TY - JOUR
T1 - High temperature ultrasonic transducers for imaging and measurements in a liquid Pb/Bi eutectic alloy
AU - Kazys, Rymantas
AU - Voleisis, Algirdas
AU - Sliteris, Reimondas
AU - Mazeika, Lindas
AU - Van Nieuwenhove, Rudi
AU - Kupschus, Peter
AU - Abderrahim, Hamid Aït
PY - 2005/4
Y1 - 2005/4
N2 - In some nuclear reactors or accelerator-driven systems (ADS) the core is intended to be cooled by means of a heavy liquid metal, for example, lead-bismuth (Pb/Bi) eutectic alloy. For safety and licensing reasons, an imaging method of the interior of ADS, based on application of ultrasonic waves, has thus to be developed. This paper is devoted to description of developed various ultrasonic transducers suitable for long term imaging and measurements in the liquid Pb/Bi alloy. The results of comparative experimental investigations of the developed transducers of different designs in a liquid Pb/Bi alloy up to 450°C are presented. Prototypes with different high temperature piezoelectric materials were investigated: PZT, bismuth titanate (Bi4Ti3O12), lithium niobate (LiNbO 3), gallium orthophosphate (GaPO4) and aluminum nitride (A1N). For acoustic coupling with the metal alloy, it was proposed to coat the active surface of the transducers by diamond like carbon (DLC). The radiation robustness was assessed by exposing the transducers to high gamma dose rates in one of the irradiation facilities at SCK·CEN. The experimental results proved that the developed transducers are suitable for long-term operation in harsh conditions.
AB - In some nuclear reactors or accelerator-driven systems (ADS) the core is intended to be cooled by means of a heavy liquid metal, for example, lead-bismuth (Pb/Bi) eutectic alloy. For safety and licensing reasons, an imaging method of the interior of ADS, based on application of ultrasonic waves, has thus to be developed. This paper is devoted to description of developed various ultrasonic transducers suitable for long term imaging and measurements in the liquid Pb/Bi alloy. The results of comparative experimental investigations of the developed transducers of different designs in a liquid Pb/Bi alloy up to 450°C are presented. Prototypes with different high temperature piezoelectric materials were investigated: PZT, bismuth titanate (Bi4Ti3O12), lithium niobate (LiNbO 3), gallium orthophosphate (GaPO4) and aluminum nitride (A1N). For acoustic coupling with the metal alloy, it was proposed to coat the active surface of the transducers by diamond like carbon (DLC). The radiation robustness was assessed by exposing the transducers to high gamma dose rates in one of the irradiation facilities at SCK·CEN. The experimental results proved that the developed transducers are suitable for long-term operation in harsh conditions.
KW - Accelerator-Driven Systems (ADS)
KW - Heavy liquid metal coolants
KW - Lead-bismuth coolant
KW - Ultrasonic transducers
KW - Piezoelectric devices
KW - Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=19344365519&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/TUFFC.2005.1428033
DO - 10.1109/TUFFC.2005.1428033
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:19344365519
SN - 0885-3010
VL - 52
SP - 525
EP - 536
JO - IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control
JF - IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics, Ferroelectrics, and Frequency Control
IS - 4
ER -