Independent qualification of phased array inspection of fillet welds (Se...

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Robin Shipp
Firecrest Consulting
34 Cambrian Drive, Yate, Bristol BS37 5TS, UK
Telephone: +44 (0) 7071 780746
Telefax: +44 (0) 8701 316103
E-mail: manager@firecrestconsulting.com
Charles R A Schneider and Colin R Bird
TWI, Granta Park, Cambridge CB1 6AL, UK
David A Wood
BNFL Magnox Generation
Berkeley Centre, Berkeley, Gloucestershire GL13 9PB, UK
Paper presented at BINDT Annual Conference, Southport, 17 September 2002

Abstract
Magnox Generation has investigated whether it is feasible to carry out ultrasonic inspection of welds associated with
boiler beam support brackets at various Magnox power stations. The welds are small, with a leg length typically of6 to
15mm, and they could not be properly inspected using conventional ultrasonic probes. A technique was therefore
developed using a phased array system. This allowed the ultrasonic beam to be focussed electronically, thereby
obtaining the required spatial resolution, and also allowed the beam angle to be varied in order to direct the beam into
the weld volume between the cap and root. Following the development work, it was decided to apply the technique
tosome boiler beam support bracket welds at Sizewell A power station.
This paper addresses the qualification of the inspection procedure, which TWI managed on behalf of Magnox
Generation following the ENIQ methodology. The comprehensive technical justification document was supported by
practical trials of the procedure, equipment and individual data analysts. The qualification was completed successfully
and confirmed that the procedure was capable of reliably detecting crack-like defects in the weld or heat affected zone
greater than 1.5mm wide by 10mm long. It also confirmed that, subject to certain provisos, the defect width would not
be underestimated by more than 1.5mm.
This qualification involved a novel technique with particular challenges and this paper describes the way in which these
were overcome.

1 Introduction
The boiler tube structures inside the boilers at Sizewell A are supported by beams which are themselves attached to
the boiler shells by support brackets. These brackets are welded fabrications and volumetric inspection of the welds
was considered desirable to check for possible in-service degradation. The bracket design is shown in Figure 1. It
consists of a landing plate and two gusset plates and is welded to the boiler shell or, in some cases, to a pad which is
welded to the boiler shell. The gusset to landing plate welds are un-penetrated fillet welds and the gusset to shell/pad
welds are fully penetrated, as shown in Figure 2. The landing plate to shell/pad geometry is similar to the gusset plate
to shell/pad geometry, except that the plate meets the shell/pad at right angles.

18/03/2015 11:01

Independent qualification of phased array inspection of fillet welds (Se...

2 of 2

http://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/published-papers/ind...

18/03/2015 11:01