The application of thin layer activation for on-line erosion monitoring.

The washout of volcanic ash into the feedwater of a hydroelectric power station resulted in enhanced erosion of generator components. The damage prompted two novel applications of the thin layer activation (TLA) technique. TLA was used to select more resistant materials, and also as the basis of an automated, on-line alarm system to warn station operators on the likelihood of further damage. The latter application demonstrated that plant protection against irregular events is practical using TLA.