Thermal conductivities of actinides (U, Pu, Np, Cm, Am) and uranium-alloys (U-Zr, U-Pu-Zr and U-Pu-TRU-Zr)

Abstract

The thermal conductivity correlations of actinides (U, Pu, Np, Cm, Am) and alloys of U-Zr, U-Pu-Zr and U-Pu-TRU-Zr were developed for the use in TRU burning reactors as a function of temperature and alloy composition, using the available data in the literature and extrapolating information obtained in the literature. Because of the scarcity in the measured data for thermal conductivities of TRU elements in the literature, estimations for the thermal conductivities of Pu, Am, Np, and Cm were made. A correlation for U-Zr alloy was also developed and extended to U-Pu-Zr and U-Pu-TRU-Zr alloys.