Emerging Technology of Synthetic Aperture Focusing for Ultrasonic Testing

摘要

The capabilities of synthetic aperture focusing techniques for ultrasonic testing (SAFT-UT) as a nondestructive testing technique are presented. SAFT-UT is a digital ultrasonic imaging method, which can be adapted to many different materials, specimen geometries, and wave propagation modes. The process allows each point within the inspected volume to be focused upon by mathematically simulating the action of a lens, specifically formed for imaging that point in the volume. All points are therefore imaged at the maximum available resolution. The PNL effort in SAFT-UT is a continuation of a program started earlier by the NRC at the University of Michigan. The objectives of the present program are: to engineer and evaluate a real-time flaw detection and imaging system based on SAFT-UT for inservice inspection of all required LWR components, to establish calibration and field test procedures, to demonstrate and validate the system through field reactor inspections, and (4) to gain ASME Code acceptance of the real-time SAFT-UT technique. The following aspects of SAFT-UT are presented in this paper: brief overview of SAFT imaging theory, results demonstrating achievable lateral resolution, and presentation of shear wave SAFT-UT images. (ERA citation 09:049814)