US 11,808,735 B2
Ultrasonic phased array transducer for the NDE inspection of the jet pump riser welds and welded attachments
Charles R. Barrett, Ooltewah, TN (US); and Kevin J. Foley, Chattanooga, TN (US)
Assigned to Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, Cranberry Township, PA (US)
Filed by Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, Cranberry Township, PA (US)
Filed on Oct. 19, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/047,850.
Application 18/047,850 is a division of application No. 16/780,152, filed on Feb. 3, 2020, granted, now 11,506,634.
Application 16/780,152 is a continuation of application No. 14/597,644, filed on Jan. 15, 2015, granted, now 10,557,828, issued on Feb. 11, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/940,581, filed on Feb. 17, 2014.
Prior Publication US 2023/0143492 A1, May 11, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 29/04 (2006.01); G01N 29/24 (2006.01); G01N 29/22 (2006.01); G01N 29/26 (2006.01); G21C 17/017 (2006.01); G21C 15/25 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 29/043 (2013.01) [G01N 29/221 (2013.01); G01N 29/24 (2013.01); G01N 29/2487 (2013.01); G01N 29/262 (2013.01); G01N 2291/0234 (2013.01); G01N 2291/044 (2013.01); G01N 2291/106 (2013.01); G01N 2291/267 (2013.01); G01N 2291/2634 (2013.01); G21C 15/25 (2013.01); G21C 17/017 (2013.01); Y02E 30/30 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of inspecting welds of a pipe in a boiling water nuclear reactor using a phased array transducer assembly, the method comprising:
positioning the phased array transducer assembly adjacent to a surface of the pipe such that a face of a housing of the phased array transducer assembly is positioned adjacent to a weld to be inspected;
generating an ultrasonic beam using a phased array subassembly that is mounted on a wedge of the phased array transducer assembly and oriented at a first angle relative to the face of the housing of the phased array transducer assembly, wherein the wedge is positioned within an internal cavity of the housing of the phased array transducer assembly; and
scanning the pipe, such that a range of the ultrasonic beam comprises an area encompassing the weld of the pipe.