Steve Kenefick

NDE Principal Project Manager

NRC/Industry UPT Meeting

June 11, 2014 

White Flint, MD

UPT NDE Technology Update
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 2

UPTI NDE Technology Update Overview

• EPRI UPTI Program Overview

• Tank NDE update

• Pipe NDE technology assessment 

update
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 3

2014 EPRI UPT NDE Technology Projects

EPRI has invested significantly in UPT 

NDE technology since 2007 and continues 

in 2104

• Ten 2014 NDE UPT projects 

– Several projects continuing from 2013

– Two important projects scheduled to 

sunset in 2013 were extended into 2014

– Five additional EPRI NDE projects bring 

value to UPT
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 4

2014 EPRI UPT NDE Research Projects

• Assessment and Evaluation of NDE for Tanks and 

Containment Liners (extended into 2014)

• Assessment and Development of Buried Pipe NDE 

Technology (extended into 2014)

• Criteria to credit guided wave as a direct examination 

(continuation from 2013)

• Revision to the Buried Pipe NDE Reference Guide 

– Additional technologies and operating experience will be 

added

• Guided Wave Structural Health Monitoring (continuation from 

2013)
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 5

2014 EPRI UPT NDE Research

• Leveraging other industry resources – EPRI engaged with 

PRCI NDE technology development (>$2.5M)

• Capabilities of NDE for quantification of real corrosion in 

buried piping (continuation from 2013)

• Investigation of new techniques for permanently mounted 

guided wave sensors (continuation from 2013)

• Technique development for HDPE pipe butt fusion weld 

strength evaluation (continuation from 2013)

• Examination through coatings (continuation from 2013)

– Quantifying NDE capabilities through various coatings
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 6

Guided Wave Structural Health Monitoring

Purpose

• Install during excavation

• Data can be collected remotely

• Monitor for changes over time allows 

for detection of small wall loss

• Project will:

– Include various GW systems

– Assess the effects of variables that 

can affect guided waves

• Co-funded by PRCI

– Engagement with major oil company 

and National Lab on new technology
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 7

Criteria to Apply Guided Wave as a Direct Exam

• Research results were published in December, 2013

– Guidelines for Obtaining Credit for Buried Pipe Guided 

Wave Examinations (3002000468)

• Industry review of performance criteria and configuration 

restrictions scheduled for first week of July, 2014

– Need to establish industry consensus

• Subsequently, the framework with criteria and guidelines will 

be submitted to NRC
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 8

UPT NDE Technology Update Overview

• EPRI UPT Program Overview

• Tank NDE update

• Pipe NDE technology assessment 

update
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 9

Assessment and Evaluation of NDE for Tanks and 

Containment Liners (2014-16)

• Purpose

• Assessment tank NDE technologies

• Assess tank NDE robotics

• Leveraging PRCI R&D results

• NDE for Tanks and Containment Liners 

(Report 3002000462 published in Dec. 

2013) 

Eddy Current Array
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 10

Recent Tank NDE Activities 

• Demonstration of an inspection 

robot in a tank mock-up

– Robot submersed in water

– Eddy current array and 

ultrasonic phased array 

sensors 

• A further demonstration and site 

inspections planned for Fall 2014 

– Stainless steel CST tank 

– Eddy current array and 

ultrasonic phased array 

sensors 

Eddy Current Array Sensor

Ultrasonic Phased Array Sensor
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 11

Recent Tank NDE Activities 

• Ultrasonic phased 

array results 

obtained on EPRI 

mock-up
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 12

Recent Tank NDE Activities

Eddy current array sensor operated at 800Hz (1⁄4” Aluminum 

plate)
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 13

Tank NDE Update

• Thermography experiments performed on 

fabricated plate mock-ups 

• Feasibility study using the short-range guided 

wave testing

– Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducers 

(EMATs) sensors

– Carbon steel, stainless steel and aluminum 

plate mock-ups with fabricated flaws and 

service induced pits 

• EPRI held the “Symposium on Concrete 

Structures, Liner Barriers and Tanks”
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 14

