Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001972
The HITEMMP SBIR/STTR opportunity (DE-FOA-0001972) is a funding call from the Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) focused on pushing heat exchanger technology into operating conditions that current commercial approaches generally cannot handle. ARPA-E exists to back high-risk, high-reward energy technologies that are still too early for typical private investment, with the broader mission of improving U.S. energy and economic security, cutting energy-related emissions, and improving efficiency across the economy. Awards under this FOA are issued as cooperative agreements, meaning ARPA-E is typically more involved than in a standard grant, and projects must follow federal financial and administrative rules (including 2 C.F.R. Part 200, as amended by 2 C.F.R. Part 910).
Technically, HITEMMP (High Intensity Thermal Exchange through Materials and Manufacturing Processes) targets a very specific bottleneck in advanced power generation and thermal systems: compact, high-performance recuperator-type heat exchangers that can survive extremely harsh environments while staying efficient and cost competitive. The program is aimed at enabling more efficient and power-dense power cycles that matter in transportation, grid electricity generation, and industrial energy systems. The core challenge is to create heat exchangers that can simultaneously tolerate temperatures above 800 degrees C and pressures above 80 bar for operating lifetimes on the order of tens of thousands of hours, while also delivering strong thermal performance with low pumping power (so the system does not give back efficiency through excessive pressure drop). In other words, ARPA-E is looking for breakthroughs that improve heat transfer per unit volume and mass without making the device fragile, prohibitively expensive, or too lossy to operate.
The FOA makes clear that success depends on coordinated advances across three areas that are usually treated separately: materials, manufacturing, and design. On the materials side, teams are expected to identify or develop material systems that can survive the combined temperature and pressure extremes and still have attractive thermomechanical properties (creep resistance, fatigue resistance, oxidation/corrosion resistance, and stability over long service hours) while remaining realistically manufacturable. On the manufacturing side, the program is explicitly interested in additive and/or subtractive techniques that can cost-effectively produce small feature sizes, smooth surface finishes, and other geometric details that drive compactness and heat transfer performance. On the design side, ARPA-E wants advanced topology and design methodologies that take advantage of new material capabilities while acknowledging real manufacturing constraints, rather than proposing shapes that look good in simulation but cannot be built or cannot be built repeatedly at reasonable cost.
ARPA-E frames the work as two challenge categories for recuperator-type heat exchangers. One category targets operation above 800 degrees C, aligned with metallic material approaches, and the other targets operation above 1100 degrees C, aligned with ceramic or composite material sets. Applicants are expected to pick one category and design to that category's performance metrics (the detailed numerical targets are referenced as being in Section I.D of the FOA). Across either category, the program anticipates a development path that starts with analytical and computational design, then uses small-scale module experiments to retire key technical risks, and culminates in a demonstration of a heat exchanger that meets performance and durability requirements at a 50 kW thermal (50 kWth) scale. That structure signals that ARPA-E is not looking for purely theoretical work; it wants a credible, staged plan that ends with an integrated prototype demonstration at meaningful conditions.
From an applicant and logistics perspective, this is an SBIR/STTR opportunity restricted to small businesses as eligible applicants, and ARPA-E emphasizes multidisciplinary teams, which often means a small business leading with university, national lab, or industrial partners filling in specialized expertise in materials characterization, high-temperature testing, advanced manufacturing, or computational design. The FOA was released with a concept paper requirement, with concept papers due September 12, 2018, and applicants were encouraged to submit at least 48 hours before the deadline to avoid last-minute system issues. ARPA-E stated that submissions must go through its online portal (ARPA-E eXCHANGE) and that it will not review submissions delivered through other methods. The funding profile listed an award ceiling of $3,225,000 and an expectation of about 5 awards, which indicates a competitive selection aimed at a small number of relatively substantial projects rather than many small exploratory grants.
In practical terms, a strong HITEMMP proposal would normally spell out which of the two temperature regimes it is targeting, what specific material and fabrication pathway will be used to achieve both durability and compactness, how the design will balance heat transfer against pressure drop, and how long-duration performance will be validated (including test conditions that reflect the combined high temperature and high pressure environment). Because ARPA-E is trying to catalyze a step change beyond existing heat exchanger technologies, proposals are implicitly expected to show why the approach can beat state of the art on the FOA metrics while still having a believable pathway to repeatable manufacturing and cost competitiveness, not just a one-off lab demonstration.Apply for DE FOA 0001972
- The Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HITEMMP SBIR/STTR" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.135.
- This funding opportunity was created on Aug 09, 2018.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 12, 2018 Concept Papers are due by 9/12/2018. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications at least 48 hours in advance of the submission deadline. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $3,225,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses.
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HITEMMP SBIR/STTR (DE-FOA-0001972) FAQs
What is the HITEMMP SBIR/STTR opportunity (DE-FOA-0001972)?
HITEMMP (High Intensity Thermal Exchange through Materials and Manufacturing Processes) is an ARPA-E funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Energy focused on advancing recuperator-type heat exchangers into operating conditions that most current commercial technologies generally cannot handle.
Which agency is offering this funding call?
The opportunity is offered by the Department of Energy (DOE) through its Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).
What is ARPA-E trying to achieve with programs like HITEMMP?
ARPA-E backs high-risk, high-reward energy technologies that are typically too early for private investment. Its broader mission includes improving U.S. energy and economic security, cutting energy-related emissions, and improving efficiency across the economy.
What type of award does ARPA-E issue under this FOA?
Awards are issued as cooperative agreements. This means ARPA-E is typically more involved in the project than it would be under a standard grant.
