Members’ Research Programme

The Spirit of IJmuiden

The IFRF has been involved in semi-industrial scale experimental research for 50 years. The scale of the facilities available made it possible to collect data for immediate use for practical applications. Data have been used directly by IFRF members and shared with the wider scientific community in a process that has come to be known as the Spirit of IJmuiden.

The new IFRF hosts (University of Pisa and ENEL Ricerca), are offering IFRF Members access to a new shared Research Programme. The basic concept of a shared semi- industrial scale research programme – The Spirit of IJmuiden – will be retained.

The current Members’ Research Programme is described in detail in the 2004-2006 Triennial Report. Here we present a brief overview.

IFRF Members were invited to consider five possible Research Topics (MRP1 to MRP5) to be pursued using funding from ENEL-UNIPI during the first three years of operation in the new location.

The ranking was a follows:

• Combustion Modelling (132)
• Solid Fuel Characterisation (101)
• Hydrogen Production and Use (94)
• Micro-pollutants (Heavy metals, VOC, POP) (86)
• Micro-particulates (formation and fate) (62)

Based on this evaluation, three main activities have been proposed for the Members’ Research Programme, and two, combustion modelling and solid fuel characterisation were begun at the end of 2006 and were the subject of workshops held during the 15th Members’ Conference.

Opportunities are provided for Members to participate in small Working Groups/Monitoring Groups that will look in more detail at each of the projects retained for the MRP.

Offers of support or supplementary financial support to expand the work on topics of interest to specific Members or Groups of Members would be welcome.