New fiber optic laser probe for the automatic inspection of cracks in the inner side of heat exchanger tubes of nuclear power plants

Abstract

A novel artificial vision system with fully automatic operation that complements the results obtained by eddy current techniques in the inspection of heat exchanger tubes of nuclear power plants is presented. The system has a specifically developed fiberoptic probe based on a reflectometric principle that uses a linear array of optical fibers to form an image of the inner surface of the tubes, allowing the user to detect and measure defects opened to this surface. The system architecture, principle of measurement, main features and experimental results are presented.