I

39

I--

BARCIS (BARC Channel Inspection

System)
Manjit Singh
Reactor Control Division
Bhabha Atomic Research

N-SERVICE

INSPECTION

Centre

(ISI)

OF COOLANT

channels ofPHWRs is essential to

provide assurance of continued structural
integrity of pressure tubes over reactor
life- time. A semi-automated remotised
channel inspection system known as
BARCIS (BARC Channel Inspection
System) for ISI of coolant channels has
been developed. The system is designed
with the objectives of minimising radiation
exposure to inspection personnel and
completion of inspection with minimum
reactor down time.
The inspection is carried out from one
end of the channel with the rector in the
shutdown condition and shutdown pumps
running. The channel to be inspected is
defuelled and the fuel bundles are
temporarily stored in the fueling machine
at the other end of the channel. After the
inspection, the fuel bundles are put back
in the channel to occupy the same old
positions. Isolation of the channel from
the primary heat transport system is not
needed and the fuel bundles need not be
discarded.
Coolant

channel

assembly

The design of PHWRs is characterised

by neutral uranium fuel, heavy water
moderator, pressure tube containment of
primary coolant, bundle fuel and onpower refuelling. The most significant

feature in the design is the use of multiple

coolant channels (fuel channels)
configuration rather than a single large
pressure containment. Each 235 MWe
reactor has 306 coolant channels. These
are mounted horizontally within a
horizontal cylindrical vessel, the calandria
and surrounded by low pressure low
temperature heavy water moderator.
Each coolant channel assembly is made of
Zircaloy-2 pressure tube of nominal
outside diameter 90.33 mm, wall
thickness 3.92 mm and length
5435.6 mm. Each end of the pressure
tube is attached by means of a cold rolled
joint to a stainless steel end-fitting. Each
end-fitting has a coolant piping
connection and contains a sealing plug
that can be removed by remotised fuelling
machines to perroit on-power fuelling.
External and concentric with the pressure
tube is a thinner tube of Zircaloy-2 known
as caiandria tube, that separates the hot
pressure tube from the cool moderator.
Dry nitrogen or carbon dioxide gas fills
the annular space between the tubes and
garter springs keep the tubes from
touching each other.
Because of the critically important
role of the pressure tube as part of the
pressure boundary, it is necessary to
confirro their structural integrity and
collect data related to changes in their

1401-material

properties.

geometry
condition

and relative

channel

components

in order

to predict

requirements.
coolant

Also, changes

of the pressure

position
must

inspection

of other

cables

be monitored

shows

an inspection
sensors.
a special

sealing

containing

NDE

containing
for online

checking

of llaw sensors.

a remotely

operated

drive mechanism

inside

the inspection

the coolant

channel

.
.

Mark-lll

computerised
a dedicated

control

compatible

data.

rotary
head.

CCTV system
checking

gap
for

for remotised

of drive tubes

displacement

for extension

to be leak tight
positive

to the basic
drive tubes

operated

The drive

and

of linear

for

mechanism

for driving

Seventy

is

the

inspection
head inside the coolant
channel in the desired test sequence.
control station is located outside
containment.

The

designed

and have features

locking.

drive

head.

metre

long cable

of BARClS

lSl
are

from ISI

of wall

thickness of pressure tube.

Ultrasonic detection of flaws in
longitudinal and circumferential
directions in pressure tube.

system.

computer

inspection

calibration

to the inspection

attached

friendly

instrument
with facility
logging of eddy current

a quad

coupled

tube

Ultrasonic measurement

operator

measuring
automatic

alignment

based

in the

BARClS has the following NDE

capabilities:

system).

a windows

seals

Once the inspection

NDE capabilities

head
( two-axis

drive mechanism
for Mark-ll system
and four-axis
drive mechanism
for

through

plug.

provided for operation

control station.

calibration

for positioning

to the
the transducers

are manually

remotely

plug.

an in-head
calibration
plug
standard
references
notches

sealing

joints

of BARCIS

head

carries

head and sealing plug are in place,

extension
drive tubes in drive mechanism

a typical

The overall system of BARC1Sconsists of

attached

head

and passes

special

assembly.

Brief description

A drive tube

in the

and the

maintenance

Fig-I

channel

tubes

and

of inspection

NDE instruments.

The existing fuelling machine (FM)

has been used to remotely load/unload
the assembly of special sealing plug and
inspection head into the coolant channel.
This has resulted in substantial
reduction in cost and complexity of the
system.

.
.
.

Eddy current
spring

detection

location

Eddy current

of garter

and tilt.

estimation

gap between pressure

calandria
tube.

of annular
tube

and

Eddy current detection of llaws in

longitudinal and circumferential
directions on inner surface of
pressure tube.

