The International Flame Research Foundation – IFRF is a non-profit research association and network created in 1948[1][2] in IJmuiden (Netherlands), established in Livorno (Italy) between 2005[3] and 2016 (Fondazione Internazionale per la Ricerca Sulla Combustione – ONLUS), and in Sheffield (UK) since 2017.[4] Meredith Thring was one of the founders.[5]

International Flame Research Foundation
International Flame Research Foundation
AbbreviationIFRF
Formation1948 (1948)
TypeNon-profit educational society
Legal statusFoundation
PurposeIndustrial combustion science
Region served
Word

The IFRF Membership Network unites some 1000 combustion researchers from 130 industrial companies and academic institutions worldwide, around a common interest in efficient and environmentally responsible industrial combustion, with a focus on flame studies.

History

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The IFRF can be traced to a proposal written in 1948 by Meredith Thring, head of the Physics Department in the newly formed British Iron and Steel Research Association (BISRA).[6] Entitled Proposals for the Establishment of an International Research Project on Luminous Radiation, the document resulted in the formation of the International Flame Radiation Research Committee with representatives of the steel, fuel and appliance making industries in France, Holland and England - specifically the British Iron and Steel Research Association (BISRA), the Iron and Steel Research Association of France (IRSID) and the Royal Dutch Iron and Steel Company (KNHS).[6]

Publications

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The IFRF is the publisher of technical reports and regular publications:

  • The Industrial Combustion Journal (ISSN 2075-3071) since 1999, named IFRF Combustion Journal between Sept. 1999 and Aug. 2009 (ISSN 1562-479X),
  • The Monday Night Mail - MNM - (ISSN 1562-4781) since 1999, in 1998 a few numbers of the IFRF Newsletter were also published,
  • The Combustion Handbook (ISSN 1607-9116) since 2001.

Theses publications are freely available on-line.

Events

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The IFRF organises events to disseminate knowledge on combustion: conferences, technical meetings (called TOTeMs), common days with other technical or scientific associations and courses:

Topic Oriented Technical Meetings (TOTeM)

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TOTeMs are organized since 1989, once or twice a year:

List of TOTeM organized by the IFRF and national committees
TOTeM n° Topic Year Location Country
51 Green hydrogen: advances in CFD simulations of industrial hydrogen flames (announced)[7] 2024 Calgary Canada
50 Decarbonising combustion in hard-to-abate sectors[8] 2023 Piacenza (Politecnico di Milano) Italy
49 Chemical energy carriers for long-term storage and long-distance transport of renewable energies[9] 2023 Mulhouse (LGRE) France
48 Hydrogen for decarbonisation[10][11][12] (European Hydrogen Week 2022 side event[13]) 2022 Jouy-en-Josas (Air Liquide) France
47 Additive manufacturing for combustion application[14] 2020 Paris (Fivesgroup) France
46 Waste-to-energy – Status and perspective of technologies[15] 2019 Pisa Italy
45 Gas turbines for future energy systems[16] 2018 Cardiff UK
44 Gaseous fuels for industry and power generation: challenges and opportunities[17] 2017 Essen (GWI Gas- und Wärme-Institut) Germany
43 Fired equipment safety and its associated instrumentation and control requirements[18] 2016 Sheffield UK
42 Industrial heating: furnaces, process heaters, kilns, design of safe and environmentally efficient thermal equipment[19] 2014 IJmuiden Netherlands
41 Optimisation of OXY/COAL/FGR systems – state of the art for scaling and modelling[20] 2014 Warsaw Poland
40 Gasification, a versatile technology converting biomass to produce synfuels, heat and power[21] 2015 Delft Netherlands
39 Oxy-coal Combustion[22] 2013 Pisa Italy
38 Tar & sulphur sampling and analysis[23] 2013 Copenhagen Denmark
37 Innovative and Advanced Coal Co-Firing Technologies[24] 2012 Warsaw Poland
36 Industrial Flares[25] 2010 Hawaii USA
35 Co-firing secondary fuels in power generation: from fuel characterization to full scale testing[26] 2010 Pisa Italy
34 Gas Turbine Research: Fuels, Combustion, Heat Transfer and Emissions[27] 2010 Cardiff University and the Gas Turbine Research Centre, Port Talbot UK
33 Challenges in Rotary Kiln Combustion Processes[28] 2009 Pisa Italy
32 Efficient solid fuel utilisation: How to overcome ash related restrictions[29] 2008 Freising Germany
31 Oxy-combustion technologies and applications[30] 2008 Pisa (Enel) Italy
30 Computational Fluid Dynamics – Simulation of Combustion Processes[31] 2007 Waikoloa (HI) USA
29 Characterisation of biofuels for co-combustion[32] 2006 Munich Germany
28 Mercury, trace metals and fine particulates – Issues and Solutions[33] 2008 Salt Lake City (UT) USA
27 Process heating in petroleum, petrochemical and chemical industries: Identifying trends and satisfying needs through leveraged external research[34] 2003 Birmingham UK
26 CO2 control, capture, sequestration, storage and emissions trading[35] 2003 Birmingham UK
25 Quest for Zero Emission in Industrial Furnaces -State of the Art and Future Development of High Temperature Air Combustion[36] 2003 Stockholm Sweden
24 Challenges in the development of high efficiency combustion - The Excess Enthalpy Combustion Project[37] 2003 Velsen Noord Netherlands
23 Efficiency and flexibility of energy use in the Iron and Steel industry: Minimise costs and CO2 emissions[38] 2003 Velsen Noord Netherlands
22 Combustion Trends in Power Generation Industries[39] 2002 Linkebeek (Laborelec) Belgium
21 Combustion Trends in Cement and Mineral Processing Industries,[39][40] 2002 Linkebeek (Laborelec) Belgium
20 CFD for Combustion Engineering[41] 2002 Akersloot Netherlands
19 Combustion oscillation and hum: Problems and opportunities[42] 2002 Akersloot Netherlands
18 Intelligent Combustion Control[43] 2000 Cernay-la-Ville France
17 The Use of Oxygen for Industrial Combustion[44] 2000 Cernay-la-Ville France
16 Toxic Metals and Fine Particulates from Combustion Processes[45] 2000 Lyngby Denmark
15 Ash and Deposit Formation in Utility Boilers[46] 2000 Lyngby Denmark
14 Bio-fuels - Fuel preparation, Combustion Technologies and Scope for Utilisation[47] 1999 Växjö Sweden
13 High Temperature Combustion Research for Industry – Results from the IFRF Research Station[48] 1999 IJmuiden Netherlands
12 Application of Mathematical Modelling of full Scale Industrial Processes: Status and need for Sub-Models[49] 1999 Guernsey UK
11 Liquid Fuels: Heavy oils wastes and slurries[50] 1995 Biaritz France
10 Advanced Power Generation[51] 1994 Veldhoven Netherlands
9 IFRF triennial planning 1995-1997 and future flame research[52] 1994 Haarlem Netherlands
8 High temperature combustion – High air preheat/oxygen enrichment[53] 1993 Loughborough UK
7 Scaling and mathematical modeling of combustion systems[54] 1993 Chicago (GRI) USA
6 Measurement and control diagnostics[55] 1992 Karlsruhe Germany
5 Waste incineration technology[56] 1991 Bari Italy
4 IFRF Triennial Planning 1992-94[57] 1991 Haarlem Netherlands
3 In-furnace NOx reduction techniques[58] 1990 Leeds UK
2 Fuel combustion characterisation[59] 1990 Rueil Malmaison (IFP) France
1 Capabilities and limitations of mathematical models of flares[60] 1989 Amsterdam Netherlands

