Bangalore: A Defence establishment in Bangalore has developed an intelligent Eddy current-based robotic system for inspection of steam generator tubes used in Nuclear power plants.

The Institute for Robotics and Intelligent Systems (IRIS) has designed and developed the robotic system, which after insertion into narrow tubes of the steam generators in a Nuclear power plant can analyse the tubes for any defects such as micro-cracks or corrosion.

IRIS, a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) unit in Bangalore, has developed the system indigenously for the first time in the country, a DRDO statement said today (Aug 26, 2004).

"The robotic system's features such as modularity, reconfigurability, and intelligent alignment are unique in this system and are not available in contemporary systems being used abroad," it said.

The system will be a shot in the arm for Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), which produces nuclear power in the country, easing its maintenance of steam generator power plants periodically as per international regulatory authority norms.

NPCIL Chairman and Managing Director S K Jain received the robotic system from IRIS Director N Sitaram at a function held here recently, DRDO said.

It said the steam generators have large number of long parts with narrow passages requiring inspection. "The narrow passages make manual inspection both hazardous and monotonous. Therefore a robotic solution was desirable".