Objective
Foreseen Results
The topic of the joint research proposal is the development of a magnetic type nondestructive material testing technique, with special emphasis on ECT, based on the use of the proprietary Fluxset principle. An important target within the project is the reconstruction of shape and size of the detected defect from the magnetic information by means of advanced inversion methods. Both the sensor design and the development of the inversion methods are strongly supported by different numerical electromagnetic field simulation and optimization techniques.
This proposal largely contributes to the stabilization of the RTD potential in the CCE countries by hiring Ph.D. students for this research programme and enabling them to get on hands experience during training with the co-operating partners.
The industrial measuring apparatus, which is planned to be developed in the project, will be produced by the Kraft Electronics Co. Ltd, and these equipments will be utilized in various type of ECT measurements at the Paks Nuclear Power Plant in Hungary. The two letters of intent are enclosed to the proposal.
The present proposal in the field of Industrial and Material Technologies (design of products and processes, maintainability and reliability) is aimed at the development of an innovative and cost effective measurement method. The final result will be a support tool for reliable, nondestructive testing of crucial material parameters. With the extensive use of mathematical modelling the new system shall be capable of extracting information which will lead to safer operation of essential components in harsh environments.
A proprietary high sensitivity sensing principle (Fluxset) has recently been developed for the measurement of weak (0.1 nT- 500 ,uT) DC and low frequency AC magnetic fields. This principle can be effectively applied in the nondestructive testing of materials. It was successfully used for the detection of defects in conducting materials by means of Eddy Current Testing (ECT). The main advantages of the present technique compared to conventional ECT methods lies in the significantly improved sensitivity, linearity, lateral resolution in harsh environments. The first results obtained with a preliminary laboratory measuring setup were presented at several conferences in 1995 (ISEM, Cardiff: ENDE Workshop, London; MIMR, Sendai). The high sensitivity enables low frequency excitation, and thereby a larger penetration of the electromagnetic waves into the conducting material (increased sampling depth). Moreover, the method is also suitable for the measurement of stray and residual fields. E.g. the detection of the presence of different ferromagnetic impurities inside or on non-ferromagnetic materials is in principle possible. By integration of these sensors in an array the magnetic image of different objects can also be recorded. Another feature is the non-contact measurement of the conductivity of materials. Some of the most critical phenomena in materials application are related to degradation (corrosion, stress, irradiation loading, ageing, etc.) leading to a change in characteristics. The above principle is very promising for the early detection of such deviations.
Funding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
80125 Napoli
Italy
Participants (7)
91192 Gif-sur-yvette
166 28 Praha 6
77206 Bucuresti
1121 Budapest Xii
1111 Budapest
8010 Graz
BA2 7AY Bath
