined from the output signals; the parameter is the impedance module of the induction coil excited when the particle is inside said induction coil;

the magnitude representative of the dispersion is equal to the difference between the largest and the smallest of the determined impedance module values;

the analysis step is performed by comparing the representative magnitude of the dispersion with a predetermined threshold;

the or each induction coil is excited by an electric current of frequency between 30 and 50 MHz and preferably by an electric current of frequency corresponding to the resonance frequency of said coil;

the particle is rotated as it passes successively through the induction coil or coils;

the particle passes successively through at least four different induction coils; and

the particle is a particle of nuclear fuel.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a device for implementing the above method, the device comprising:

a plurality of induction coils;

means for passing the particle successively in the induction coils with different positions of the particle;

means for exciting the induction coils in order to induce eddy currents in the particle;

means for collecting an output signal at the terminals of each induction coil; means for analyzing the output signals and determining whether or not the particle has a structural anomaly.

The device may optionally include the following features: - the induction coils are arranged vertically one above the other;

the device comprises means for causing the particle to fall by gravity through the superimposed induction coils; and

the means for causing the particle to fall by gravity through the superimposed induction coils comprises an inclined ramp capable of rolling the particle substantially as far as the plumbs of the coils.

Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description which is given below, by way of indication and in no way limitative, with reference to the appended figures, among which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic equatorial section illustrating the structure of a nuclear fuel particle for a high temperature reactor; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic view illustrating an installation for implementing a detection method according to the invention.

Figure 1 schematically illustrates a nuclear fuel particle 1 for high or very high temperature reactor (HTR / VHTR).

In a conventional manner, this particle 1 is of generally spherical general shape and comprises successively from the inside to the outside:

a nucleus of fissile material 3, for example based on UO ₂ or UCO,

a layer 5 of porous pyrocarbon, a first layer 7 of dense pyrocarbon,

a layer 9 of silicon carbide, and

a second layer 11 of dense pyrocarbon.

When using such a particle, the porous pyrocarbon serves as a reservoir for the fission gases, the silicon carbide serves as a barrier against the diffusion of the solid fission products, and the dense pyrocarbon ensures the mechanical resistance to the pressure of the fission gases. The core 3 has for example a diameter of about 500 microns diameter and the layers 5, 7, 9 and 11 respective thicknesses of, for example, 95, 40, 35 and 40 microns.

It will be observed that the relative dimensions of core 3 and layers 5, 7, 9 and 11 have not been respected in FIG.

The layers, in particular the pyrocarbon layers 5, 7, 11, are deposited for example by a chemical vapor deposition process (Chemical Vapor Deposition) carried out in a fluidized bed furnace.

The device illustrated in FIG. 2 makes it possible to detect any structural anomalies in one of the layers 5, 7, 9, 11 of the fuel particle of FIG. 1, or between the layers of the particle.

The structural anomalies that can thus be detected are, among others, the following:

- The decohesions between layers, that is to say the areas where two superimposed layers are not in contact with each other but, on the contrary, where a vacuum remains between the two layers;

- cracks or cavities within the same layer;

areas inside a layer where it has abnormal porosity; areas where a layer has a defect of sphericity.

The detection device 13 comprises:

five circular induction and measurement coils;

means 17 for passing a particle to be tested successively in the induction coils 15; means 19 for exciting the induction coils 15 in order to induce eddy currents in the particle to be tested;

means 21 for collecting an output signal at the terminals of each induction coil 15;

- Analysis means 23 for determining whether or not the particle has a structural anomaly as a function of a quantity representative of the dispersion relative to each other of values of a parameter determined from the output signals. In the example shown, the induction coils 15 are circular coils, identical to each other. They are arranged parallel to each other coaxially.

The induction coils 15 are arranged vertically one above the other. The vertical spacing between two coils is preferably between 8 and 40 mm, depending on the working frequency, the value of the injected current and so that the coils are decoupled from each other. The vertical spacing between the coils is even lower than the working frequency is high. Each coil 15 has a number of turns between 5 and 35, preferably between 8 and 20. For example, each coil has 11 turns.

