Open AccessAutomated Diagnosis and Classification of Steam Generator Tube Defects
Author(s) -
Gabe Garcia
Publication year - 2004
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.2172/833464
Subject(s) - intergranular corrosion , stress corrosion cracking , boiler (water heating) , tube (container) , cracking , materials science , nondestructive testing , stress (linguistics) , metallurgy , corrosion , forensic engineering , structural engineering , composite material , engineering , physics , waste management , linguistics , philosophy , quantum mechanics
A major cause of failure in nuclear steam generators is tube degradation. Tube defects are divided into seven categories, one of which is intergranular attack/stress corrosion cracking (IGA/SCC). Defects of this type usually begin on the outer surface of the tubes and propagate both inward and laterally. In many cases these defects occur at or near the tube support plates. Several different methods exist for the nondestructive evaluation of nuclear steam generator tubes for defect characterization