AUTOMATED ULTRASONIC TESTING OPTIMIZES INTEGRITY EVALUATIONS FOR UNDERGROUND PIPING INSPECTIONS

This paper will provide an overview of a recent buried piping inspection project leveraging automated ultrasonic testing methods to evaluate internal raw water corrosion at a reliably-operating, nuclear power plant. Discussion of current piping inspection practices for resolving non-planar flaws in raw water piping will be provided, emphasizing inspection performance requirements and a pilot project using automated scanning to optimize inspection value while minimizing field time and costs. Contents include past buried piping integrity inspection scope / method selection, details on techniques and critical success factors for the project relative to integrity needs, lessons learned from field implementation, further experience from subsequent related inspections using automated and manua