Each coil 15 has an inside diameter of between 0.6 mm and 2 mm, preferably between 1 mm and 1.5 mm, depending on the diameter of the particle to be inspected. For example, the inside diameter of each coil is 1, 2 mm. More specifically, each coil 15 generally comprises a cylindrical hollow tube Pyrex glass type, and a copper wire wound on the outer surface of the glass tube. The particles to be tested pass inside the glass tube, the internal diameter of the tube being chosen for example equal to the maximum diameter of the particles to be tested plus 0.2 mm. This leaves a clearance of about 0.1 mm between the particle that passes through the glass tube and the inner surface of this tube.

Each coil 15 is made with a copper wire of circular section, having a diameter of between 20 microns and 200 microns, preferably between 50 microns and 125 microns. The diameter of the wire is, for example, 100 microns.

The means 17 for passing the particle through the coils comprise, for example, an inclined ramp 25 and a magazine 27 for storing the particles to be tested. The charger 27 comprises for example a cylindrical chute 29 of vertical axis, and means 31 for selectively closing off or disengaging a lower end of the chute 29. The particles to be tested 33 are stacked vertically in the chute 29. The chute 29 is located in line with an upper end 35 of the inclined ramp 25. Furthermore, the inclined ramp 25 has a lower end 37 disposed above the coils 15, substantially in line with them. The inclined ramp 25 has, between its ends 35 and 37, a length L of a few tens of centimeters. The ramp 25 forms, relative to the horizontal, an angle α between 20 ° and 45 °.

The means 19 for exciting the induction coils comprise an alternating current source 39 and electrical conductors 41 connecting the current source 39 to the terminals of each of the coils 15. The current source 39 comprises means for adjusting the frequency of the current excitation frequency sent to each of the coils 15. The frequency of the excitation current is between 30 MHz and 50 MHz, preferably between 30 MHz and 35 MHz. For example, the frequency of the excitation current is 32 MHz, and is equal to the resonant frequency of the coils.

The excitation current is identical for each of the coils 15. As a variant, the excitation current may be different for each of the coils 15, in particular its frequency.

The means 21 for collecting an output signal at the terminals of each coil 15 comprise a multichannel impedance meter 43 and electrical conductors 45 connecting the terminals of each coil 15 to one of the channels of the impedance meter 43. The output signal collected at The terminals of each of the induction coils 15 is an electric current, from which the impedance meter 43 determines the impedance module of the excited induction coil, at the moment when the particle is inside said coil. 'induction.

The analysis means 23 comprise computer computing means connected to the impedance meter 43. The values of the impedance module of each induction coil 15 determined by the impedance meter 43 are transmitted by the latter to the computer means 23.

The computer means 23 also control the current source 39 and the means 31 making it possible to close off or disengage the trough 29. The method for detecting structural anomalies in a fuel particle using the method described below will now be described in detail. of the device of FIG. The computer means 23 first control the means 31 to disengage the lower end of the chute 29, so as to drop a particle 33 on the inclined ramp 25. Once the particle 33 passed, the means 31 close again the Chute 29. The particle 33 falls on the upper end 35 of the inclined ramp and rolls along the inclined ramp 25 to its lower end 37. It then falls, under the effect of gravity, through the various coils 15 superimposed. The lower end 37 of the inclined ramp is positioned so that the particle 33 falls substantially vertically along the axis of the different coils 15.

The particle 33 is rotated on itself as it passes successively through the induction coils 15, because it has rolled on the inclined ramp 25. The vertical translation speed and the rotational speed of the particle 33 are a function of the length L of the inclined ramp 25 and its inclination angle α. These parameters are adjusted according to the vertical spacing between the coils 15, and depending on the size of the particle to be tested.

The computer means 23 controls the current generator 39 to pass an excitation current through the coils 15. Preferably, the frequency of the excitation current is chosen to correspond substantially to the resonant frequency of the coils. The current generator 39 feeds the induction coils 15 preferably continuously, during the control campaign of an entire batch of particles 33.