IFRF Conferences

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IFRF Conferences (formerly Members Conference) are organized approximately every two or three years:

List of IFRF Conferences organized by the IFRF and national committees
Conference Year Location Country
IFRF 2025 Conference (announced)[61] 2025 20 Sheffield UK
IFRF 2021 Conference (Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic) 2021
IFRF 2018 Conference "Clean, efficient and safe industrial combustion"[62] 2018 19 Sheffield UK
18th IFRF Members Conference "Flexible and clean fuel conversion in industry"[63] 2015 18 Freising Germany
17th IFRF Members Conference "Clean and efficient fuel conversion in industry"[64] 2012 17 Maffliers France
16th IFRF Members Conference "Combustion and sustainability: new technologies, new fuels, new challenges"[65] 2009 16 Boston USA
15th IFRF Members Conference "Combustion in an Efficient and Environmentally Acceptable Manner"[66] 2007 15 Pisa Italy
14th IFRF Members Conference 2004 14 Noordwijkerhout Netherlands
13th IFRF Members Conference 2001 13 Noordwijkerhout Netherlands
12th IFRF Members Conference 1998 12 Noordwijkerhout Netherlands
11th IFRF Members Conference 1995 11 IJmuiden Netherlands
10th IFRF Members Conference 1992 10 IJmuiden Netherlands
9th IFRF Members Conference 1989 9 IJmuiden Netherlands
8th IFRF Members Conference 1986 8 IJmuiden Netherlands
7th IFRF Members Conference 1983 7 IJmuiden Netherlands
6th IFRF Members Conference 1980 6 IJmuiden Netherlands
5th IFRF Members Conference 1978 5 IJmuiden Netherlands
4th IFRF Members Conference 1976 4 IJmuiden Netherlands
3rd IFRF Members Conference 1973 3 IJmuiden Netherlands
2nd IFRF Members Conference 1971 2 IJmuiden Netherlands
1st IFRF Members Conference[67] 1969 1 IJmuiden Netherlands

Short courses

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The IFRF organises short courses:

  • IFRF Hydrogen Short Course 2024,[68]
  • “Combustion & Emissions in Furnaces and Kilns – An Industrial Approach”, 16 to 18 October 2002, Villa Olmo – Como, Italy.[39]
  • 5th Flame Research Course, Koningshof Congress Centre, Veldhoven, The Netherlands, 1992.[69]
  • 4th Flame Research Course, Christal Hotel, Prague, Czechoslovakia, 9–13 September 1991.[70]

Other events

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The IFRF organises events with other scientific associations such as the Combustion Institute and special flame days with other national committees.

