US 11,898,986 B2
Systems and methods for steam generator tube analysis for detection of tube degradation
Qui V. Le, Pittsburgh, PA (US); William K. Cullen, Pittsburgh, PA (US); and Craig Bowser, North Huntingdon, PA (US)
Assigned to Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, Cranberry Township, PA (US)
Filed by Westinghouse Electric Company LLC, Cranberry Township, PA (US)
Filed on Sep. 14, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/131,435.
Application 16/131,435 is a division of application No. 15/078,348, filed on Mar. 23, 2016, abandoned.
Application 15/078,348 is a division of application No. 13/951,984, filed on Jul. 26, 2013, granted, now 9,335,296, issued on May 10, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/755,601, filed on Jan. 23, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/755,610, filed on Jan. 23, 2013.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/711,875, filed on Oct. 10, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2019/0056356 A1, Feb. 21, 2019
Int. Cl. G01N 27/90 (2021.01); G01M 15/14 (2006.01)
CPC G01N 27/9046 (2013.01) [G01M 15/14 (2013.01); G01N 27/9073 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of employing at least one eddy current sensor and at least one digital computing device to non-destructively assess a tube of a steam generator of a nuclear power plant, the method comprising:
generating a database, wherein generating the database comprises:
collecting initial eddy current data for the tube;
storing, by the at least one digital computing device, the initial eddy current data in the database;
collecting first additional eddy current data for the tubes at a first time after the initial eddy current data is collected;
storing, by the at least one digital computing device, the first additional eddy current data in the database;
comparing a signal characteristic of the initial eddy current data with a corresponding signal characteristic of the first additional eddy current data; and
storing results of the comparison in the database;
determining a normal signal characteristic variance based on the stored results of the comparison;
collecting second additional eddy current data for the tube at a second time after the first additional eddy current data is collected, wherein collecting the initial eddy current data, the first additional eddy current data and the second additional eddy current data comprises using at least one robotically-controlled advancement mechanism to advance the at least one eddy current sensor through the tube;
determining an abnormal signal characteristic variance based on the normal signal characteristic variance and a signal characteristic variance of the second additional eddy current data; and
determining a physical region of interest of the tube for manual evaluation by an analyst based on a geometry of the region of interest of the tube, the initial eddy current data, the first additional eddy current data, and the collected second additional eddy current data, wherein the physical region of interest is a portion of the tube.