Opportunity Information: Apply for FR RRD 15 012

  • The DOT/Federal Railroad Administration in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY15 Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis of High Pressure Heat Exchanger System for Locomotive Application" and is now available to receive applicants.
  • Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 20.313 Railroad Research and Development.
  • This funding opportunity was created on Jun 30, 2015 and posted on Jun 30, 2015.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 17, 2015 No Explanation. (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 $100,000.00 in funding.
  • Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
  • Only the Thermadynamics Rail LLC is eligible to apply to this grant.
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Opportunity Summary:

The FY15 Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis of High Pressure Heat Exchanger System for Locomotive Application opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number FR RRD 15 012) was a discretionary research and development grant issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), under the Railroad Research and Development program (CFDA 20.313). The focus of the award was narrowly defined: it supported a technical Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) of Thermadynamics Rail LLC's (TDR) High Pressure Heat Exchanger (HiP HEX) Waste Heat Recovery System, designed as a retrofit technology for locomotives. The intent behind the work was to better understand how the system might fail, what the consequences of those failures would be, and which failure scenarios pose the greatest risk or operational impact, with the broader goal of informing improvements to locomotive engine energy efficiency and emissions performance.

At a practical level, the project described in the announcement centers on applying a structured reliability and safety engineering method (FMECA) to a high-pressure waste heat recovery subsystem that would operate in the demanding environment of locomotive service. A FMECA typically involves identifying credible failure modes at the component and system level, tracing the effects of each failure on system performance and downstream equipment, and ranking or prioritizing failures based on measures such as severity, likelihood of occurrence, detectability, and overall criticality. For a high-pressure heat exchanger waste heat recovery retrofit, this kind of analysis would commonly examine items like pressure boundary integrity, thermal fatigue, vibration-induced cracking, fouling and corrosion mechanisms, leakage paths, control and sensor failures, valve and actuator malfunctions, and interactions with the host locomotive engine and exhaust systems. The overall purpose is to produce an engineering evidence base that can guide design changes, maintenance strategies, inspection intervals, operational limits, and risk mitigation actions before broader deployment.

Administrative details show this was a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) in the Science and Technology and other Research and Development activity area, posted and created on June 30, 2015. The application closing date was July 17, 2015, and the opportunity was later archived on August 16, 2015. The award had a stated ceiling of $100,000 and a floor of $0, and it did not require cost sharing or matching funds. Eligibility was restricted to a single applicant: only Thermadynamics Rail LLC was eligible to apply, meaning the program was set up as a targeted award to support analysis of this specific proprietary technology rather than an open competition among multiple organizations.

For applicant support and access issues, the notice directed users who had trouble accessing the full announcement electronically to the GrantSolutions Help Desk, providing phone numbers (1-866-577-0771 or 202-401-5282), hours of operation (Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern), and an email contact (support@grants.gov).

FAQs: FY15 Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis of High Pressure Heat Exchanger System for Locomotive Application (FR RRD 15 012)

What is this funding opportunity?

This was a discretionary research and development grant opportunity titled "FY15 Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis of High Pressure Heat Exchanger System for Locomotive Application." The Funding Opportunity Number was FR RRD 15 012.

Which federal agency issued the opportunity?

The opportunity was issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

What program was it associated with?

It was issued under the FRA Railroad Research and Development program, listed under CFDA 20.313.

What type of funding instrument was used?

The Funding Instrument Type was a Grant.

What was the activity area or category of the grant?

The activity area was Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

What was the main purpose of the project being funded?

The project supported a technical Failure Modes, Effects and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) of Thermadynamics Rail LLC's (TDR) High Pressure Heat Exchanger (HiP HEX) Waste Heat Recovery System, designed as a retrofit technology for locomotives.

What is the intent behind funding a FMECA for this system?

The intent was to better understand how the system might fail, what the consequences of those failures would be, and which failure scenarios pose the greatest risk or operational impact. The broader goal was to inform improvements to locomotive engine energy efficiency and emissions performance.

What is a FMECA in the context of this opportunity?

In this announcement, a FMECA refers to a structured reliability and safety engineering method used to identify credible failure modes at the component and system level, trace the effects of those failures on system performance and downstream equipment, and prioritize failures based on factors such as severity, likelihood of occurrence, detectability, and overall criticality.

What system or technology was the FMECA focused on?

The analysis was focused on Thermadynamics Rail LLC's High Pressure Heat Exchanger (HiP HEX) Waste Heat Recovery System, intended for retrofit application on locomotives.

What kinds of failure modes would the analysis commonly examine for a high-pressure waste heat recovery retrofit?

The description indicates that a FMECA for this kind of subsystem would commonly examine issues such as pressure boundary integrity, thermal fatigue, vibration-induced cracking, fouling and corrosion mechanisms, leakage paths, control and sensor failures, valve and actuator malfunctions, and interactions with the host locomotive engine and exhaust systems.

What kinds of outcomes or deliverables was the analysis meant to support?

The purpose of the analysis was to create an engineering evidence base that could guide design changes, maintenance strategies, inspection intervals, operational limits, and risk mitigation actions prior to broader deployment.

Was this an open competitive opportunity for multiple applicants?

No. Eligibility was restricted to a single applicant. Only Thermadynamics Rail LLC was eligible to apply.

Why was eligibility restricted to one applicant?

The notice describes the opportunity as a targeted award intended to support analysis of a specific proprietary technology (TDR's HiP HEX Waste Heat Recovery System) rather than an open competition among multiple organizations.

What was the maximum award amount (ceiling)?

The stated award ceiling was $100,000.

What was the minimum award amount (floor)?

The stated award floor was $0.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No. The opportunity did not require cost sharing or matching funds.

When was the opportunity posted and created?

The opportunity was posted and created on June 30, 2015.

What was the application closing date?

The application closing date was July 17, 2015.

When was the opportunity archived?

The opportunity was later archived on August 16, 2015.

Who should applicants contact if they cannot access the full announcement electronically?

The notice directed users who had trouble accessing the full announcement electronically to the GrantSolutions Help Desk.

What contact information was provided for access or support issues?

The provided support contact details were the GrantSolutions Help Desk phone numbers 1-866-577-0771 or 202-401-5282, hours Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Eastern, and the email support@grants.gov.

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