Calculation of heat capacity of the nuclear fuels UO 2 and NpO 2 using integer and non-integer n-dimensional Debye functions

Abstract

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 C V and C P. The algorithm is used to simulate the variation of the heat capacities with temperature dependence of the nuclear fuels UO 2 and NpO 2. Analysis using computer simulation proved that the formula was in excellent agreement with the results reported in the literature. © 2011 Published by Elsevier B.V.