Description of the Performance Demonstration Initiative (PDI) program
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) establishes rules and regulations for the operation of domestic nuclear facilities publicized in the United States Federal Register under 10CFR50. The NRC has established the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code as the engineering authority for the design, construction and operation of nuclear reactors. Section XI of the ASME Code contains the rules for in-service inspection of nuclear plant components. Appendix VIII describes the additional requirements for performance demonstration of UT examinations systems that integrate personnel, equipment and procedures into a single entity. That entity is the PDI program owned by the utilities. EPRI is the operator of the PDI program.
In order to be used by a vendor during an examination, ultrasonic equipment and probes have to successfully meet the requirements of the general procedure through performance demonstration on controlled samples as administrated at the EPRI PDI laboratory.
PDI Procedures for Piping for Detection and Lengthwise Sizing
There are two Generic PDI procedures covering pipe welding examinations for detection and lengthwise sizing
- PDI UT-1: Ferritic Piping
- PDI UT-2: Austenitic Pipe Welds
- Includes Austenitic piping susceptible to Inter Granular Stress Corrosion cracking (IGSCC).
This document covers PDI UT-2.
The objectives of the examinations performed in accordance with procedure PDI UT-2 are to accurately detect and length wise size discontinuities within the specified examination volume from the outside surface. The primary mode of propagation should be shear waves.
PDI UT-2 is applicable to diameter range from 1.5 in and greater and thickness range from 0.137 in to 3.4 in of austenitic pipe welds. For shear wave examination, search unit frequency should be between 1.5 to 2.25 MHz for components thicker than 0.5 in; IGSCC exam is limited to 1.5 MHZ. For components thicker than 0.5 in, search unit frequency should between 2 and 5 MHz; IGSCC exam is limited to 2.25 MHz.
Generalized Qualification Matrices
Olympus flaw detectors and transducers used for qualification are outlined in the following tables.
| PDI UT-2 Austenitic Pipe Welds Examination Qualification Matrix | ||||||||
| Flaw Detector | ||||||||
| Vendor | Probe | Element | Frequency | Wedges or angles | EPOCH XT | EPOCH 1000i | EPOCH 600 | |
| Olympus | C5010 | 0.375 | 1.5 | ABSA-7T-45°,60°,70° Steel |
X
|
X
| ||
| C5011 | 0.5 | 1.5 | ABSA-5T-60°,70° Steel |
X
|
X
| |||
| C5011 | 0.5 | 1.5 | ABSA-5T-45° Steel |
X
|
X
|
X
| ||
| C540-SM | 0.5 | 2.25 | ABSA-5T-45°,60°Steel |
X
|
X
|
X
| ||
| C540-SM | 0.5 | 2.25 | ABSA-5T-70° Steel |
X
|
X
| |||
| C541-SM | 0.5 | 5 | ABSA-5T-45° Steel |
X
| ||||
| C542-SM | 0.25 | 2.25 | ABSA-4T-45°,60°Steel |
X
| ||||
| C542-SM | 0.25 | 2.25 | ABSA-4T-70° Steel |
X
|
X
| |||
| C543-SM | 0.25 | 5 | ABSA-4T-45°,60°,70° Steel |
X
|
X
| |||
| C549-SM | 0.375 | 2.25 | ABSA-7T-45°,60° Steel |
X
|
X
|
X
| ||
| C549-SM | 0.375 | 2.25 | ABSA-7T-70° Steel |
X
|
X
| |||
| C551-SM | 0.375 | 5 | ABSA-7T-45°,60°,70° Steel |
X
|
X
| |||
| C541-SM | 0.5 | 5 | ABSA-5T-60°,70° Steel |
X
| ||||
| GE | COMP-G | 0.25 | 2.25 | 70 |
X
|
X
| ||
| COMP-G | 0.25 | 2.25 | 45 |
X
|
X
| |||
| COMP-G | 0.25 | 2.25 | 60 |
X
| ||||
| COMP-G | 0.25 | 5 | 45, 60, 70 |
X
|
X
| |||
| COMP-G | 0.375 | 1.5 | 45, 60 |
X
|
X
| |||
| COMP-G | 0.375 | 1.5 | 70 |
X
| ||||
| COMP-G | 0.375 | 2.25 | 45, 60, 70 |
X
|
X
| |||
| COMP-G | 0.375 | 5 | 45, 60, 70 |
X
| ||||
| COMP-G | 0.5 | 1.5 | 45 |
X
|
X
| |||
| COMP-G | 0.5 | 1.5 | 60, 70 |
X
| ||||
| COMP-G | 0.5 | 2.25 | 45, 60, 70 |
X
|
X
| |||
| PDI UT-2 Austenitic Far Side Pipe Welds Examination Qualification Matrix | ||||||||
| Flaw Detector | ||||||||
| Vendor | Probe | Element | Frequency | Wedges or angles | EPOCH XT | EPOCH 1000i | EPOCH 600 | |
| Olympus | C540-SM | 0.5 | 2.25 | ABSA-5T-70° Steel |
X
| |||
| C549-SM | 0.375 | 2.25 | ABSA-5T-70° Steel |
X
| ||||
| GE | COMP-G | 0.25 | 2.25 | 70 |
X
|
X
| ||
| COMP-G | 0.375 | 2.25 | 70 |
X
|
X
| |||
| COMP-G | 0.5 | 2.25 | 70 |
X
|
X
| |||
| RTD | TRLA | 2(8x 14)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
|
X
| ||
| TRLA | 2(10 x 18)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
| ||||
| TRLA | 2(10x18) | 2 | 70 |
X
| ||||
| TRLA | 2(15x25)mm | 1 | 60 |
X
| ||||
| TRLA | 2(15x25)mm | 1.5 | 60 |
X
|
X
| |||
| TRLA | 2(15x25)mm | 1.5 | 70 |
X
|
X
| |||
| TRLA | 2(20x34)mm | 1 | 45 |
X
| ||||
| TRLA | 2(20x34)mm | 1.5 | 60 |
X
|
X
| |||
| TRLA | 2(20x34)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
| ||||
| TRLA | 2(24x 42)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
| ||||
| TRLA | 2(15x25)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
| ||||
| SIGMA | SDA | 2(14x8)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
| |||
| SDA | 2(15x25)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
| ||||
| SDA | 2(18x10)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
| ||||
| SDA | 2(20x34)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
| ||||
| SDA | 2(25x15)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
| ||||
| SDA | 2(7x10)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
| ||||
| MEGA | CSS | 2(15x25)mm | 2 | 60 |
X
|
X
| ||
| TECH | VBU | 2(24x42)mm | 2.25 | 60 |
X
|
X
| ||
Qualified Legacy Equipment:
Note that the following models were also qualified during their lifetime for a variety of PDI generic procedures
- EPOCH II, II B, III and 4
- SONIC 1200S, 136 and 137
Other EPRI Procedures:
It should be noted that there are additional generic procedures.
PDI-UT-4 Studs and Bolts from the Bore
PDI-UT-5 SB Inspection of Bolts and Studs
PDI-UT-6 Reactor Pressure Vessel Welds
PDI-UT-7 Through Wall and Length Sizing in Reactor Pressure Vessel Welds
PDI-UT-8 Weld Overlaid Similar and Dissimilar Metals
PDI-UT-10 Dissimilar Metal Welds
P DI-UT-11 Detection and Sizing of Reactor Pressure Vessel Nozzle to Shell Welds and Nozzle Inner Radius
Updates will be provided on a regular basis as we are actively pursuing these areas.
