Irradiation testing of ultrasonic transducers

Abstract

Abstract-Ultrasonic technologies offer the potential for high accuracy and resolution in-pile measurement of numerous parameters, including geometry changes, temperature, crack initiation and growth, gas pressure and composition, and microstructural changes. Many Department of Energy-Office of Nuclear Energy (DOE-NE) programs are exploring the use of ultrasonic technologies to provide enhanced sensors for in-pile instrumentation during irradiation testing. For example, the ability of single, small diameter ultrasonic thermometers (UTs) to provide a temperature profile in candidate metallic and oxide fuel would provide much needed data for validating new fuel performance models.Other efforts include an ultrasonic technique to detect morphology changes (such as crack initiation and growth) and acoustic techniques to evaluate fission gas composition and pressure. These efforts are limited by the lack of existing knowledge of ultrasonic transducer material survivability under irradiation conditions. To address this need, the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) was awarded an Advanced Test Reactor National Scientific User Facility (ATR NSUF) project to evaluate promising magnetostrictive and piezoelectric transducer performance in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Research Reactor (MITR)up to a fast fluence of at least 10 21 n/cm 2 (E> 0.1 MeV). This test will be an instrumented lead test; and real-time transducer performance data will be collected along with temperature and neutron and gamma flux data. By characterizing magnetostrictive and piezoelectric transducer survivability during irradiation, test results will enable the development of novel radiation tolerant ultrasonic sensors for use in Material and Test Reactors (MTRs). The current work bridges the gap between proven out-of-pile ultrasonic techniques and in-pile deployment of ultrasonic sensors by acquiring the data necessary to demonstrate the performance of ultrasonic transducers.

Use of the Ferroelectric Ceramic Bismuth Titanate as an Ultrasonic Transducer for High Temperatures and Nuclear Radiation

“…This paper is based on the Penn State Ph.D. Thesis of Dr. Brian Reinhardt [ 14 ] and will discuss the details of the experiment for bismuth titanate (BiTi). The results for the other sensor materials have been discussed in detail elsewhere [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ].…”

Nuclear instrumentation and measurement: a review based on the ANIMMA conferences

“…Some convenient experimental adaptations may be necessary to perform remote electric and acoustic measurements via mechanical bounding to a delay line, and to control the experimental conditions (irradiation, temperature), within volume limitations. An example of typical mechanical and electrical arrangement for testing piezoelectric materials is given in [155], for example. At this time, magnetostrictive alloys and piezoelectric materials: PZT, lithium niobate ( [155].…”

“…At this time, magnetostrictive alloys and piezoelectric materials: PZT, lithium niobate ( [155]. In all cases, not only the piezoelectric material behaviour must be considered, but also the behaviour of other components of the transducer, and particularly electrical and mechanical bonding means (mechanical pressure, brazed junctions) that can bias the interpretation of results [147,155].…”

“…In some cases assessments have been made directly in real conditions in a power reactor (TUSHT of Sonar device in Phenix reactor), as long as it was possible. In other cases, they are performed in experimental or research reactors in France (OSIRIS), Belgium (BR1, BR2), Norway (HBWR), USA (ATR), for example [25,82,144,146,147,[150][151][152][153][154][155]. Some convenient experimental adaptations may be necessary to perform remote electric and acoustic measurements via mechanical bounding to a delay line, and to control the experimental conditions (irradiation, temperature), within volume limitations.…”