Indira Gandhi Center for Atomic Research
Metallurgy and Materials Group
Kalpakkam - 603 102

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OBJECTIVES
Development of ultrasonic techniques for detection and sizing of defects in components
Development of ultrasonic test procedures for ISI of reactor components
Low-frequency UT and Impact echo testing of concrete structures
Microstructure characterisation using ultrasonic NDE parameters
Photoacoustic spectroscopy to characterize cold work and annealing in D9
Modeling of ultrasonic wave propagation & flaw scattering
Development of LASER triangulation technique for Inner surface profiling of dissolver vessels
UItrasonic spectroscopy
Development of LCR technique for assessment of residual stresses and cold work
Development of Eddy current position sensors
Development of SAFT, TOFD and C-Scan imaging techniques and MEMS
Fiber optic sensor development for temperature measurement
Development of software for tomographic reconstruction

STAFF MEMBERS

Dr. C. Babu Rao, Head, UMA Section
Dr. A. Joseph
Dr. P. Palanichamy
Dr. Mrs. Vaidehi Ganesan
Dr. Anish Kumar
Sri K.V. Rajkumar
Sri G.K. Sharma
Mrs. S. Sosamma
Sri P. Sukumar
Sri S. Sivanandan
Sri N. Dakshinamurthy
Sri R.Gnanasekharan

Sri C.Pandian (SRF)

Ms. Pushpavalli (JRF)

FACILITIES AVAILABLE

• Epoch IV ultrasonic tester

• SAFT

• TOFD

• Velocity measurement system

• Impact echo system

• Digital storage oscilloscope

• L_CR measurement facility

• Photoacoustic spectroscopy

• C-scan imaging

• Videomicroscope

• In-situ metallography equipment

RECENT ACTIVITIES

• Development of ultrasonic test procedures for Main vessel/ safety vessel
• A new ultrasonic methodology for ISI of support shell weld of core support structure
• A new methodology for qualification of Hexcan weld of fuel subassembly
• Development of ultrasonic inspection procedures for ISI of secondary sodium piping welds
• Low-frequency UT and Impact echo testing of concrete structures
• Assessment of damage to concrete due to sodium fire
• Correlation between concrete density and acoustic wave velocity
• Residual stress measurements (Main vessel sector and roof slab by hole-drilling method and L_cr wave based technique)
• Development of ECPS for DSRDM, PFBR
• Inner surface profiling of dissolver vessel in lead mini cell using  LASER triangulation technique
• ISI of nitric acid loop
• In-situ metallography of dished ends of storage tanks
• ISI of secondary sodium circuits pipe weld joints and steam generator circuit weld joints (UT)
• Stress measurement in bolts of upper flange joint of SGTF
• Wall Thickness measurements of secondary sodium valves
• Failure analysis of main boiler feed water pump valve plug and dissimilar weld joint of steam generator

 R&D Activities

• Fatigue crack growth studies on carbon steel elbows, stainless steel T joints and straight weld pipes

• Spectral analysis based methodology for thickness measurement of thimbles of ECHM

• Reconstruction software based on Filtered Back Projection development

• RS measurements in 9Cr-1Mo steel and carbon steel weld joints

• L_CR wave velocity measurements for assessment of residual stresses

• Photoacoustic spectroscopy to characterize cold work and annealing in D9

• Modeling of ultrasonic wave propagation & flaw scattering

Ultrasonic Material Characterization

• M250 Maraging steel - ageing behaviour
• D9 stainless steel - forging studies
• Imaging of ferritic and austenitic steel weld profiles
• Zr-based bulk metallic glass – recrystallization studies
• Ti-alloys – β-transus temperature using a specimen with simple treatment
• Tensile deformation in stainless steel
• Recrystallization studies in D9 stainless steel
• Ultrasonic measurements at high temperatures
• Characterisation of Kidney Stones

System and Software Development

• Portable Impact echo system
• Synthetic Aperture Focusing Technique (SAFT)
• Software for on-line measurement of ultrasonic velocity profile incorporating cross-correlation and spline fit algorithms
• Software for amplitude and TOF base C-scan imaging – using data from ULTIMA

Fiber Optic Sensor Development

• Raman scattering based temperature sensor

• FBG Strain sensor

• Feasibility studies on sodium circuits

 Laying fiber optic sensor for temperature measurement