Topic Area 9 Oﬃce Hours Q&A
Q: Is there any interest in increased sensi�vity and precision of passive thermometry in test reactor incore capsules, and the poten�al also for retrospec�ve dosimetry to measure the ﬂux and ﬂux
gradients within those capsules?
A: That is research that the Department of Energy's Oﬃce of Nuclear Energy has invested in in the past,
and we deﬁnitely see the poten�al of that technology to con�nue to be developed to support oureﬀorts. Both temperature monitoring and dosimetry, so neutron ﬂux dosimetry for reactors, that issomething that we have supported in the past and that is something that would deﬁnitely fall under thiscategory of measuring, monitoring, and controlling reactors.
Q: Is robo�c inspec�on in general part of the scope of this par�cular area of research? Is it somethingthat is categorized here or it can be categorized in maybe two programs at the same �me?
A: That does seem very similar to some work that we've done in the past. That would support thisspeciﬁc topic area, being that it's very similar to work that we've funded in the past. The important thing
for this topic area is making a connec�on to how to support the nuclear energy industry. How it supportsthat and then how it leverages measuring, monitoring, and controls systems is what we're looking for,but based on your general descrip�on, it sounds like it does fall on this category. It may support othercategories and you’re encouraged to review the other topic areas to make sure that it's the rightselec�on.
Q: Does robust sensor include semiconductor radia�on detectors? Is Silicon Carbide a material ofinterest to NE mission?
A: Yes, in the past, the Department of Energy, Oﬃce of Nuclear Energy has funded semiconductor
radia�on detector development. The caveat is that we are again looking for suppor�ng the NE mission
and focusing on the exis�ng reactor ﬂeet and future reactor development. There have been proposals in
the past that have been very focused on nonprolifera�on purposes. Of course, if that technology is crosscu�ng where it does support nuclear commercial power produc�on, then it sounds like it would ﬁt inthis category, but I would make sure that you review some of the past work that's been done. You canﬁnd some of that material on the asi.inl.gov website.
Q: Are diamond detectors of interest for radia�on detec�on?
A: Semiconductors across the board would be of beneﬁt. Just tying it to the any mission is the mostimportant aspect when responding to these topic areas.
Q: Is structural health monitoring, structural integrity within the scope?
A: Yes, provided it's �ed in with the nuclear energy mission.
Q: Is there an opportunity before the pre-proposals go in to get any more detailed feedback from theprogram managers or anyone like that?
A: The inten�on of the pre applica�on phase is to get that feedback, so the answer is no on ge�ng
feedback before the Preapplica�on stage. The invita�on from a pre applica�on stage standpoint gives anindica�on that from a due mission perspec�ve and from a technical merit perspec�ve this was one ofthe one of the most excellent proposals in the group and is invited to move forward. That doesn't mean

that you cannot submit a not invited applica�on. You can rework that not invited applica�on into a fullapplica�on based on the feedback that you received from reviewers and then resubmit it as a not invitedfull applica�on. It just has to meet the NE mission from a relevancy standpoint and then it goes forward
into the considera�on pool for a poten�al award at the full applica�on stage.
Q: Do safety-related trip sensors fall within CINR Topic Area 9?
A: That supports the NE mission through either upgrading or upda�ng the exis�ng reactor ﬂeet orsuppor�ng the advanced reactor development. It would fall in this category because it's essen�ally,among the measuring, monitoring, and controls men�oned that would fall under monitoring andcontrols areas.
Q: Is reactor kine�c related research like transient analysis considered of interest for this topic bothexperimental and computa�onal?
A: That concept may speak to mul�ple topic areas, I would encourage you to look at the modeling andsimula�on topic area, topic Area 8. If part of that work would be simula�ng what's occurring in thereactor using some sort of model of the reactor system and then you did valida�on using sensors andyou were developing sensors for the purposes of increasing the accuracy of the sensors using thatsimula�on and experimenta�on, then it would poten�ally speak to two topic areas. That is up to yourdiscre�on of which one you believe it ﬁts best under and we may make recommenda�ons to change thatin the future.
Q: For Topic Area 9, do we need to integrate measuring, monitoring and controls, together in one
proposal? Would it be acceptable to design a new sensor, and only focus on designing new materials
and test the material’s behavior under the irradiated environment, without pu�ng much emphasis on
the control system?
A: In the past, and I believe that's s�ll the case, that developing just the sensor would also fall under this
topic area. In the grand scope of things, we're looking for a technology that will support the industry andhaving just a sensor developed by itself may not be as advantageous to roll out to the exis�ng reac�ve
ﬂeet or advanced reac�ve concepts.
Q: Could I submit a pre applica�on to topic Area 9, and then tweak that preapplica�on a litle bit andsending it to the used fuel topic area, to see which one brings more excitement.
A: If the focus of your proposal is on developing a sensor that is used for used full fuel monitoringreasons, it would poten�ally be focused or rela�ng to this topic area rather than another one. So topic
Area 9 should cover across the board since measuring, monitoring, and controls technologies that
support the various other programs. If the bulk of the research ac�vity is the development of a sensor, itwould fall in Topic Area 9, even if there is some material or modeling work.
If there is a proposal that is very cross cu�ng, it would be beneﬁcial to have somebody from the usedfuel area look at the applica�on of how this sensor may work in there in their space. Then we have thoseconversa�ons internally to make sure that as we develop our review groups, we're inclusive of diﬀerent
types of reviewers for diﬀerent types of applica�ons.
Q: If a proposal were submited on the control systems for advanced reactors, to support ﬂexible andlong-term opera�on, but doesn’t involve any sensor development, is that relevant to topic area 9?

A: This is something we've invested in the past and this is something that we're con�nuing to haveinterest in. This category does speak to applicants who are interested in control methods, so controls
naturally require an input to process and to make a decision. If you were taking oﬀ the shelf sensors or
instruments, and then you were to apply a new method of using those inputs to determine outputs or
methods of control, that would speak to this category, that would be applicable. For this topic area, you
don't have to be inves�ng in developing a sensor for it to be relevant. Developing a control method
would be equally as beneﬁcial or as applicable to this category.
Q: Is the area of sensor development to monitor oxygen in liquid sodium a better fit for Topic Area 9or the Strategic Needs Blue Sky topic area?
A. This topic would ﬁt in Topic Area 9.