Vous êtes sur la page 1sur 8

NUCLEAR 2010, Pitesti, Romania

A MATHEMATICAL APPROACH OF
THE SELF-DISINTEGRATION EXPERIMENTAL DATA
Dr.Phys. CEZAR DOCA and Dipl.Phys. LIDIA DOCA
Institute for Nuclear Research Pitesti, Romania
cezar.doca@nuclear.ro
ABSTRACT
In the frame of the SARNET/FIPRED project, the oxidation and degradation of UO2 pellets
were experimentally investigated at the Institute for Nuclear Research Pitesti, by measuring
the self-disintegration rates, the grain (fragment) size distribution and the micro-scale
characteristics. The considered temperatures were 600-1300 K and the air concentration in
the oxidizing atmosphere ranged from 20 to 80 %. Based on these measurements, the
Romanian experimental team proposed an interpretation of the mechanisms involved in
UO2 self-disintegration by air oxidation. The authors of this paper, who didnt participated
at the mentioned tests, suggested a possible mathematical approach of the selfdisintegration experimental data using several independent variables fitting functions.
Key words: self-disintegration, mathematical approach, fitting functions

Introduction
During a severe accident in a Pressurized Water Reactor, the air ingress into a damaged reactor core
may lead to enhanced fuel oxidation, affecting some fission products release, especially increasing that
of ruthenium. A collaborative research dedicated to the ruthenium issue (ruthenium is of particular
interest because of its high radio-toxicity and due to its ability to form very volatile oxides) was
carried out in the frame of the SARNET project (Ref. [1]).
In the frame of the SARNET/FIPRED project, at the Institute for Nuclear Research Pitesti, Romania,
the oxidation and degradation of UO2 pellets were experimentally investigated by measuring: the selfdisintegration rates, the grain (fragment) size distribution and the micro-scale characteristics in the
following ranges: 600-1300 K for temperature, and 20-80 % for air concentration. Based on these
measurements, the Romanian experimental team proposed a particular interpretation of the
mechanisms involved in UO2 self-disintegration by air oxidation (Ref. [2]-[5]).
In 2009, the authors of this paper, who did not participated at the mentioned tests, analyzed the selfdisintegration experimental data using the least squares method and found a general fitting functions
f (t , x, T ) , where the three independent variables are: t = time, x = air concentration, and T =
temperature (Ref. [6]-[7]).

161

NUCLEAR 2010, Pitesti, Romania

Achievements
Shortly: the next figures show, graphically, the self-disintegration experimental data obtained for the
indicated seven domains of temperature (Figure 1) and also for the four domains of air concentration
(Figure 2).

Figure 1 Experimental data for seven domains of temperature

We only observe, above, the distinct behavior for T = 974 K.

162

NUCLEAR 2010, Pitesti, Romania

Figure 2 Experimental data for four domains of air concentration

Identifying, in the experimental data, the time evolution of the phenomena, and using the method of
least squares, we found the best three independent variables fitting function:

f (t , x, T ) = ( x, T ) t ( x ,T )+ ( x ,T )t
where the , and parameters are functions of the air concentration x, and of the temperature T.
The next figures show the fitting functions adequacy with the analyzed experimental data:

163

NUCLEAR 2010, Pitesti, Romania

Figure 3 The fitting functions for the seven domains of temperature

Figure 4 The fitting functions for the four domains of air concentration

The most probable experimental values of , and parameters, obtained by using the method of
least squares, are presented in the next three tables.

164

NUCLEAR 2010, Pitesti, Romania

Applying, again, the same least squares method on the three lots of numbers, we found, as the best two
variables fitting functions, the next three expressions in the independent variables x and T:

( x, T ) = x (x ) T (T ) = exp A +
(x, T ) = x ( x ) T (T ) =

( x, T ) = x (x ) T (T ) =

+ C ln x exp + E ln T
x
T

A + B x + C x

A + x
B +C x

D +T
E + F T 2

1
D + E T +

F
T
inclusive T = 974 K

and

165

NUCLEAR 2010, Pitesti, Romania

( x, T ) = x (x ) T (T ) =

D + T
x

2
A + B x + C x E + F T

exclusive T = 974 K

Lets compare, now, the experimental values from the above three tables, and the theoretical
(x, T ) , ( x, T ) and (x, T ) functions having the graphical representations in the next figures.
Experimental ( x, T )

