THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY DETERMINATIONS ON URANIUM DIOXIDE BY A RADIAL FLOW METHOD

Technical Report · Thu Nov 17 04:00:00 EST 1960

OSTI ID:4032516

Howard, V C; Gulvin, T F

Thermal conductivities in the temperature range 100 to 1500 deg C were determined by a radial flow method for five specimens of uranium dioxide of 95% theoretical density and made by different production routes. The temperature variation of conductivity of nominally stoichiometric UO/sub 2/ can be expressed in the form of thermal conductivity k = l/(A + 0.084 T ( deg K)) (cal cm/sup -1/ sec/sup -1/ deg C/sup -1/). where A is a constant for each material and dependent on the method of production. A has a value of 12 for material produced by the high-temperature route and for cold-compacted powder directly sintered in cracked ammonia at 1700 deg C. A lies between 30 and 36 for material produced by the low- temperature route and for cold-compacted non-stoichiometric powder sintered in argon at 1400 deg C for 2 hr and reduced in hydrogen at 1400 deg C for 2 hr. The dependence of the constant A on UO/sub 2/ structure is discussed. The factors considered most likely to contribute to the value of A are slight departures from stoichiometric composition, microcracking in specimens, and factors dependent on production methods. (auth)

• Research Organization: United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Industrial Group. Culcheth Labs., Culcheth, Lancs, England
• NSA Number: NSA-15-016179
• OSTI ID: 4032516
• Report Number(s): IG-Report-51; NPCC-FEWP/P.700
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ARGON
CONFIGURATION
DECOMPOSITION
DENSITY
HYDROGEN
PHYSICS
POWDERS
PRODUCTION
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
REDUCTION
SINTERING
TEMPERATURE
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
URANIUM OXIDES
VARIATIONS