Method for acoustic leak detection of fast reactor steam generator using maximum modulus based on wavelet transform

It is one of the important measures for safe operation of the fast reactor to use technology of acoustic leak detection to detect water/steam leak of the fast reactor steam generator. Based on experimental data about sodium loop experiment completed by the Liquid Metal Laboratory of Tsinghua University, this paper makes an analytical study on how to introduce maximum modulus theory of wavelet transform into leak detection. Result shows that at high temperature (350 °C), maximum modulus characteristics of signal can be used to make correct judgment on occurrence of leak occurred. In case of small leak at low temperature (250 °C), maximum modulus characteristics of wavelet transform of the signal are not obvious, but it will become visible gradually with increase of leak rate.