Each induction coil 15, when traversed by the particle 33, induces eddy currents in this particle. These eddy currents in turn produce an induced magnetic field that disrupts the excitation current.

In particular, the induced magnetic field changes the impedance of the excited induction coil to the passage of the particle. The impedance meter 43 continuously polls the impedance across the different coils 15, and determines the impedance of each of the induction coils 15 when the particle is inside said induction coil. The instant of passage of the particle is easily identifiable because it corresponds to a sudden variation in the impedance of the induction coil 15. The impedance meter 43 transmits the module of the determined impedance to the computer means 23.

The computer means 23 receive the five impedance modules of the induction coils 15 excited when the particle is inside these coils. The means 23 calculate a magnitude representative of the dispersion of the impedance modules determined with respect to each other. The magnitude representative of the dispersion of the impedance modules relative to each other is equal to the difference between the largest of the determined impedance modules and the smallest of the determined impedance modules. The means 23 then compare the magnitude representative of the calculated dispersion with a predetermined threshold. If the representative magnitude is greater than said predetermined threshold, the particle is considered to have a structural anomaly. If the representative magnitude is below the predetermined threshold, the particle is considered healthy, that is to say free of structural anomaly.

Indeed, if the particle has a structural anomaly, the impedance modules of the different induction coils will be very different from each other, because the particle rotates through the different coils and does not occupy the same relative position with respect to each one as it passes through it. The structural anomaly does not occupy the same position at the time of its passage in the different coils 15, and, therefore, the determined impedance modules will have a high dispersion in this case.

On the contrary, if the particle has no structural anomaly, the rotation of the particle on itself will not significantly change the impedance modules of the different coils 15. The dispersion of the impedance modules will be low. .

The method described above has many advantages. Collecting several output signals for different positions of the particle makes it possible to very reliably discriminate between the healthy particles and the particles having a structural anomaly.

Reliability is further enhanced by the fact that the analysis step, in which the determination of whether or not the particle has a structural anomaly, is made on the basis of a magnitude representative of the dispersion, some by other values of a parameter determined from the output signals.

Indeed, the dispersion of the output signals relative to each other is sensitive almost exclusively to the presence of structural anomalies in the particle. This dispersion is almost insensitive to the other physical parameters of the particle.

The criterion chosen to determine whether the particle is healthy or not is particularly simple, since the calculated dispersion is compared to a simple predetermined threshold. The method makes it possible to test the particles with a particularly high rate, since the physical phenomena of electromagnetic diffusion are extremely fast, and that, on the other hand, the processing of the collected output signals requires a small volume of calculations.

The use of means such as an inclined ramp to rotate the particle to be tested makes it possible to be sure to obtain a strong dispersion in the output signals when the particle has a structural anomaly.

Working with excitation currents at the resonant frequency of the coils makes it possible to collect higher amplitude output signals, and thus facilitates the processing of the signals collected. The method and device described above can have multiple variants.

The particle can pass in more or less than five induction coils. It can for example pass in only four induction coils or, conversely, pass in a high number of coils, for example twenty or thirty induction coils arranged one above the other.

When a large number of induction coils are used, and therefore a large number of output signals (for example twenty or thirty) are available, it is possible to evaluate the dispersion of the output signals, one by compared to others not by calculating the difference between the highest signal and the weakest signal, but rather using the standard deviation of this set of output signals.

The current source 39 may not be distinct from the impedance meter, but, on the contrary, be integrated with this impedance meter. According to another embodiment of the invention, it is possible to implement the method in a device comprising a single induction coil, and mechanical means for passing the particle to be tested several times successively through the single coil. For example, the coil is enclosed in an oscillating tube. It is arranged in the center of the tube, and the particle to be tested is disposed inside this tube. When the tube tilts on one side, so that a first end of the tube is lower and a second end of the tube is higher, the ball rolls on the bottom of the tube until the first end and crosses the coil. Then, when the tube tilts in reverse, so that the second end is lower and the first end is higher, the particle rolls in the opposite direction along the tube to the second end and passes through a new times the coil. Several tube tilts are thus made by collecting an output signal each time the particle passes through the coil. The output signals are treated as explained previously.

