research
Evaluation of two ultrasonic systems for analysis of porosity in ceramic
- Publication date
- Publisher
- IEN
Abstract
The Ultrasound Laboratory of the Nuclear Engineering Institute (LABUS / IEN) has developed an ultrasonic
technique to measure porosity in nuclear fuel pellets (UO2). By difficulties related to the handling of UO2
pellets, Alumina (Al2O3) pellets have been used in preliminary tests, until a methodology for tests with pellets
of UO2 could be defined. In a previous work, in which a contact ultrasonic technique was used, good results
were obtained to measure the porosity of Alumina pellets. In the current studies, it was found that the frequency
spectrum of an ultrasonic pulse is very sensitive to the porosity of the medium in which it propagates. In order
to define the most appropriate experimental apparatus for using immersion technique in future tests, two
ultrasonic systems, available in LABUS, which permit to work with the ultrasonic pulse in the frequency
domain were evaluated . One system was the Explorer II (Matec INSTRUMENTS) and the other the ultrasonic
pulse generator Epoch 4 Plus (Panametrics) coupled with an oscilloscope TDS 3032B (Tektronix). For this
evaluation, several frequency spectra were obtained with the two equipment, by the passage of the ultrasonic
wave in the same pellet of Alumina. This procedure was performed on four different days, on each day 12
ultrasonic signals were acquired, one signal every 10 minutes, with each apparatus. The results were compared and analyzed as regard the repeatability of the frequency spectra obtained