THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUE AND APPARATUS DEVELOPMENT FOR APPLICATION TO TRANSURANIC NUCLEAR FUEL MATERIALS
Loading...
Date
2019-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Ohio State University
Abstract
The advancement of new nuclear fuel compositions requires accurate knowledge of the
material’s nuclear and thermal properties. The use of mixed fuel compositions could transmute fission
products into lower level waste. However, the thermal properties of new fuel compositions require
better understanding. The purpose of the research was to investigate the applicability of an adapted
four-point probe (4PP) electrical resistivity measurement technique to determine the thermal
conductivity of metallic fuels and to develop a technique and apparatus that could be used to make the
measurements within a Hot Cell. In this study, a standard 4PP was used to measure the electrical
resistivity of the material and determine the thermal conductivity using the Wiedemann-Franz Law. The
4PP was selected for its resistance to radiation damage and ease with which it could be used in a Hot
Cell. The thermal conductivity of Steel and Aluminum samples of various geometries were measured
and compared to known values to validate the approach. The approach was found to accurately
measure the thermal conductivity within 5 W/m-K. The technique and apparatus developed in this study
can be used in Hot Cells to measure the thermal properties of new nuclear fuel compositions.