Analysis of adapter materials of the steam generator by NAA and EDXRF

Broken pieces of nut and washer of an adapter material used in a thermal sensor guide tube for a steam generator and needed its replication for its replacement because of damage. The present paper discusses the analysis of the sample using neutron activation analysis (NAA) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF). The samples with standards were irradiated in the PFTS position of the KAMINI reactor for 6 h at 20 kW and assayed the activated products using HPGe detector. The elemental composition was obtained by k₀ based Internal Monostandard NAA (IM-NAA) and k₀-NAA utilizing f and a values of the modified core. The relative underestimation of Fe and overestimation of Ni and Cr by ED-XRF needs further investigation including the clarity on the possible role of the absorption-enhancement and depletion, eventhough the possible preferential surface enrichment / depletion of the sample surface may be an unlikely event. Considering the overall results obtained, the adaptor material (nut and washer) is more likely to be SS316