Education and Training Series #54: In Service Inspection and Repair Developments for SFRs and Extension to Other Gen4 Systems

These webinars, organised by the GIF Education and Training Working Group are streamed live monthly. The recordings and slide decks are accessible after the webinar on this website. These webinars cover a very broad range of technical and policy related topics. At the end of 2023 they have been viewed by more than 15000 people (approximately half of the views during the live streams and the other half views being of the archives on the public GIF website). In total, the GIF webinars have reached Generation IV enthusiasts, scientists, and engineers in more than 80 countries.

These webinars are organised and hosted by the GIF Education and Training Working Group (ETWG). 

In Service Inspection is a major challenge to consider for future Generation IV Reactors safety. Therefore, a large focus of R&D work has been performed since 2010 in France for the Sodium Fast Reactor systems (SFR), mainly dedicated to the inspection of reactor block structures, primary components and circuits, and Power Conversion System main components (Heat Exchangers). In Service Inspection requirements have to be taken into account since the early preconceptual design phase, then consolidated through the basic design phase with more detailed specifications leading to increase the inspection tools ability for immersed sodium structures of SFRs, at about 200°C (shut down conditions). Inspection within the main vessel should be performed either with transducers immersed in sodium (with associated in sodium robotics) and with transducers located out of sodium medium. Nondestructive Examination, Telemetry and Imaging are qualified with experimental in-water and then in-sodium testing, using ultrasonic transducers. Experimental results are then compared to simulations using French CIVA software platform results. Repair was also part of this program, with laser system development. This webinar provides a technical overview of this ISI&R program that involves specific international collaborations done through GENIV mainly. Of course, it also benefits to other Gen4 systems.