Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika

The peer-reviewed scientific and technology journal. ISSN: 0204-3327

Semi-Empirical Predictive Calculation of the Thermal-Physical Properties of Potassium-Sodium Melts Based on their Component Data

3/25/2025 2025 - #01 Thermal physics and thermal hydraulics

Terekhov S.V.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2025.1.03

UDC: 536+669.017.53+621.039

Use of liquid-metal coolants in nuclear power plants has been the cause of unfailing interest in thermal-physical properties of metals and their alloys from both experimentalists and theorists. Power polynomials are used by experimentalists to approximate temperature changes in heat capacity, the coefficient of thermal linear (volume) expansion and other quantities. These polynomials have different form in different temperature intervals and need to bejoined at the interval ends. This approach creates a number of difficulties in developing a unified methodology for calculating not only the thermal functions of metals, but also for predicting the behavior of their melts and alloys. The following was used in the paper to solve the problem at hand: the author’s model of a two-phase local-equilibrium region (with different order parameters) and the modified rule of component mixing, taking into account the coordinated arrays of experimental data on the initial metals for calculating predictively the thermal-physical performance of potassium and sodium melts. It has been shown that using the model of a two-phase local-equilibrium region, new approximating functions and empirical formulas leads to a sufficiently adequate estimation of heat capacities, thermal linear expan-sion coefficients, densities, thermal conductivities and thermal diffusivities of melts. A discrepancy has been found between the mathematical description of the thermal conductivity of the K56Na44 melt and its experimental values.

