Determination of neutron exposure of AISI 304 stainless steel from a BWR top guide using retrospective dosimetry

Retrospective dosimetry was used to determine the accumulated neutron exposure of AISI 304 stainless steel removed from the top guide of a boiling water reactor located at the Oyster Creek nuclear power station. The material was removed from areas adjacent to cracks that were observed after ∼20 years of operation. Using the plant operational history and a variety of measurements of various radioisotopes or non-radioactive transmutation products produced by irradiation, it was possible to determine the integrated neutron fluence experienced by the cracked region and to specify the accumulated displacement dose. Dose estimates on two separate specimens adjacent to the cracks were found to average 1.5 ± 0.2 dpa, possibly reflecting some uncertainty in measurement but more likely suggesting a small gradient in neutron flux-spectra within the section from which the various analysis specimens were cut. This report demonstrates that it is possible to examine defective components lying outside of the core region and where neutron flux-spectra are not well known, and to use the induced transmutation products to determine the neutron exposure with some confidence by using the examined specimen as its own dosimeter.