Acoustic computer model for ultrasonic imaging of heavy liquid metal nuclear reactor

Liquid metal coolants are being considered in several designs of Gen IV nuclear power plants. To enable safe operation, methods of the reactor vessel interior imaging must be set up. In this paper we consider the development of the ultrasonic technique allowing visualisation in liquid Pb/Bi (lead-bismuth eutectic) alloy. We propose a computer model which makes possible computation of signals reflected by submerged in liquid Pb/Bi stainless steel components with a complicated geometry and arbitrary orientation in space. Approximation of the inspected objects with planar triangular elements was used. The simulations show that with this model objects of complicated shapes can be identified and their parameters estimated.