Measurement of the enthalpy and specific heat of a Be/sub 2/C-graphite-UC/sub 2/ reactor fuel material to 1980/sup 0/K
The enthalpy and specific heat of a Be/sub 2/C-graphite-UC/sub 2/ composite nuclear fuel material were measured over the temperature range 300 to 1980/sup 0/K using differential scanning calorimetry and liquid argon vaporization calorimetry. The fuel material measured was developed at Sandia National Laboratories for use in pulsed test reactors. The material is a hot-pressed composite consisting of 40 vol % Be/sub 2/C, 49.5 vol % graphite, 3.5 vol % UC/sub 2/ and 7.0 vol % void. The specific heat was measured with the differential scanning calorimeter over the temperature range 300 to 950/sup 0/K while the enthalpy was measured over the range 1185 to 1980/sup 0/K with the liquid argon vaporization calorimeter. The normal spectral emittance at a wavelength of 6.5 x 10/sup -5/ cm was measured over the experimental temperature range. The combined experimental enthalpy data were fit using a spline routine and differentiated to give the specific heat. Comparison of the measured specific heat of the composite to the specific heat calculated by summing the contributions of the individual components indicates that the specific heat of the Be/sub 2/C component differs significantly from literature values and is approximately 0.6 cal/g-K (2.5 x 10/sup 3/ J/Kg-K) for temperatures above 1000/sup 0/K.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 5078317
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-80-0494C; CONF-801102-20; TRN: 80-016824
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: ASME winter annual meeting, Chicago, IL, USA, 16 Nov 1980
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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21 SPECIFIC NUCLEAR REACTORS AND ASSOCIATED PLANTS
BERYLLIUM CARBIDES
ENTHALPY
SPECIFIC HEAT
GRAPHITE
URANIUM CARBIDES
CALORIMETERS
MEASURING METHODS
NUCLEAR FUELS
PERFORMANCE
PULSED REACTORS
ACTINIDE COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BERYLLIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBIDES
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FUELS
MATERIALS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NONMETALS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
REACTOR MATERIALS
REACTORS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
URANIUM COMPOUNDS
360204* - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Physical Properties
220600 - Nuclear Reactor Technology- Research
Test & Experimental Reactors