The means for moving the particle to have output signals for different relative positions of the particle may not be an inclined ramp but include any other means for rotating the particle. The means 27 for dropping the particles to be tested on the inclined ramp 25 may be different from those previously described. The chute 29 may for example be horizontal and not vertical. Any other mechanical means for depositing one by one the particles to be tested on the ramp 25 may be used.

Furthermore, the detection device may comprise an angled guide piece or a baffle, able to orient the particles 33 leaving the lower end 37 of the inclined ramp in a vertical path along the axis of the coils 15.

In addition to the multichannel impedance meter, a plurality of impedance meters each dedicated to an induction coil can be used, and the impedance measured across the coil can be communicated to the computer means.

The method and apparatus are adapted to control particles of all types of high temperature reactor, for example of the types known as HTR (High Temperature Reactor), HTTR (High Temperature Engine), Ring Test Reactor), VHTR (Very High Temperature Reactor), THTR (Thorium High Temperature Reactor), GT-MHR (Gas Turbine Modular Helium Reactor), MHTGR (Modular High Temperature Gas Reactor), HTGR (High Temperature Gas Cooled Reactor) and PBMR (Pebble Bed Modular Reactor). They are also suitable for controlling all types of spherical particles comprising a layer of electrically conductive material.

Claims

A method for detecting at least one structural anomaly in a spherical particle (1; 33), the method comprising at least the following steps of: - passing the particle (1; 33) into at least one induction coil

05);

- excitation of the induction coil (15) to induce eddy currents in the particle (1; 33);

- collecting an output signal at the terminals of the induction coil (15); and - analyzing the signal to determine whether or not the particle (1; 33) has a structural anomaly; characterized in that a plurality of output signals are collected by passing the particle (1; 33) successively in one or more induction coils (15) with different positions of the particle (1; 33) with respect to the coils, the or each induction coil (15) being excited at least at each passage of the particle (1; 33) in order to induce eddy currents in the particle (1; 33), the presence of a structural anomaly in the particle being determined from the collected signals.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the analysis step is performed as a function of a quantity representative of the dispersion relative to each other of values of a parameter determined from the output signals.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the parameter is the impedance module of the induction coil (15) excited when the particle (1; 33) is inside said induction coil ( 15).

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the magnitude representative of the dispersion is equal to the difference between the largest and the smallest values of determined impedance modules.

5. Method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the analysis step is performed by comparing the magnitude representative of the dispersion at a predetermined threshold.

6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the or each induction coil (15) is excited by an electric current of frequency between 30 and 50 MHz.

7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the or each coil (15) is excited by an electric current of frequency corresponding to a resonance frequency of said coil (15).

8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the particle (1; 33) is rotated as it passes successively through the induction coil or coils (15). ).

9. Process according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the particle (1; 33) passes successively through at least four different induction coils (15).

10. Process according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the particle (1; 33) is a nuclear fuel particle.

11. Device (13) for implementing the method for detecting at least one structural anomaly in a spherical particle (1; 33) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, the device comprising:

a plurality of induction coils (15);

means (17) for passing the particle (1; 33) successively in the induction coils (15) with different positions of the particle (1;

33);

means (19) for exciting the induction coils (15) to induce eddy currents in the particle (1; 33);

means (21) for collecting an output signal at the terminals of each induction coil (15);

means (23) for analyzing the output signals and determining whether or not the particle (1; 33) has a structural anomaly.

12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the induction coils (15) are arranged vertically one above the other.

13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises means (25; 27) for dropping the particle (1; 33) by gravity through the superimposed induction coils (15).

14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the means (25; 27) for causing the particle (1; 33) to fall by gravity through the superimposed induction coils (15) comprise an inclined ramp (25) capable of rolling the particle (1; 33) substantially as far as the bobbins (15).