Calculation of heat capacity of the nuclear fuels UO2 and NpO2 using integer and non-integer n-dimensional Debye functions

In the present study, the heat capacities of the nuclear fuels were computed using the series expansion relation for integer and non-integer n-dimensional Debye functions involving binomial coefficients and incomplete gamma functions. The proposed approach is novel as it uses the non-integer n-dimensional Debye functions for accurate calculations of the heat capacities CV and CP. The algorithm is used to simulate the variation of the heat capacities with temperature dependence of the nuclear fuels UO2 and NpO2. Analysis using computer simulation proved that the formula was in excellent agreement with the results reported in the literature.

► We introduce a new method to calculate the heat capacity of the nuclear fuels. ► We use the n-dimensional Debye functions with the non-integer values of n. ► The non-integer values of n show better agreement with the results reported in the literature comparison to the integer values of n.