THE CONTRIBUTION OF THERMAL-RADIATION TO THE THERMAL-CONDUCTIVITY OF POROUS UO2

The influence of cylindrical, spherical and ellipsoidal inclusions on the overall thermal conductivity was computed with the finite element technique. The results of these calculations were compared with equations that describe the effect of inclusions on the overall thermal conductivity. The analytical equation of Schulz [B. Schulz, KfK-1988 (1974)] that describes the effect of inclusions on the overall thermal conductivity is in good agreement with the results of the finite element computations. This good agreement shows that among a variety of porosity correction formulas, the equation of Schulz gives the best description of the effect of inclusions on the overall thermal conductivity. This equation and the results of finite element calculations allow us to compute the contribution of radiation to the overall thermal conductivity of UO2 with oblate ellipsoidal porosity. The present radiation calculations show that Hayes and Peddicord [S.L. Hayes and K.L. Peddicord, J. Nucl. Mater. 202 (1993) 87] overestimated the contribution of thermal radiation to the thermal conductivity.