Presented here are notes for a course in PL/I. They might serve as a guide to those who are developing a course, or as class notes for that course. They might be useful as a textbook independent of any course; as such a textbook, however, they are not self-contained because of the built-in assumption that they will supplement lectures and be accompanied by manuals. Very nearly the full language is taught here, with the emphasis on concepts rather than practical details. Discussion of I/O is avoided until roughly the midpoint of the course. The hoped-for consequence for students is an enhanced perception and understanding of the many concepts and their logical relationships. The dawning of the age of transportability for PL/I programs gives the user a reason, for the first time, to avoid convenient but illegal language.

This report critically reviews the available information pertinent to the potential use of uranium-plutonium-zirconium alloy fuels clad with stainless steel in LMFBR's. The areas considered include breeding potential, burnup potential, thermal performance, fuel fabricability, fuel reprocessing, and safety considerations. Because information on uranium-plutonium-zirconium alloys is limited, wide use is made of experience with EBR-II metallic driver fuel to infer advantages and limitations of uranium-plutonium-zirconium fuels. It is concluded that sufficient potential exists for the applicability of uranium-plutonium-zirconium fuels to LMBFR's to warrant additional analytical and experimental studies.

A collection of benchmark problems is used to test the finite-strain formulation of the LIFE-III fast-reactor fuel-element code. Analytical solutions for thick-wall cylinders loaded by internal and external pressure, valid for arbitrarily large strains, are presented for a linear viscous material. Similar problems are formulated for a nonlinear material, and numerical solutions are obtained using the Runge-Kutta method for the integration of an ordinary differential equation. These solutions are then compared with the corresponding solutions obtained using the LIFE-III code. With a proper choice of the number of spatial regions and time steps, good agreement is obtained between the two sets of solutions. The results indicate that the structural-analysis portion of the revised LIFE-III is valid for large strains.

PART 1. A variety of surfactants and agglomerating agents have been added to coal-liquefaction product (from the SYNTHOIL process) to determine the effectiveness of these agents in decreasing the viscosity of the product or inducing agglomeration of suspended solids in the product (and consequently facilitating the removal of solids from the product). More than two dozen additives were tested; however, only two of the additives caused a small reduction in the viscosity of the coal-liquefaction product. PART 2. A variety of organic solvents have been added to coal-liquefaction product (from the SYNTHOIL process) to determine the effectiveness in promoting the precipitation of suspended solids in the product. High-temperature settling of the product in the absence of foreign solvent does not appear to be a promising mechanism for solids removal from this product. However, the promoter-solvent de-ashing scheme has been demonstrated to be a potentially attractive solids-liquid separation method, and kerosene has been found to be an effective promoter solvent for the SYNTHOIL gross product.

The computer program PTA-1 performs pressure-transient analysis of large piping networks using the one-dimensional method of characteristics applied to a fluid-hammer formulation. The effect of elastic-plastic deformation of piping on pulse propagation is included in the computation. The program is particularly oriented toward the analysis of the effects of a sodium/water reaction on the intermediate heat-transport system of a liquid-metal-cooled fast breeder reactor, but may be applied just as usefully to other pulse sources and other piping systems. PTA-1 is capable of treating complex piping networks and includes a variety of junction types. Pipe friction and nonlinear velocity terms are included in the formulation. The program requires a minimum of input-data preparation and is designed to be easily used and modified. This report contains the governing equations, program structure, input requirements, program listing, and other information for PTA-1.

Quarterly report discussing fuel cell research and development work at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL).

This report describes the pulsed-neutron-activation (PNA) flow-measuring technique as applied to in situ fluid-flow measurement at EBR-II. Analytic relationships are derived for modeling the process and estimating the uncertainty in measurement. Results from measurements of both water flow and secondary-sodium flow are presented. Results from PNA measurements of water side of the EBR-II steam system have led better definition of plant parameters. Results from sodium-flow measurements are used to provide a correlation for in situ calibration of the electromagnetic sodium flowmeter in the secondary system.

Biaxial creep-rupture tests were conducted on 12 prototypic GCFR fuel-cladding specimens at 650 deg C and a nominal hoop stress of 241.3 MPa. All test specimens were fabricated from 20% cold-worked Type 316 stainless steel tubes that were ribbed on the outer surface by mechanical grinding or electro-chemical etching. Test variables included specimen length and the presence or absence of weld-reinforcing end collars.

This report reviews experience and research related to the pyrophoricity of zirconium and zirconium alloys. The results of recent investigations of the behavior of Zircaloy and some observations of industrial handling and treatment of Zircaloy tubing and scrap are also discussed. A model for the management of waste Zircaloy cladding hulls from light water reactor fuel reprocessing is offered, based on an evaluation of the reviewed information. It is concluded that waste Zircaloy cladding hulls do not constitute a pyrophoric hazard if, following the model flow sheet, finely divided metal is oxidized during the management procedure. Steps alternative to the model are described which yield zirconium in deactivated form and also accomplish varying degrees of transuranic decontamination. Information collected into appendixes is (1) a collation of zirconium pyrophoricity data from the literature, (2) calculated radioactivity contents in Zircaloy cladding hulls from spent LWR fuels, and (3) results of a laboratory study on volatilization of zirconium from Zircaloy using HCl or chlorine.