Theoretical ( x, T )

Experimental ( x, T )

Theoretical ( x, T )

Experimental ( x, T ) - inclusive T = 974 K

Theoretical ( x, T ) - inclusive T = 974 K

166

NUCLEAR 2010, Pitesti, Romania

Experimental ( x, T ) - exclusive T = 974 K

Theoretical ( x, T ) - exclusive T = 974 K

Figure 5 Experimental , and parameters values (left), and


theoretical values for ( x, T ) , ( x, T ) and ( x, T ) functions (right)

More or less, there seems that we are near to a suggestive (analytically) retrieval of the indicated
experimental data.

Conclusions

In the experimental data we observed a distinct behavior for T = 974 K.


Rationem vero harum gravitatis proprietatum ex phnomenis nondum potui
deducere, & hypotheses non fingo. Sir Isaac Newton, Philosophi Naturalis
Principia Mathematica*

Consequently, we searched f (t , x, T ) , ( x, T ) , ( x, T ) and ( x, T ) functions in two cases:


using all data, that is to say inclusive for T = 974 K, and using partial data, that is to say
exclusive for T = 974 K; and we found that the major differences in the functions aspect are
just for ( x, T ) function, more exactly for x ( x ) function.

The f (t , x, T ) , ( x, T ) , ( x, T ) and ( x, T ) above functions facilitate a suggestive retrieval


(by calculation) of the experimental data. But:
-

The f (t , x, T ) , ( x, T ) , ( x, T ) and ( x, T ) functions dont arise from some


theoretical/phenomenological model explaining the oxidation and degradation of UO2
pellets. In fact:
The f (t , x, T ) , ( x, T ) , ( x, T ) and ( x, T ) expressions only are the best three/two
independent variables fitting functions, obtained by applying the method of least squares
on the indicated experimental data.

Therefore, in this moment, the f (t , x, T ) , ( x, T ) , ( x, T ) and ( x, T ) functions must be


carefully used, more in qualitative interpretations and less in quantitative extrapolations.

The more experimental data, the better fitting functions.

167

NUCLEAR 2010, Pitesti, Romania

References
[1] P. Giordano, A. Auvinen, G. Brillant, J. Colombani, N. Davidovich, R. Dickson, T. Haste, T.
Krkel, J.S. Lamy, C. Mun, D. Ohai, Y. Pontillon, M. Steinbrck, and N. Vr, Ruthenium
Behaviour under Air Ingress Conditions: Main Achievements in the SARNET Project, The 3rd
European Review Meeting on Severe Accident Research (ERMSAR-2008), Nesseber, Vigo
Hotel, Bulgaria, 23-25 September 2008
[2] D. Ohai, Fission Product Release from Debris Bed (FIPRED) Project Description, SARNETSTP53, INR Report No 7734/2006, 2007
[3] D. Ohai, I. Dumitrescu and T. Meleg, FIPRED: Preliminary Tests on UO2 Sintered Pellets
Disintegration, SARNET-ST-P56, 2007, INR Report No 7735/2007
[4] D. Ohai, I. Furtuna and T. Meleg, Advances in FIPRED Results at High Temperature, SARNETST-P68, INR Report No 8048/2008
[5] D. Ohai, I. Furtuna, I. Dumitrescu, Mechanism of UO2 Self-disintegration by Oxidation,
International Conference Progress in Cryogenics and Isotopes Separation, Calimanesti,
Romania, October 29-31, 2008
[6] C. Doca and L. Doca, Mathematical Analyze of the Self-Disintegration Experimental Data for the
UO2 Sintered Pellets by Air Oxidation, INR Report No 8412/2009 (in Romanian)
[7] D. Ohai, I. Dumitrescu, C. Doca, T. Meleg and D. Benga, FIPRED Project - Experiments and
Calculations, NUCLEAR 2009, The 2nd International Conference on Sustainable Development
through Nuclear Research and Education, Pitesti, Romania, 27-29 May, 2009

I have not as yet been able to discover the reason for these properties of gravity from phenomena,
and I do not feign hypotheses (Isaac Newton, "Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica, General
Scholium" - 1726, translation by I. Bernard Cohen and Anne Whitman, University of California Press,
1999)

168

Vous aimerez peut-être aussi