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OBJECTIVES

¨ Development of electromagnetic NDE techniques for detection and characterization of defects and microstructural variations in metallic materials.

¨ Development of electromagnetic instruments and sensors (eddy current, remote field eddy current, Hall, GMR, GMI, MBE and others) for NDE applications.

¨ Numerical modeling of eddy current (EC) and magnetic flux leakage (MFL) techniques.

¨ Development of digital signal processing and image processing methods.

¨ Development of eddy current, micro-magnetic and non-linear ultrasonics based methodologies for material characterization.

¨ Development of ACPD and ACFM techniques for sizing defects

¨ X-ray diffraction for material characterization and residual stress measurement.

¨ Realization of field implementable electromagnetic NDE technologies.

STAFF MEMBERS

Shri S. Vaidyanathan

Dr. C.K. Mukhopadhyaya

Shri S. Mahadevan

Shri S. Thirunavukkarasu

Smt. B. Sasi

Shri Viswanath Adurthi

Shri W. Sharatchandra Singh

Shri T.K. Haneef

Shri Manoj Kumar Raja

Shri S. Ponseenivasan

Shri P. Krishnaiah

Shri K. Bharath Kumar (JRF)

FACILITIES

¨ Eddy current instruments (single & multi-frequency, phased array, remote field and pulsed)

¨ Micro-magnetic NDE facility

¨ Magnetic flux leakage test facility

¨ COMSOL finite element multiphysics modeling software

¨ MAC Science X-ray diffractometer

¨ Rigaku Strain flex residual stress measurement system

¨ Microwave imaging system (Ground Penetrating Radar) for inspection of concrete structures

¨       Magnetic Barkhausen Emission (MBE) facility

¨       Acoustic Emission (AE) facility

¨       Alternating Current Potential Drop (ACPD) system for sizing of cracks

¨       Conductivity measurement system

¨        Ferritescope for measurement of ferrite content in austenitic plates and welds

¨        XY and ZӨ scanners

Remote field eddy current instrument for NDE of ferromagnetic tubes

Experimental set up for magnetic flux leakage NDE

RECENT ACTIVITIES

Development of Electromagnetic Techniques/Instrumentation

¨ Realisation of remote field eddy current technology for Steam Generators

¨ Actualisation of magnetic flux leakage technology

¨ Establishing imaging system for eddy currents and flux leakage

¨ EC-GMR technique for detection of corrosion in SS Tanks

¨ Two-frequency saturation technique for SG tubes & Ni tubes

¨ Pulsed eddy current technique

¨ Concrete inspection using microwave imaging technique

¨ Development of ACPD and ACFM techniques for sizing of cracks

¨      Development of NDE methodologies of ODS alloy tubes

Development of Electromagnetic Sensors

* Micro-Hall sensors for MFL NDE

* Transmit-Receive EC probe for detection of defects in stainless steel welds

* GMR-MFL probe - Deep-surface defects in carbon steel

* High-temperature eddy current probe for weld centerline imaging

* Giant Magneto Impedance (GMI) sensors for electromagnetic applications

Electromagnetic Modeling

· Two and three-dimensional FE modeling of RFEC phenomenon

· FE modeling of fuel clads/slugs

· FE modeling of magnetic flux leakage and ACPD techniques

·       Eddy current simulation studies of sodium bonded metallic fuels   

Signal and Image Processing

à Eigen value based approach for enhancement of EC and MFL images

à Wavelet transform based approach for NDE of banded cladding tubes

à Electronic (phased-array) and mechanical imaging using eddy currents

Material Characterisation

¨ Intergrannular corrosion in stainless steel base metal and welds

¨ Characterisation of microstructures in Ti-alloys

¨ Correlation of  third-harmonic ultrasonic amplitude with material characteristics

¨ Characterisation of microstructure in M250-Maraging steel using eddy currents, XRD and Magnetic Brakhausen Emission (MBE) techniques.

¨ Material characterization using XRD (characterization of synthesized nanoparticles)

¨ Residual stress measurement using XRD

¨ Texture measurements on Zr- 2.5% Nb alloy tubes using XRD, to correlate with creep properties

Pre-service and In-service Inspection

· Quality assurance of SG tubes at NFC

· Remote field in-service inspection of SG test facility

· Inspection of calandria tubes of MAPS and NAPS during en masse coolant channel replacement

· Identification of rebarless region in concrete structures using microwave imaging system

·       Eddy current inspection of evaporator heat exchanger tubes at CWCP