Techniques of Fuel-Number Imaging with ITV Camera and Ultrasonic Waves for BWR's Loaded Fuel Subassembly

• Published in: Journal of the Atomic Energy Society of Japan / Atomic Energy Society of Japan Vol. 29; no. 9; pp. 815 - 822
• Main Authors: MATSUI, Mitsuo, SENOO, Makoto, OKAMURA, Takashi, SASAKI, Kazumi, MIZUTANI, Takeshi, SASAKI, Masayoshi, SHIMADA, Atsushi, MIZUNO, Masaaki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Atomic Energy Society of Japan 01.01.1987
• Subjects: binary-valued image; BWR type reactors; cladding; fuel subassemblies; fuel-number; ITV camera; lighting technique; scanning; ultrasonic waves
• ISSN: 0004-7120; 2186-5256
• DOI: 10.3327/jaesj.29.815

An experimental investigation of automatic fuel-number imaging for BWR's fuel subassemblies has been carried out to reduce the time and the mental load of operators for fuel-number confirmation. The experiments have been conducted for clear imaging with lighting and industrial television camera, and with ultrasonic waves. Following points were clarified: (1) Clear binary-valued character patterns can be obtained by means of sequential two directional lighting and subsequent image processing, and the same lighting technique can be applied to new or old fuel subassemblies, since this technique is based on the geometrical features of the carved characters. (2) Fuel-number images can be obtained by scanning ultrasonic waves on the carved character surface, which is buried in thick cladding mud (such carved characters can be hardly imaged with ITV cameras).