Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001784
The Department of Energy Office of Science (Office of Science) released this discretionary grant opportunity, DE-FOA-0001784, titled "Collaborative Research on International and Domestic Spherical Tokamaks" to support research that advances the physics basis and reactor relevance of spherical tokamaks (STs). The program is motivated by results from upgraded ST devices showing that, as plasma collisionality is reduced, energy confinement in spherical tokamaks may improve more favorably than in conventional, higher-aspect-ratio tokamaks. If these empirical trends continue to hold, STs could offer a pathway to fusion reactor designs that are significantly more compact than traditional tokamak concepts, making them attractive for future power plants and pilot devices.
A central scientific theme of the opportunity is understanding how low-collisionality operation in spherical tokamaks is shaped by multiple tightly coupled factors: turbulent transport, density control, and wall conditioning techniques such as lithium coatings and boronization. The FOA highlights that these elements do not operate independently; instead, changes in wall conditions can alter neutral recycling and fueling, which in turn affects density and collisionality, which then feeds back on turbulence and overall confinement. Because this intertwined problem sits at the cutting edge of ST performance optimization, the solicitation emphasizes coordinated experiments and analyses designed to disentangle these relationships and determine what operational regimes and boundary conditions best support strong confinement in ST plasmas.
The opportunity is explicitly framed around leveraging complementary facilities, particularly the UKs MAST Upgrade (MAST-U) and the US Lithium Tokamak eXperiment Upgrade (LTX-), with context also tied to observations from NSTX-U. The idea is that MAST-U and LTX- provide different, highly relevant tools for controlling plasma density and plasma boundary conditions at low aspect ratio, allowing researchers to probe similar physics questions through distinct operational approaches. Late in the anticipated three-year research window (referenced as FY 2018 through FY 2020), MAST-U is expected to apply strong cryopumping in its advanced, highly capable divertor system to actively manage plasma density and thereby tune collisionality. In contrast, LTX- is described as relying on lithium wall coatings, combined with neutral beam heating and fueling, to reduce the return flux of cold neutrals recycled from plasma-facing surfaces. By suppressing recycling, lithium conditioning can alter edge fueling and density evolution in a fundamentally different way than cryopumping, offering a valuable comparison for isolating the drivers of improved confinement and stable operation in STs.
Beyond core plasma performance, the FOA underscores power exhaust and plasma-material interaction (PMI) as a major priority, particularly using MAST-U. Due to its compact geometry and the expectation of increased auxiliary heating power, MAST-U is projected to produce exhaust power loads to plasma-facing components that can exceed those anticipated in ITER. That combination of high heat flux relevance and MAST-Us unusually flexible divertor geometry positions the facility as a leading platform for studying how divertor configuration, boundary control, and material response interact under reactor-relevant exhaust conditions. In practical terms, this means the program is not only about achieving better confinement, but also about understanding whether those improved operating regimes can be made compatible with manageable heat and particle exhaust, acceptable material erosion and deposition behavior, and robust divertor solutions.
Administratively, the FOA is issued by the Department of Energy, Office of Science, under the research and development activity category (Science and Technology and other Research and Development) with CFDA number 81.049. The funding instrument is a grant, with eligibility listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity, subject to any clarifications in the official eligibility text). The opportunity was created on July 5, 2017, with an original application closing date of September 1, 2017. DOE anticipated making around 10 awards, with an award ceiling of up to $3,000,000 per award, indicating support for multi-institutional or otherwise substantial research efforts consistent with the collaborative and facility-centered nature of the program.
Overall, this funding opportunity aims to accelerate progress toward two linked goals for spherical tokamaks: establishing whether low-collisionality confinement improvements are robust and explainable in terms of underlying transport and boundary physics, and demonstrating that such performance can coexist with realistic solutions for density control, wall conditioning, and especially power exhaust. By promoting coordinated work across complementary international and domestic ST facilities, the FOA is designed to produce results that are both scientifically clarifying and directly relevant to the viability of compact ST-based fusion reactor pathways.Apply for DE FOA 0001784
- The Department of Energy - Office of Science, Office of Science in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Collaborative Research on International and Domestic Spherical Tokamaks" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.049.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 05, 2017.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 01, 2017. (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 $3,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the title and identifier of this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Collaborative Research on International and Domestic Spherical Tokamaks" and is identified as DE-FOA-0001784.
Which federal office is offering this grant?
The grant is issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Science.
What type of funding instrument is being used?
The funding instrument is a grant.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 81.049.
What is the overall purpose of this FOA?
The FOA supports research that advances the physics basis and reactor relevance of spherical tokamaks (STs), with a focus on understanding and validating improved confinement trends at low collisionality and determining whether those regimes can be compatible with practical boundary, wall, and exhaust solutions.
Why are spherical tokamaks of interest for fusion energy development?
The FOA is motivated by results from upgraded ST devices indicating that, as plasma collisionality is reduced, energy confinement in spherical tokamaks may improve more favorably than in conventional higher-aspect-ratio tokamaks. If these trends hold, STs could support more compact fusion reactor designs than traditional tokamak concepts, which is attractive for future power plants and pilot devices.
What central scientific theme does the FOA emphasize?
