Surface decoration of stainless steel for LBE flow measurement by ultrasonic techniques

Kikuchi, Kenji; Tezuka, Masao*; Saito, Shigeru   ; Oigawa, Hiroyuki ; Takeda, Yasushi*

When the steel is submerged into LBE, LBE will contact with the steel except for the interface among LBE, gas and metal where the surface energy controls the shape of the free surface in LBE. It is supposed that LBE will transmit ultrasonic wave into LBE through the contacting area. However, the ultrasonic echo was too low to detect from the steel container filled with LBE. The measurement was improved by coating the interface between the steel and LBE with the SnPb solder. After an immersion test the steel surface was covered with thin LBE layer. The thickness of the layer is only 10 to 20 micron m. So it will not disturb the flow pattern where UVP is applied. Sn was not detected by X ray analyses. This is an evidence how the steel was wetted in LBE and how the ultrasonic wave transmitted though the interface of LBE and the steel.