Development and applications of retroreflective surfaces for ultrasound in LBE

Willem Leysen, Marc Dierckx, Dimitri Van Dyck

    Research outputpeer-review

    1 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    The Belgian Nuclear Research Centre SCK-CEN is in the process of developing MYRRHA a fast flux research reactor, cooled by lead bismuth eutectic mixture (LBE). As LBE is opaque to visual light, ultrasonic techniques will be employed to provide feedback to submerged operations. One of the tasks tackled using ultrasound is locating a potentially lost fuel assembly. Unfortunately, standard machined stainless steel objects, such as a fuel assembly, reflect an ultrasonic pulse in a specular way which induces stringent requirements on the alignment of the ultrasonic sensor with respect to the fuel assembly. An alternative approach consists in relying on reflections from the known surroundings: a lost fuel assembly will block the line-of-sight to the diaphragm resulting in an anomaly in the reflection. In that way, it suffices to align the sensor with the surroundings. The alignment requirement in the latter approach can be further relaxed by using a tiling of retroreflectors on the lower surface of the diaphragm. In this paper, we present the first results in developing a retroreflecting surface for ultrasound in LBE. We also demonstrate how retroreflective surfaces can be used for localizing lost objects.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publication2015 4th International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation Measurement Methods and their Applications, ANIMMA 2015
    PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
    ISBN (Electronic)9781479999187
    DOIs
    StatePublished - 2015
    Event4th International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation Measurement Methods and their Applications, ANIMMA 2015 - Lisbon
    Duration: 20 Apr 201524 Apr 2015

    Publication series

    Name2015 4th International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation Measurement Methods and their Applications, ANIMMA 2015
    PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

    Conference

    Conference4th International Conference on Advancements in Nuclear Instrumentation Measurement Methods and their Applications, ANIMMA 2015
    Country/TerritoryPortugal
    CityLisbon
    Period2015-04-202015-04-24

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
    • Radiation
    • Instrumentation
    • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

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