Authors

Mitsuru Odakura
Nuclear Systems Quality Assurance Dept., Nuclear Plant Service QA & NDI Sec., Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.

Yutaka Kometani
Nuclear Equipment Design Dept., Mechatronics System Design Sec., Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.

Masahiro Koike
Nuclear Systems Quality Assurance Dept., Hitachi-GE Nuclear Energy, Ltd.

Masahiro Tooma, Dr. Eng.
Inspection System Gr., Nuclear Inspection & Maintenance Project, Energy and Environmental Systems Lab., Power Systems, Hitachi, Ltd.

Yoshiaki Nagashima, Dr. Eng.
Ultrasonic Testing Gr., Nuclear Inspection & Maintenance Project, Energy and Environmental Systems Lab., Power Systems, Hitachi, Ltd.

Overview

As nuclear power plants age, the importance of maintenance increases and there is a need to apply inspection technologies suitable to the importance of each item of equipment. Hitachi has responded to these demands by developing realistic inspection technologies that provide high precision and can adapt to the different shapes and dimensions of nuclear power plant equipment. High-precision inspection technologies developed by Hitachi include small and easily portable ultrasonic testing instruments with advanced functions and ultrasonic testing instruments able to display crack shapes in three dimensions. In the field of realistic inspection technologies, Hitachi has been working on developments to expand significantly the scope of application of guided wave technology which can be used to perform screening inspections rapidly over a wide area to check for wall thinning in piping. The company has also been working on inspection equipment that is effective at reducing the volume of attendant tasks. Hitachi has established the NDE Center as a base for inspection technologies where it conducts training for specialist technicians and skills retention training for inspection staff covering the use of these nondestructive testing technologies.