References

  1. Novikov I.I., Soloviev A.N., Khabakhpasheva E.M., Gruzdev V.A., Pridantsev A.I., Vasenina M.Ya. Heat transfer and thermophysical properties of molten alkali metals. The Soviet Journal of Atomic Energy. 1956;1:545–560. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01479856
  2. Kirillov P.L., Troianov M.F. About one error in the values of heat capacity of sodium-potassium alloys. The Soviet Journal of Atomic Energy. 1958;5:1402. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01506474
  3. Rudnev I.I., Lyashenko V.S., Abramovich M.D. Diffusivity of sodium and lithium. The Soviet Journal of Atomic Energy. 1961;11:877–880. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01491184
  4. Subbotin V.I., Ivanovsky M.N., Arnoldov M.N. Physicochemical bases of application of liquid metallic heat carriers. Moscow. Atomizdat Publ., 1970, 296 p. (in Russian).
  5. Alekseev V.A., Andreev A.A., Prokhorenko V.Ya. Electric properties of liquid metals and semiconductors. Soviet Phisics Uspekhi. 1972;15(2):139–158. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1070/PU1972v015n02ABEH004959
  6. Kirillov P.L., Yuryev Yu.S., Bobkov V.P. Reference book on thermal-hydraulic calculations (nuclear reactors, heat exchangers, steam generators). Moscow. Energoatomizdat Publ., 1990, 360 p. (in Russian).
  7. Kirillov P.L., Bogoslovskaya G.P. Heat exchange in nuclear power installations. Moscow. Energoatomizdat Publ., 2000, 456 p. (in Russian).
  8. Rachkov V.I., Arnoldov M.N., Efanov A.D., Kalyakin S.G., Kozlov F.A., Loginov N.I., Orlov Y.I., Sorokin A.P. Use of liquid metals in nuclear, thermonuclear power engineering and other innovative technologies. Thermal Engineering. 2014;61(5):337–347. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0040601514050085
  9. Fokin L.R., Kulyamina E.Yu. Density of liquid potassium at the saturation line: a brief history of 50 years. Thermophysics of High Temperatures. 2021;59(5):679–685. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S0040364421050057 (in Russian).
  10. Kuzina Yu.A., Sorokin A.P., Delnov V.N., Denisova N.A., Sorokin G.A. Thermal-hydraulic studies of the alkaline liquid-metal coolants in the substantiation of nuclear power installations. Izvestiya vuzov.Yadernaya Energetika. 2022;2:49–61. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2022.2.05 (in Russian).
  11. Sorokin A.P., Kuzina Yu.A., Askhadullin R.Sh., Alekseev V.V. Investigations of physico-chemistry and technology of alkaline liquid-metal heat carriers for nuclear and thermonuclear power plants. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika. 2022;3:5–17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2022.3.01 (in Russian).
  12. Lyakishev N.P., Bannykh O.A., Rokhlin L.L. et al. State diagrams of double metal-lithium systems. Reference Book: In 3, vol. 3, Book I. Under general Ed. by N.P. Lyakishev. Moscow. Mashinostroenie Publ., 2001, 872 p. ISBN 5-217-02843-2 (vol. 3) (in Russian).
  13. Livshits B.G., Kraposhin V.S., Lipetsky Y.L. Physical properties of metals and alloys. Moscow. Metallurgy Publ., 1980, 320 p. (in Russian).
  14. Grimvall G. The Electron-phonon Interaction in Metals. Amsterdam; New York; Oxford: North-Holland, 1981, 304 p.
  15. Koshman V.S. About one approach to generalization of experimental data on thermal properties of elements of the Periodic System of D.I. Mendeleev. Perm agrarian bulletin. 2014;2(6):35–42 (in Russian).
  16. Kaganov M.I., Lifshits I.M. Quasiparticles (ideas and principles of quantum physics of solid state). Moscow. Nauka Publ., 1976, 80 p. (in Russian).
  17. Brandt N.B., Kulbachinsky V.A. Quasiparticles in condensed state physics. Moscow. Fizmatlit Publ., 2005, 632 p. ISBN 5-9221-0564-7 (in Russian).
  18. Zinoviev V.E. Thermophysical properties of metals at high temperatures. Moscow. Metallurgy Publ., 1989, 384 p. (in Russian).
  19. Larikov L.N., Yurchenko Y.F. Structure and properties of metals and alloys. Thermal properties of metals and alloys. Kiev. Naukova dumka Publ., 1985, 437 p. (in Russian).
  20. Drits M.E., Budberg P.B., Burkhanov G.S., Drits A.M., Panovko V.M. Properties of elements. Reference book. Moscow. Metallurgy Publ., 1985, 672 p. (in Russian).
  21. Kirillov P.L., Deniskina N.B. Thermophysical properties of liquid-metal coolants (reference tables and relations). Review, FEI-0291. Moscow. Tsniiatominform Publ., 2000, 42 p. (in Russian).
  22. Novitskiy L.A., Kozhevnikov I.G. Thermophysical properties of materials at low temperatures. Reference book. Moscow. Mashinostroenie Publ., 1975, 216 p. (in Russian).
  23. Ryabukhin A.G. Linear coefficient of thermal expansion of metals. Izvestiya Chelyabinskogo Nauchnogo Tsentra. 1999;3:15–17 (in Russian).
  24. Belov G.V., Erkimbaev A.O., Zitserman V.Yu., Kobzev G.A., Morozov I.V. Experience in creating thermophysical databases using modern information technologies (review). High Temperature. 2020;58(4):615–633. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31857/S0040364420040018 (in Russian).
  25. Sechenov P.A., Rybenko I.A. Database and program for determination of thermodynamic properties of individual substances. Informatics and Control Systems. 2022;1(71):17–26. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22250/18142400_2022_71_1_17 (in Russian).
  26. Terekhov S.V. Thermodynamic model of the blurred phase transition in metallic glass Fe40Ni40P14B6. High-pressure physics and engineering = Fizika i Tekhika Vysokih Davlenij. 2018;28(1): 54–61 (in Russian).
  27. Terekhov S.V. Calculation of the heat capacity baseline in a model of a two-phase region in the absence of phase transformations and other transitions. Inorganic Materials. 2023;59(4): 452–456. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S002016852304012X
  28. Terekhov S.V. Prediction of the thermophysical behavior of amorphous alloys Ni0.333Zr0.667 and La80Al20 using the properties of the metals. Russian Metallurgy (Metally). 2023;8:1105–1111. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0036029523080281
  29. Terekhov S.V. Thermophysical properties of metals in quasi two-phase model. Physics of Metals and Metallography. 2023;124(12):1293–1302. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0031918X23602196
  30. Terekhov S.V. Thermal properties of metals. Reference book. Donetsk. Galkin DonFTI Publ., 2023, 184 p. (in Russian).
  31. Terekhov S.V. Calculation of heat capacities of complex oxides. Vestnik NovSU. 2024;1(135): 31–42. DOI: https://doi.org/10.34680/2076-8052.2024.1(135).31–42 (in Russian).
  32. Kingery W.D. Introduction to ceramics. Moscow. Stroyizdat Publ., 1967, p. 325 (in Russian). [Kingery W.D. Introduction to ceramics. New York, London: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1960, 808 p.]
  33. Database on thermophysical properties of liquid-metallic coolants of advanced nuclear reactors. Thermophysical properties of liquid eutectic alloy of sodium with potassium 56%K+44%Na. URL: https://gsssd-rosatom.mephi.ru/DB-tp-01/K-56-Na-44.php?ysclid=lwvzeyeizb726245407 (accessed Jun. 01, 2024) (in Russian).
  34. Stølen S., Grande T. Chemical thermodynamics of materials: macroscopic and microscopic aspects. Chichester West Sussex. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, The Atrium, 2004, 396 p.
  35. Physical quantities. Guide [Fizicheskie velichiny. Spravochnik]. Ed. I.S. Grigor’eva, E.Z. Mejlikhova. Moscow, Energoatomizdat, 1991, 1232 p. (in Russian).
  36. Sheludyak Y.E., Kashporov L.Y., Malinin L.A., Tsalkov V.N. Thermophysical properties of components of combustible systems. Reference book. Moscow. NPO Information and Technical and Economic Research Publ., 1992, 184 p. (in Russian).

liquid-metal coolant mixing rule heat capacity coefficient of thermal linear expansion density thermal conductivity thermal diffusivity

Link for citing the article: Terekhov S.V. Semi-Empirical Predictive Calculation of the Thermal-Physical Properties of Potassium-Sodium Melts Based on their Component Data. Izvestiya vuzov. Yadernaya Energetika. 2025, no. 1, pp. 37-50; DOI: https://doi.org/10.26583/npe.2025.1.03 (in Russian).

Open PDF file