Eddy Current Inspection of Steam Generator Tubes Near Support Plates with Trefoil and Quatrefoil-Shaped Holes: A Hybrid Volume Integral - Finite Elements Approach

摘要

The numerical modeling of the eddy current inspection of Steam Generator (SG) tubes near Tube Support Plates (TSP) with Quatrefoil-shaped openings is examined. The modeling approach, developed in the CIVA platform, is based on a hybridization of the Volume Integral Method (VIM) with the Finite Elements Method (FEM). In this way, the complexity of the tube - TSP is resolved using the FEM whereas the flaw interaction can be efficiently calculated by means of the VIM. Material deposit in the TSP openings, responsible for clogging up effects, can be also taken into account with this approach and will be considered in a next stage.