Current position at VTT
Technology Manager, Materials for Power
Engineering
Research background and current research topics
My research background is on non-destructive testing (NDE) of materials and especially on the techniques that are applied in in-service inspections of nuclear power plants.
I started in this research area in 1976 when the first Finnish nuclear power plants in Loviisa were still under construction and the pre-service inspections of primary circuit components were carried out by applying mainly ultrasonic techniques. Later on I have participated in the development of in-service inspection programmes and NDE- techniques for all Finnish nuclear power plants. In international co-operation I have worked in this area also in Pakistan (IAEA assignment), Germany, Czech Republic and Russia. One focus area of research has been the reliability of techniques applied in nuclear NDE. I have participated in this work in several international projects like OECD/NEA PISC, NESC and ENIQ as well as US-NRC PINC. In 2008-2009 I have been the chairman of the Expert Panel that has reviewed the risk-based in-service inspection programmes that have been prepared by the utilities for both Loviisa and Olkiluoto plants.
In 1990ies I participated in co-operation with the utilities and inspection vendors in the development of national practise for inspection qualification and I have been the chairman of the Finnish Steering Committee of Inspection Qualification since its establishment in 2004.
Besides the conventional application of NDE-techniques on metallic materials I have studied the application of ultrasonic techniques to polymer composites and ceramics. In my doctoral thesis I studied the application of high-frequency ultrasonic techniques to characterization of elasticity and porosity of thermally sprayed ceramic coatings.
Current major research projects at VTT
US-NRC PINC (Programme for the Inspection of Nickel-based Components) 2004 - 2009, leader of the NDE-team of VTT.
Tecnatom-VTT-project with Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant (Russia) on “Development of Inspection Procedure and Delivery of Equipment for automatic Inspection of CD300 mm Austenitic Pipelines and Welded Joints based on Phased array Technique”. Project Manager at VTT.
Education
Doctor of Technology, 1997, Helsinki University of Technology with thesis on “The evaluation of integrity and elasticity of thermally sprayed ceramic coatings by ultrasonics”
Licentiate of Technology, 1991, Helsinki University of Technology with thesis: ”The Characterization of Ceramics and Ceramic-Metal Joints by Ultrasonic Techniques” (in Finnish)
MSc (Mech.Eng.), 1975, Helsinki University of Technology
Work history
Since 1976 at VTT with different positions (Research Scientist, Senior Research Scientist, Chief Research Scientist, Team Leader, Customer Manager, Technology Manager)
In 1984 IAEA-expert in Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, Islamabad
1984 - 1985 Visiting Scientist at the Fraunhofer Institut for Non-destructive Testing (IzfP) in Saarbrücken, Germany. Participation in the German HDR-reactor safety programme.
Positions of trust and professional assignments
Chairman of The Finnish Steering Committee of Inspection Qualification
Selected publications
Kauppinen, Pentti. 1997. The evaluation of integrity and elasticity of thermally sprayed ceramic coatings by ultrasonics. Espoo: VTT. 130 p. (VTT Publications; 325). ISBN 951-38-5078-1
Kauppinen, Pentti, Jeskanen, Harri, Paussu, Raimo, Elsing, B. 2007. Experience on ultrasonic inspection of control rod nozzles of reactor pressure vessel. Energy Materials: Materials Science & Engineering for Energy Systems, Vol. 2, Nr. 2, Pp. 129 - 132(4).
Kauppinen, Pentti, Pitkänen, Jorma, Kuusinen, Petri. 2001. Developments in mechanised ultrasonic inspection and qualification of NDE. Espoo: VTT Manufacturing Technology. VTT Symposium 218. Plant Life Management. Midterm status of a R&D project. Solin, Jussi (ed), Pp. 91 - 96. ISBN 951-38-5727-1, 951-38-5728-X
Kauppinen, Pentti, Jeskanen, Harri, Heikinheimo, Liisa, Siren, Mika, Auerkari, Pertti. 1996. The evaluation of integrity of ceramic-metal joints and ceramic coatings by C-mode acoustic microscopy. Proc. of 7th Int. Symposium on Nondestructive Characterization of Materials. Prague, 19 - 22 June 1995. Zurich: Transtec Publications Ltd. Materials Science Forum, Eds. A. L. Bartos, R. E. Green, Jr., and C. O. Ruud, Vol. 210 - 213, Nr. 2. Pp. 767 - 773.
Kauppinen, Pentti, Pitkänen, Jorma, Jeskanen, Harri, Särkiniemi, Pauli, Lipponen, Aarne. 2000. NDT expertise in Finland: VTT Manufacturing Technology. Insight. Non-destructive testing and condition monitoring, Vol. 42, Nr. 6, Pp. 369 - 371, 373.
Pentti Kauppinen's publications in VTT Publications Register
Awards
Finnish Welding Society, Gold Medal of Honour 1998