Ondrej Benes

The Thermodynamic Properties of the f-Elements and Their Compounds. I. The Lanthanide and Actinide Metals

A critical review of the thermodynamic properties of the lanthanide and actinide elements is presented. The available literature data for the solid, liquid, and gaseous state have been collected and recommended values are presented. In case experimental data are missing, estimates have been made based on the trends in the two series.

Joint Raman spectroscopic and quantum chemical analysis of the vibrational features of Cs2RuO4

The Raman spectroscopic characterization of the orthorhombic phase of Cs2RuO4 was carried out by means of group theory and quantum chemical analysis. Multiple models based on ruthenate (VI+) tetrahedra were tested, and characterization of all the active Raman modes was achieved. A comparison of Raman spectra of Cs2RuO4, Cs2MoO4, and Cs2WO4 was also performed. Raman laser heating induced a phase transition from an ordered to a disordered structure. The temperature-phase transition was calculated from the anti-Stokes/Stokes ratio and compared with the ones measured at macroscopic scale. The phase transition is connected with tilting and/or rotations of RuO4 tetrahedra, which lead to a disorder at the RuO4 sites.

Traceability improvement of high temperature thermal property measurements of materials for new fission reactors

New metrological facilities for high temperature measurements of thermophysical properties have been recently developed by European National Metrology Institutes (NMIs). This work, performed in the framework of the joint research project “MetroFission”, aims to provide reliable measurements up to 2000 for materials having thermal properties similar to those required for design of new generations of fission reactors. This will enable to improve the traceability to the International System of Units (SI) of measurements performed by nuclear research laboratories. The validation of these reference apparatuses was done at high temperature by measuring the thermal diffusivity and normal spectral emissivity of an isostatic graphite and pure tungsten.

Properties of the high burnup structure in nuclear light water reactor fuel

Abstract The formation of the high burnup structure (HBS) is possibly the most significant example of the restructuring processes affecting commercial nuclear fuel in-pile. The HBS forms at the relatively cold outer rim of the fuel pellet, where the local burnup is 2–3 times higher than the average pellet burnup, under the combined effects of irradiation and thermo-mechanical conditions determined by the power regime and the fuel rod configuration. The main features of the transformation are the subdivision of the original fuel grains into new sub-micron grains, the relocation of the fission gas into newly formed intergranular pores, and the absence of large concentrations of extended defects in the fuel matrix inside the subdivided grains. The characterization of the newly formed structure and its impact on thermo-physical or mechanical properties is a key requirement to ensure that high burnup fuel operates within the safety margins. This paper presents a synthesis of the main findings from extensive studies performed at JRC-Karlsruhe during the last 25 years to determine properties and behaviour of the HBS. In particular, microstructural features, thermal transport, fission gas behaviour, and thermo-mechanical properties of the HBS will be discussed. The main conclusion of the experimental studies is that the HBS does not compromise the safety of nuclear fuel during normal operations.

Thermodynamic data to model the interaction between coolant and fuel in gen IV sodium cooled fast reactors

Understanding the behaviour of nuclear fuels in various environments is vital to the design and safe operation of nuclear reactors. While this is true if the reactor is operating within its design specification, it is even more so if accidents occur and the fuel is exposed to unexpected temperatures, pressures or chemical environments. It is clearly hazardous and costly to explore all such scenarios experimentally and therefore it is necessary to undertake modelling where possible using well-grounded theoretical approaches. This paper will show examples of where calculations of chemical and phase equilibria have been applied successfully to the long term storage of nuclear waste, phase formation during core meltdown and prediction of fission product release into the atmosphere. It will also highlight the development of thermodynamic data carried out during the European Metrology Research Project Metrofission required to model the potential interaction between the coolant, nuclear fuel, containment materials and atmosphere of a sodium cooled fast reactor.

Heat capacity, thermal expansion, and thermal diffusivity of NaUO2BO3

In the present studies, the thermal behaviour of NaUO2BO3 has been investigated. This compound is a potential product of interaction between the coolant (Na), control rods (B4C), and the oxide fuel, which could form under accidental conditions in sodium-cooled fast reactors. The thermal expansion, the heat capacity, and thermal diffusivity of NaUO2BO3 have been measured. The thermal conductivity of the material is derived from these results and presented here for the first time.