The Remote Working Level Monitor (RWLM) is an instrument used to remotely monitor the RN-daughter concentrations and the Working Level (WL). It is an ac powered, microprocessor based instrument which multiplexes two independent detector units to a single central processor unit (CPU). The CPU controls the actuation of the detector units and processes and outputs the data received from these remote detector units. The remote detector units are fully automated and require no manual operation once they are set up. They detect and separate the alpha emitters of RaA and RaC' as well as detecting the beta emitters of RaB and RaC. The resultant pulses from these detected radioisotopes are transmitted to the CPU for processing. The programmed microprocessor performs the mathematical manipulations necessary to output accurate Rn-daughter concentrations and the WL. A special subroutine within the program enables the RWLM to run and output a calibration procedure on command. The data resulting from this request can then be processed in a separate program on most computers capable of BASIC programming. The calibration program results in the derivation of coefficients and beta efficiencies which provides calibrated coefficients and beta efficiencies.

DISPL is a software package for solving some second-order nonlinear systems of partial differential equations including parabolic, elliptic, hyperbolic, and some mixed types such as parabolic-elliptic equations. Fairly general nonlinear boundary conditions are allowed as well as interface conditions for problems in an inhomogeneous media. The spatial domain is one- or two-dimensional with Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical (in one dimension only) geometry. The numerical method is based on the use of Galerkin's procedure combined with the use of B-splines in order to reduce the system of PDE's to a system of ODE's. The latter system is then solved with a sophisticated ODE software package. Software features include extensive dump/restart facilities, free format input, moderate printed output capability, dynamic storage allocation, and three graphics packages.

Statistical fluctuations of measured signals about their mean are related to physical processes in fuel-failure experiments. Signal variance, correlation, and spectral density are shown to be sensitive measures to instrument response characteristics, of flow-blockage formation, and of boiling phenomena. This sensitivity is demonstrated by a series of examples that use test data from the E6, E7, and L5 experiments. A mathematical model of the Mark-II loop is developed to predict both the mean and the fluctuation behavior of measured test parameters. The analysis is extended to include signal forecasting by the ARIMA time-series model. Techniques that are used to identify the model and to estimate the model parameters are discussed in detail. It is shown that departure of real-time data from the on-line forecasts is a powerful tool for the rapid detection of off-normal conditions. A description of the experiments and the data-reduction process is given in the Appendices.

Annual report discussing the research, development, and management activities of the programs on high-temperature batteries.

This report has been prepared to present a summary description of the Intense Pulsed Neutron System (IPNS). The principal purpose of the document is to assemble the relevant information in a concise and integrated format so that the scientific community and others interested can obtain an accurate impression of the IPNS facilities and their intended purpose. The background and technology for pulsed neutron sources are summarized.

The second mechanized ultrasonic inspection of evaporation EV-702, part of the EBR-II steam-generator system, was completed in March 1978. The 2 1/2 Cr-1 Mo duplex tubes were inspected from the bore (water) side for flaws and changes in wall thickness and for evaluating the condition of the braze between the tubes. An addition to this second inspection was the use of an ultrasonic probe to search for circumferential flaws. The inspection equipment was thoroughly checked and routinely calibrated, using a reference standard containing electrical-discharge-machined notches. Notches as small as 1.6 mm long by 0.25 mm deep were readily detected.

Quarterly report discussing fuel cell research and development work at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). This report describes efforts directed toward understanding and improving the components of moltencarbonate-electrolyte fuel cells operated at temperatures near 925 K.

A modified version of the LIFE-III code, LIFE-GCFR, and classical stress-analysis techniques have been used to calculate the stresses in the GCFR cladding under normal reactor operating conditions. Several types of loadings on the cladding that occur during normal operation have been considered. These include fuel-cladding mechanical interaction, thermal stresses induced by radial and axial temperature gradients, and swelling gradient-induced stresses. The combined and individual effects of these loadings, as well as the effect of creep on cladding stresses, have been assessed.

Quarterly report on the activities of the Argonne National Laboratory Materials Science Division regarding economical conversion of coal into clean and usable fuels through the use of durable materials systems. This project is designed to provide part of the materials information necessary for successful operation of coal-conversion systems.

This report discusses the development of ultrasonic testing, acoustic microscopy, dye-enhanced radiography, holographic interferometry, and infrared scanning techniques for flaw detection in silicon carbide (SiC) heat-exchanger tubing. Both preservice and in-service testing requirements are discussed. An ultrasonic boreside probe and an acoustic microscope stage have been designed for continuous monitoring of SiC tubing. Preliminary results with these acoustic systems are presented. In addition, a novel technique for detecting small surface flaws using holographic interferometry is discussed. Fracture mechanics analysis suggests that detection of flaws on the order of 100 um is necessary to assure good reliability of ceramic heat exchangers. The acoustic and holographic techniques have been shown to be capable of detecting flaws of this size. However, the sensitivity of ultrasonic flaw detection in SiC is affected by the microstructure of the component. The practical considerations involved in the use of these techniques are discussed.