Are there specific federal rules awardees must follow?
Yes. Projects must follow federal financial and administrative rules, including 2 C.F.R. Part 200, as amended by 2 C.F.R. Part 910.
What technology bottleneck is HITEMMP trying to solve?
HITEMMP targets compact, high-performance recuperator-type heat exchangers that can survive extremely harsh environments while remaining efficient and cost competitive.
Why are recuperator-type heat exchangers important in this program?
The program frames recuperator-type heat exchangers as a key enabling technology for more efficient and power-dense power cycles relevant to transportation, grid electricity generation, and industrial energy systems.
What operating conditions is ARPA-E aiming to push beyond current commercial approaches?
The FOA highlights the need for heat exchangers that can tolerate temperatures above 800 degrees C and pressures above 80 bar for operating lifetimes on the order of tens of thousands of hours, while maintaining strong thermal performance and low pumping power (low pressure drop).
What does the FOA mean by "low pumping power" and why does it matter?
Low pumping power generally means avoiding excessive pressure drop through the heat exchanger. If pressure drop is too high, the overall system can lose efficiency because additional energy is required to move fluid through the device.
What does ARPA-E mean by improving heat transfer per unit volume and mass?
The program is looking for compact, lightweight designs that deliver high heat transfer performance without becoming fragile, prohibitively expensive, or overly lossy to operate.
What are the main technical areas applicants are expected to advance together?
The FOA emphasizes coordinated advances across three areas that are often treated separately: materials, manufacturing, and design.
What is expected on the materials side?
Teams are expected to identify or develop material systems that can survive combined temperature and pressure extremes while maintaining attractive thermomechanical properties and stability over long service hours. The FOA specifically calls out needs such as creep resistance, fatigue resistance, oxidation/corrosion resistance, and long-term stability, while also remaining realistically manufacturable.
What is expected on the manufacturing side?
The program is explicitly interested in additive and/or subtractive manufacturing approaches that can cost-effectively produce small feature sizes, smooth surface finishes, and other geometric details that drive compactness and heat transfer performance.
What is expected on the design side?
ARPA-E wants advanced topology and design methodologies that take advantage of new material capabilities while staying grounded in real manufacturing constraints, rather than designs that look good in simulation but cannot be built or cannot be produced repeatedly at reasonable cost.
How is the technical scope organized within HITEMMP?
ARPA-E describes two challenge categories for recuperator-type heat exchangers: one targeting operation above 800 degrees C (aligned with metallic material approaches) and another targeting operation above 1100 degrees C (aligned with ceramic or composite material sets).
Do applicants need to choose between the two temperature categories?
Yes. Applicants are expected to pick one category and design to that category's performance metrics.
Where are the detailed performance metrics located?
The FOA notes that the detailed numerical targets are referenced as being in Section I.D of the FOA.
Is ARPA-E looking for theoretical studies, or working hardware?
The program structure indicates ARPA-E is not looking for purely theoretical work. Applicants are expected to propose a credible, staged plan that culminates in a prototype demonstration.
What development path does the FOA anticipate?
The FOA anticipates a progression from analytical and computational design, to small-scale module experiments used to retire key technical risks, and then to a demonstration of a heat exchanger meeting performance and durability requirements at a 50 kW thermal (50 kWth) scale.
What is the required demonstration scale mentioned in the opportunity description?
The program calls for culminating in a demonstration at a 50 kW thermal (50 kWth) scale.
Who is eligible to apply?
This is an SBIR/STTR opportunity restricted to small businesses as eligible applicants.
Are teams and partners encouraged?
Yes. ARPA-E emphasizes multidisciplinary teams, often with a small business lead and university, national lab, or industrial partners supporting specialized capabilities such as materials characterization, high-temperature testing, advanced manufacturing, or computational design.
Was there a concept paper requirement?
Yes. The FOA was released with a concept paper requirement.
When were concept papers due for this FOA?
Concept papers were due September 12, 2018.
Did ARPA-E provide any submission timing recommendations?
Yes. Applicants were encouraged to submit at least 48 hours before the deadline to avoid last-minute system issues.
How must applications be submitted?
Submissions must go through ARPA-E's online portal, ARPA-E eXCHANGE.
Will ARPA-E review submissions delivered through other methods?
No. ARPA-E stated it will not review submissions delivered through other methods outside the ARPA-E eXCHANGE portal.
What is the maximum award amount mentioned in the funding profile?
The funding profile listed an award ceiling of $3,225,000.
About how many awards did ARPA-E expect to make?
The FOA indicated an expectation of about 5 awards.
What does the expected number of awards suggest about competitiveness?
With about 5 expected awards and a relatively high ceiling per award, the opportunity is positioned as competitive and aimed at a small number of substantial projects rather than many small exploratory efforts.
What would a strong proposal typically need to explain?
Based on the FOA description, a strong proposal would typically spell out: which temperature regime it is targeting; what material and fabrication pathway will be used to achieve both durability and compactness; how the design will balance heat transfer against pressure drop; and how long-duration performance will be validated under combined high temperature and high pressure conditions.
What kinds of durability and long-life considerations are highlighted?
The FOA stresses operating lifetimes on the order of tens of thousands of hours and calls out long-term stability and resistance to key degradation modes (including creep, fatigue, and oxidation/corrosion) under harsh temperature and pressure conditions.
Does ARPA-E care about manufacturing repeatability and cost, or only technical performance?
Both. Proposals are implicitly expected to show a believable pathway to repeatable manufacturing and cost competitiveness, not just a one-off lab demonstration, while still beating the state of the art on the FOA metrics.
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