.Inclinometer based sag measurement

of pressure tube.
BARCIS is capable of inspecting an
average of two coolant channel per day
with approximately half the time required
for defueling the channel, alignment of

I
drive mechanism and refueling the
channel upto inspection.
The successful completion of
indigenous channel inspection system
marks the development of critical
technology and has resulted in
substantial savings in foreign exchange. A
prototype version of the system was
developed in 1992. The prototype system
was used for ISI of about 200 coolant
channels ofRAPS-2, MAPS-l & MAPS-2.
Based on the successful operation of the
prototype system, NPC had requested
BARC to supply two Mark-ll systems for
MAPS and one Mark-llI system for NAPS
at a total cost of Rs 5.50 crores. Mark-ll
system was supplied to MAPS in July, 97.
Mark-llI system was supplied to NAPS in
Jan 1999. Reference [1] gives description
of BARCIS. Figures 2 & 3 show BARCIS
Mark-ll & 1lI systems respectively.

NDE sensors
and instruments

10 MHz ultrasonic normal beam point

focussed and angle beam line focussed
immersion probes are used for thickness
measurement and flaw detection
respectively. Eddy current split bobbin
probe (7 kHz) is used for detection of
garter spring location and tilt. Eddy
current pan-cake probe (2.5 kHz) is used
for gap measurement. Eddy current
focussed differential probe (100 kHz) is
used for detecting flaws on inner surface
of pressure tubes. All eddy current probes
have been specially developed for BARCIS.
Standard ultrasonic thickness tester and
flaw detector have been utilised. Standard
eddy current tester has_been utilised for
garter spring location and eddy current
flaw detection. A dedicated computer
compatible eddy current instrument has
been developed for gap measurement. The
problem of estimation of annular gap

41 I---

between pressure tube and calandria tube

has been quite challenging. All the above
sensors have worked satisfactorily upto
an integrated radiation dose of about
10'Rads whichgivesabout 100hours of
operation in coolant channels having a
radiation field of the order of 106 Rads per
hour. The radiation rating of commercially
available servo-inclinometer is limited to
10' Rads due to the type of damping oil
used.
Reference [2] describes the technique
for eddy current estimation of annular gap
between pressure tube and calandria
tube. Fig-4 shows the salient features of
the technique and the instrument
developed.
Reference [3] describes the technique
for inclinometer based sag measurement.
The reference notches in the in-head
calibration plug for calibration of
ultrasonic and eddy current flaw detection
have depth equal to 3 % of wall thickness
of pressure tube.
Advances

in BARCIS

Under IX-Plan project. Development

ofTools & Techniques" (Power-6) following
additional capabilities are being developed
at Reactor Control Division:
0

Ultrasonic
WD

measurement

of pressure

Ultrasonic

of!D,

OD and

tubes.

imaging

of zirconium

hydride blisters in pressure tubes.

0

Development of miniature underwater

radiation
visual

resistant

CCTV camera

for

inspection.

Automatic data acquisition and

evaluation

Recently, a computer based four

channel ultrasonic dimensional
measuring system has been developed.

I 42 I-Three nos. of 25 MHz

focussed

immersion

apart

are used

& WT

of pressure

is used

system
of one

tube. The

a resolution

micro-meter

experiments

been

aod

possible

the above

wave

the system

probes.
aod

qualify the technique

Reference

methodology
hydride

from

one of

Fig-5 shows

the image

[4J describes

to
are on

the

of zirconium

their detection.

optical aod

electronic

for radiation

camera

been developed aod are

undergoing

shows

resistant

CCTV

components
have

the

camera

components

Chamber

the irradiation

testing.

used

by using

damping

oils

technology

Reactor
responsible

are

in

radiation

progress.

inspection
computerised

agencies
Control

Division

drive

control

of special

calibration

3. MaojitSingh et al, "Techniques

Measure

Deflection

of Pressure

in Indiao

PHWRs",

14'h World

Conference
8-13,1996,
4.

plug

has been
of

mechanism,
system,

eddy

to
Tubes

on NDT, pp 381-384,
New Delhi, India.

Dee

Maojit Singh et al, "Study of Hydride

Blisters in Zirconium
Alloy Pressure
Tube

Spools

ao Ultrasonic

aod their

Detection

Techniques",

March

10-12,

1999,

using

Joint EC-

lAEA Specialist Meeting on NDT

Methods for Monitoring Degradation,
Netherlaods.

for the development

head,

has been

for the development

plug aod in-head

53-69,
Participating

Division

for

techniques.

