Nuclear power already provides a large share of EU electricity. Ultrasonic structural health monitoring (SHM) will soon increase the efficiency of defect detection in pipelines subjected to very high operating temperatures, enhancing public confidence and support.
Most pipes transporting superheated steam in power plants are made of creep strength-enhanced ferritic (CSEF) steel. As is common with many materials, the heat-affected zone (HAZ, area next to the weld that is not melted but experiences microstructural changes) is significantly weakened. HAZ failures are a major challenge and, although pipelines are periodically inspected for defects, errors in defect size estimation can have catastrophic consequences.
Further details: Automated in-service defect monitoring