A central theme is understanding low-collisionality operation in spherical tokamaks as a tightly coupled system involving turbulent transport, density control, and wall conditioning techniques (including lithium coatings and boronization). The FOA emphasizes that these factors interact and must be studied together rather than in isolation.
What does the FOA mean by "tightly coupled factors" in ST operation?
The FOA highlights feedback loops between wall conditions, neutral recycling, fueling, density evolution, collisionality, turbulence, and overall confinement. For example, changing wall conditions can alter neutral recycling and fueling, which affects density and collisionality, which then feeds back on turbulence and confinement.
What physics topics are explicitly called out in the FOA?
The FOA calls out turbulent transport, density control, and wall conditioning methods such as lithium coatings and boronization, and it frames these as interconnected drivers of confinement and stability at low collisionality.
Which experimental facilities are specifically highlighted for leveraged, coordinated research?
The FOA explicitly frames the opportunity around leveraging complementary facilities, particularly the UK's MAST Upgrade (MAST-U) and the U.S. Lithium Tokamak eXperiment Upgrade (LTX-), with additional context tied to observations from NSTX-U.
Why does the FOA emphasize using multiple facilities rather than a single device?
The FOA positions the problem as cutting edge and intertwined, and it emphasizes coordinated experiments and analyses that use complementary tools. MAST-U and LTX- provide different ways to control plasma density and boundary conditions at low aspect ratio, enabling comparisons that help isolate which mechanisms drive improved confinement and stable operation.
How is MAST-U expected to contribute to density and collisionality control in this program?
Late in the anticipated three-year research window (referenced as FY 2018 through FY 2020), MAST-U is expected to apply strong cryopumping in its advanced divertor system to actively manage plasma density and thereby tune collisionality.
How is LTX- expected to contribute to boundary and recycling control in this program?
LTX- is described as relying on lithium wall coatings, combined with neutral beam heating and fueling, to reduce the return flux of cold neutrals recycled from plasma-facing surfaces. By suppressing recycling, lithium conditioning can change edge fueling and density evolution in a way that differs from cryopumping.
What role do lithium coatings play in the FOA's scientific approach?
Lithium coatings are highlighted as a wall conditioning technique that can suppress neutral recycling from plasma-facing surfaces, thereby altering edge fueling, density evolution, collisionality, and ultimately turbulence and confinement behavior.
What role does boronization play in the FOA's scientific approach?
Boronization is identified as one of the wall conditioning techniques relevant to the coupled problem of low-collisionality operation, boundary conditions, and confinement in spherical tokamaks.
What is meant by "low collisionality" in the context of this FOA?
Within the FOA narrative, low collisionality is treated as an operational direction associated with improved energy confinement trends in spherical tokamaks, and it is linked to density control and boundary/wall conditions that influence recycling and fueling.
What kinds of research activities does the FOA encourage?
The FOA emphasizes coordinated experiments and analyses designed to disentangle the relationships among turbulent transport, density control, and wall conditioning, and to determine which operational regimes and boundary conditions best support strong confinement in ST plasmas.
Does the FOA address issues beyond core confinement performance?
Yes. The FOA underscores power exhaust and plasma-material interaction (PMI) as a major priority, particularly using MAST-U, and it ties confinement progress to whether improved regimes can coexist with manageable heat and particle exhaust and robust divertor solutions.
Why is MAST-U highlighted for power exhaust and PMI research?
MAST-U is projected to produce exhaust power loads to plasma-facing components that can exceed those anticipated in ITER, due to its compact geometry and expected increased auxiliary heating power. The FOA also notes MAST-U's unusually flexible divertor geometry, which positions it as a strong platform for studying divertor configuration, boundary control, and material response under reactor-relevant exhaust conditions.
How does the FOA connect confinement optimization with divertor and materials challenges?
The FOA frames success as not only achieving better confinement, but also demonstrating that the resulting operating regimes are compatible with realistic solutions for density control, wall conditioning, and especially power exhaust, including acceptable material erosion/deposition behavior and robust divertor performance.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The opportunity is issued under the research and development activity category described as "Science and Technology and other Research and Development."
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the official eligibility text.
When was the opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on July 5, 2017.
What was the original application closing date?
The original application closing date was September 1, 2017.
How many awards did DOE anticipate making?
DOE anticipated making around 10 awards.
What is the maximum award size (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is up to $3,000,000 per award.
What does the award size suggest about the intended scope of projects?
Based on the stated ceiling and the emphasis on coordinated, facility-centered work, the FOA indicates support for substantial research efforts that may involve multiple institutions and collaborative teams.
What time period is referenced for the anticipated research window?
The FOA narrative references an anticipated three-year research window, described as FY 2018 through FY 2020.
What are the two linked goals the FOA is trying to advance?
The FOA aims to (1) establish whether low-collisionality confinement improvements in spherical tokamaks are robust and explainable in terms of underlying transport and boundary physics, and (2) demonstrate that such performance can coexist with realistic solutions for density control, wall conditioning, and especially power exhaust.
How does the FOA characterize the value of international and domestic collaboration?
The FOA is explicitly framed around coordinated work across complementary international and domestic ST facilities. The intent is to produce results that are scientifically clarifying while also directly relevant to the viability of compact ST-based fusion reactor pathways.
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