HIGH-DEFINITION RADIOGRAPHY OF TUBE-TO-TUBESHEET WELDS OF STEAM-GENERATOR OF PROTOTYPE FAST BREEDER REACTOR

In the steam generator of the Prototype Fast Breeder Reactor (PFBR), s team is generated by the transfer of hear from secondary sodium to wat er Due to the inherent dangers of sodium-water reaction, the integrity of weld joints separating sodium and water/stream is of paramount imp ortance. This is particularly true and very important for the tube-to- tubesheet joints. This paper discusses the rue of projective magnifica tion technique by microfocal radiography for the quality evaluation an d optimisation of the welding parameters of such small tube-to-tubeshe et welds of the steam generator of PFBR. It should be intentioned here that in a recent article on microfocus radiography((1)), Dr Halmshaw observed that little had been published on the application of projecti ve magnification techniques using microfocal radiography for similar s mall-bore pipe welds.