Modelling thermal conductivity and self-irradiation effects in mixed oxide fuels

The present paper describes a physical model for thermal conductivity of actinide oxides. The model is based on the Debye–Einstein theory of thermal energy of ionic dielectrics, on the Klemens–Callaway’s approach for the heat conductance modelling and on correlations between thermoelastic properties of solids. Some results of calculations and a comparison between the calculated and measured values of the thermal conductivity of UO2, UO2–Gd2O3 and also of ThO2, AmO2, Am2O3 and Cm2O3, for which a limited data-set is available in the open literature, are reported. Moreover, self-irradiation effects in AmO2, Am2O3, (Am,U)O2−x, (Am,Np,U)O2−x and Cm2O3 were analysed with the developed model.