2. Maojit Singh et al, "Eddy Current

Measurement of Annular Gap Between
Pressure Tube aod Calaodria Tube in
Indiao PHWRs", 14'" World Conference
onNDT, pp 377-380, Dee 8-13,1996,
New Delhi, India.

for

The components

of servo-inclinometers

responsible

of inspection

1. Maojit Singh et al, "BARCl8-A Semi

Automated Tool for In-Service
Inspection ofCoolaot Channel", IAEA
Technical committee Meeting, Feb '94,
Mumbai, India.

developed

being

are being qualified for use in radiation

field of 10' Rads/hr
for ao integrated
dose
of 10' Rads. Efforts to extend radiation
life

resistaot

sealing

irradiation testing. Fig-6

aod the Gamma

has been

of

experiments

for growth

Prototype

Division

the development

CCTV
Atomic

References
It

of

for field use

blisters aod

of

inclinometer
quad

aod NDE instruments.

responsible

millimeter

generated

Further

gap measurement,
sag measurement,

Refueling

The

conducted.

amplitude

developed

blister sample.

Fuels
in

of zirconium

to detect one

mentioned

based

this system,

for detection

reflected shear

haod.

for chaoge

overall accuracy

Using

blister using

QD

of measurement

blisters are being

diameter

ofID,

current
system

fourth probe

correction

ten micro-meters.

has

120'

velocity with temperature.

has

hydride

point

beam
mounted

for measurement

to provide

ultrasonic

normal
probes

Petten,

pp
The

43

I--

"BARCISiscapableofinspecting
an
averageoftwocoolantchannelper
daywithapproximately
halfthetime
requiredfordefuelingthechannel,
alignmentof drivemechanism
and
refuelingthechanneluptoinspection.
"
r.,ceikd

the '1JARCTech"ical

nt of BARCIS

Ex"el!,;'nce Award::itiJ~99~~.
"
~A~
,+,
';'\1

About the author..

Mr Manjit Singh joined 16~ batch of BARC Training Sohool in 1972 after graduating in
Electrioal Engineering fcom Punjabi University, Patiala. He "ood r.-" =ong ,""ce"ful
electrioal enginee" at BARC Training Sohool. He has 'pedali"d
in the d"ign and
development of "moti"d
oontrol mechani,m, and in'pection tool, foc nuolear "aoto".
He has been "'pon,ib!e
foc the development of ,hut-off cod drive mechanism, foc
Dhmva, K=ini and NAPP reactoc'. He has al" been "'pon,ible
foc the development of
BARCIS (BARC Channelln'pection
Sy'tem) foc in-mvice in'peotion of ooolant ohannel,
of 220 MWe PHWR,. Pre"ntly, he i, heading Control Meohani'm' & IS! Section of
Reactor Control Division, BARC.

Coolant
Inlet
+

End
Shield

Pressure
Tube

End
Shield

Fig. I: A Typical Coolant Channel Assembly

....
'iii
Ii

u..

ifj

=-

15
ifj
=..
,.::
S
ifj
=
.::.
..
ifj

U
.=:

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II

,:;

,,;

45 I--

Assembly

of Io'peedon

Head & Speda.

Sealing

Plug

Rotary Motor
& Encoder

Coolant
Channel
E - face
Dr;ve

Tube

FM Bridge

Drive

Mecbani,m

Fig.3: BARCIS Mark-HI System for NAPS

Sensor

..
..

Speeifications

Type - Pan-cake
Range

driver,

of gap measnrement

differential

pick-np

probe

- 0 - 17 mm

Pressure-5Kg1cm'
Radiatioo

life - roo Mega Rads

Teebnique

.
.
.
.
.
.
-"'

for gap measnrement

Probe lift-off
it in X-asis

cffect ;s oullified

Temperature
differeotia!

effeet is nullified
pick-up probe

Measured
informatioo

cddy cnrrent
aboot wall

aod PT-CT gap

PT wall tbickness

by aligoiog
by using

sigoal contaios
tbickness
of PT

is measured

separately

osing nltrnsonic
teebniqoe
Calibratioo
cnrves of eddy corrent
for changc iu gap as a fouctiou
tbickuess
ure geue..ted

output
of wall

From mcasured
eddy curreut
output and
wall thickness
or PT, PT-CT
gap valnes
are geuerated
using calibratiou
curves
aud gap profile is plotted

Edd
fo

'
.."---'-"
---._-_........._-

Fig -4: Eddy Currenl

Measnrement

of Gap between Pressure Tnhe and Calandr;.

148J--

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~ale.mpoDen"
.fRadlal viewing head
. Multl-component coated len,
. Tw. component elliptical mlm>r
. Traa'pa..,'" tube for enca,lng ligbt bulbs
. Traasparent dl""
Camera PCBs
. Preamplifier
. Focu, Board
. GateDrlveBoard
. Video Amplifier and Signal Proce"or Board
. Vertical Deflection Board
. Honzoutal Deflection Board
. Sync Generator
. Voltage Generator Board
. Servo Controller Board

Radiation

Internals .f RadIation R"lstant CCTV Camern

Fig 6: Development o(Minlature

Resistant

Gamma

Underwater

Radiation

CCTV

Chamber

Camera

5000

-S

Resistant CCTV Camera