First Qualified Automated Analysis System for Eddy Current Steam Generator Inspection Data in Canada

The number of qualified personnel who analyze Eddy Current Testing (ET) data from steam generator tube inspections is gradually shrinking. More people are retiring from this work than the number of younger people who are being trained with the necessary skills to do it. Because of this, there is an industry desire to deploy reliable automated analysis software to perform more of the analysis tasks that have been traditionally performed manually by qualified personnel. Recently, a project for the development and qualification of an automated system for analyzing ET inspection data from Darlington CANDU® steam generator tubes was completed. The system configuration that was developed for this analysis used Zetec RevospECT Pro® automated analysis software. This paper will discuss development, training, testing and field performance of the new specially configured automated analysis system. This discussion will include the utilization of a broad array of tools such as field data, simulated flaw signals from laboratory samples and mathematical modelling, signal injection and ultrasonic testing results that ensured rigorous verification of the performance of the newly developed automated system. This paper summarizes the development and qualification of ET automated analysis configurations that were developed for analyzing SG inspection data from the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario, Canada.