Inspection of Some Components of the Nuclear Reactor TRICO II

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Centre Régional d'Études Nucléaires de Kinshasa Avenue de l'Université, Campus de Kinshasa.

2 COMMISSARIAT GENERAL A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE/CENTRE REGIONAL D'ETUDES NUCLEAIRES DE KINSHASA(CGEA/CREN-K) KINSHASA /DRCONGO

3 COMMISSARIAT GENERAL A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE/CENTRE REGIONAL D'ETUDES NUCLEAIRES DE KINSHASA

4 COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE/CENTRE REGIONAL D'ETUDES NUCLEAIRES DE KINSHASA

5 COMMISSARIAT GENERAL A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE/CENTRE REGIIONAL D'ETUDES NUCLEAIRES DE KINSHASA

6 COMMISSARIAT GENERAL A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE/CENTRE REGIONAL D'ETUDES NUCLEAIRES DE KINSHASA DRCONGO

7 Commissariat Général à l'Energie Atomique/ Centre Régional d'Etudes Nucléaires de Kinshasa/ Université de Kinshasa Kinshasa/RD Congo

8 UNIVERSITE DE KINSHASA DRCONGO

Abstract

In order to restart the Research Reactor Trico II, nuclear components are inspected using two main Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) methods, namely Visual Inspection (VI) and Ultrasonic Testing (UT). Visual method was needed to inspect the TANK using underwater camera ARECONT VISION and the USB2.0 endoscope. Ultrasonic method was needed to inspect octagonal concrete structure using a flaw detector Proceq Pundit PL-200PE for uniformity and quality controls. The inspection showed that the reactor tank has not been degraded. Indeed, out of about one hundred photos taken with both underwater cameras, only two shows small degradations on the tank wall. One concerns the horizontal ring 1, which is not well sticked on the tank wall. The second concerns the vertical weld (CV1), which shows a visible spot on the weld due probably to dust accumulation. The biological protection layer of the octagonal concrete structure is not also degraded. The calculated concrete structure elasticity modulus is given by G=192 558,53±43811,93 Mpa

Keywords

Arab Journal of Nuclear Sciences and Applications
Volume 56, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
Special Issue: Proceedings of the 10th African Conference on Research Reactor Safety, Operation and Utilization, Cairo, Egypt, 27 – 29 November 2022, organized by the IAEA in cooperation with the EAEA.
January 2023
Pages 131-139

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