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