UPT NDE Technology Update Overview

• EPRI UPT Program Overview

• Tank NDE update

• Pipe NDE technology assessment 

update
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 15

Assessment and Development of Buried Pipe NDE 

Technology (2014-16)

Purpose 

• Benchmark buried pipe NDE capabilities

• Provide resources for vendors to tweak procedures

• Provide utility support in implementing technology

• Identify new NDE technologies
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 16

Recent Piping Technology Assessment

• ILI device propelled through the pipe 

with the flow of fluid

– Capable of bi-directional tool

• Assessment conducted on EPRI’s 8-in 

diameter 60-ft long mock-up

– 6 elbows

– 1-diameter bend elbow

– Maneuvered through mock-up without 

issue

• Results to be published in upcoming 

report
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 17

Recent Piping Technology Assessment

• Ultrasonic flow through in-line inspection technology

– Single transducer with a rotating mirror

– Onboard pulser, receiver, digitizer, data storage

• Data stored on-board

• Real time view of ultrasonic data can be obtained

• Technology has been used at a US nuclear plant
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 18

Assessed NDE Technologies Used in the 

Field

• Inline flow through ultrasonics

• Ultrasonic robotics – Electromagnetic 

Acoustic Transducer (EMAT)

• In-line Remote Field Eddy Current (RFT)

• Phased array ultrasonics
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 19

EPRI Buried and Underground Pipe NDE 

Reports (Red – denotes results published in 2013)

Nondestructive Evaluation: Buried Pipe Nondestructive 

Evaluation Reference Guide—Revision 2 (1025220)

Nondestructive Evaluation: Buried Pipe NDE 

Reference Guide—Revision 2, Addendum 1 

(3002000447)

Nondestructive Evaluation: Assessment and 

Development of Buried Pipe NDE Technology 

(3002000463) 

• Replaces interim report 1025219

Buried Pipe Direct Examinations Through Coatings 

(1025228)

Nondestructive Evaluation: Buried Pipe In-Line NDE 

Depth Sizing Procedure (1025231)
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 20

EPRI Buried and Underground Pipe NDE 

Reports

Intermediate Diameter Buried Piping Instrumented 

Vehicle--Evaluation (1022926)

Remote Field Technology Assessment for Piping 

Inspection Including Buried and Limited Access 

Components (1021153)

Catawba Field Trial of EPRI’s Large Diameter Buried 

Pipe Instrumented Vehicle (1016676)

Buried Pipe Guided Wave Examination Reference 

Document (1019115)

Guided Wave Analysis Tools for Buried Pipe 

(3002000466)

Guidelines for Obtaining Credit for Buried Pipe Guided 

Wave Examinations (3002000468)
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 21

EPRI Buried and Underground Pipe NDE 

Reports

Nondestructive Evaluation: Guided Wave Analysis 

Tools (1025212)

Nondestructive Evaluation: Guided Wave Status 

Report (1022929)

Nondestructive Evaluation: Further Developments of 

Guided Wave Examination Application 2009 Status 

Report (1019116)

Nondestructive Evaluation: Further Developments of 

Guided Wave Examination Application (1016675)

Nondestructive Evaluation: Buried Pipe Structural 

Health Monitoring (1025213)
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 22

EPRI Tank and NDPE NDE Reports

Tank NDE Deliverables

Nondestructive Evaluation: NDE for Tanks and 

Containment Liners (3002000462)

Inspection Methods for Tanks and Containment 

Liners (1025215)

Inspection Methodologies for Buried Pipes and 

Tanks (1021561)

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) NDE Technology

Nondestructive Evaluation: High-Density 

Polyethylene NDE Technology (3002000439)
© 2014 Electric Power Research Institute, Inc. All rights reserved. 23

Together...Shaping the Future of 

Electricity