Thermal properties of U-Mo alloys irradiated to moderate burnup and power

A variety of physical and thermal property measurements as a function of temperature and fission density were performed on irradiated U-Mo alloy monolithic fuel samples with a Zr diffusion barrier and clad in aluminum alloy 6061. The U-Mo alloy density, thermal diffusivity, and thermal conductivity are strongly influenced by increasing burnup, mainly as the result of irradiation induced recrystallization and fission gas bubble formation and coalescence. U-Mo chemistry, specifically Mo content, and specific heat capacity was not as sensitive to increasing burnup. Measurements indicated that thermal conductivity of the U-Mo alloy decreased approximately 30% for a fission density of 3.30 × 1021 fissions cm−3 and approximately 45% for a fission density of 4.52 × 1021 fissions cm−3 from unirradiated values at 200 °C. An empirical thermal conductivity degradation model developed previously and summarized here agrees well with the experimental measurements.