ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews a number of non-destructive applications present in nuclear power stations, and the infrared techniques which are being studied for these particular applications, which would include finite-difference modeling of a number of the non-metallic materials which more conventional NDE methods find difficult to inspect. It presents a number of inspection problems which have a solution in application of infrared thermographic NDE techniques. In particular, infrared techniques have shown themselves particularly suited for a number of inspections for which no other NDT technique is applicable. While infrared techniques are more widely used for preventative maintenance of electrical and mechanical machines and components within a nuclear power station, application of infrared techniques to nondestructive inspection and characterization of the materials comprising these components is gaining more acceptance with those more familiar with classical NDT methods.