Other events (non exhaustive list)
Event Year Location Country
IFRF Workshop at the 11th European Combustion Meeting:[71] From lab scale to industrial combustion: challenges for the scale up of experimental and simulation approaches[72][73] 2023 Rouen France
Industry Roundtable at the 39th International Symposium on Combustion – Decarbonated Combustion in Industrial Processes[74] 2022 Vancouver Canada

Structure

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The IFRF is organised in 9 national committee plus the Associate Member Group (AMG) where no national committee exists.

Committees

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  • American Flame Research Committee - AFRC
  • British Flame Research Committee - BFRC
  • Chinese Flame Research Committee - CFRC
  • Finnish Flame Research Committee - FFRC
  • French Flame (Comité français) - CF
  • German Flame (Deutsche Vereinigung für Verbrennungsforschung e.V.) - DVV
  • Italian Flame (Comitato Italiano) - CI
  • Dutch Flame (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Vlamonderzoek) - NVV
  • Swedish Flame Research Committee - SFRC

Governance

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The IFRF in managed by a Council and an Executive Committee.

Locations

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From 1948 to 2005 the IFRF facilities were located in the CORUS R&D centre at IJmuiden (Netherlands).

In 2005, the research station was relocated at ENEL facilities in Livorno (Italy), the measurement programme was restarted November 27, 2006.[75]

In 2015 a relocation of the IFRF headquarters process was initiated.[76] Leading to the designation of University of Sheffield and its PACT Archived 2015-12-22 at the Wayback Machine laboratory as the new IFRF location from 2017.[77]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Stimulating Cooperative Research in Fossil Energy at Universities. National Research Council (U.S.). 1984. p. 48.
  2. ^ Weber, Roman (1998). The spirit of Ijmuiden. Fifty years of the IFRF. 1948-1998. Ijmuiden: International Flame Research Foundation. p. 280. ISBN 90-801495-2-7.
  3. ^ "International Flame Research Foundation (IFRF)" (PDF). Heat Processing – International Magazine for Industrial Furnaces, Heat Treatment Plants, Equipment (5): 93. January 2014. ISSN 1611-616X.
  4. ^ "Message from new IFRF Director, Philip Sharman". The Monday Night Mail. 9 January 2017. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017.
  5. ^ Rob ThringThe Independent, 30 September 2006
  6. ^ a b Weber, Roman (1998). Spirit of IJmuiden. IJmuiden: IFRF. pp. 15–29. ISBN 9080149527.
  7. ^ "TOTeM 51: 'Green hydrogen: advances in CFD simulations of industrial hydrogen flames'". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  8. ^ "TOTeM 50 – Decarbonising combustion in hard-to-abate sectors". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  9. ^ "TOTeM 49 – Chemical energy carriers for long-term storage and long-distance transport of renewable energies". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  10. ^ "IFRF TOTeM – Hydrogen for Industrial Decarbonisation | The Combustion Institute". 2022-03-30. Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  11. ^ "IFRF TOTeM – Hydrogen for decarbonisation – October 13th 2022 – Paris". Retrieved 2022-09-22.
  12. ^ Kelsall, Greg (7 November 2022). "Summary and key learnings from the 48th TOTeM on 'Hydrogen for Decarbonisation'". Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  13. ^ "European Hydrogen Week - Side Events - European Commission". www.clean-hydrogen.europa.eu. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
  14. ^ "TOTeM47: Additive Manufacturing for Combustion Application".
  15. ^ "TOTeM46: Waste-to-energy – Status and perspective of technologies". 14 October 2019.
  16. ^ "TOTeM 45 "Gas turbines for future energy systems"".
  17. ^ "TOTeM 44: Gaseous fuels for industry and power generation: challenges and opportunities". ifrf.net. 6 February 2017.
  18. ^ "TOTeM 43 – Programme". IFRF.net.
  19. ^ "TOTeM 42 "Industrial heating: Furnaces, Process Heaters, Kilns – Design of safe, fuel and environmentally efficient thermal equipment"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
  20. ^ "TOTeM 41 "Optimisation of OXY/COAL/FGR systems – state of the art for scaling and modelling"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  21. ^ "TOTeM 40 "Gasification, a versatile technology converting biomass to produce synfuels, heat and power"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
  22. ^ "TOTeM 39 "Oxy-coal Combustion"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  23. ^ "TOTeM 38 "Tar & sulphur sampling and analysis"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  24. ^ "TOTeM 37 "Innovative and Advanced Coal Co-Firing Technologies"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  25. ^ "TOTeM 36 "Industrial Flares"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  26. ^ "TOTeM 35 "Co-firing secondary fuels in power generation: from fuel characterization to full scale testing"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  27. ^ "TOTeM 34 Proceedings on Line". ifrf.net. 2010-11-08. Retrieved 2023-12-10.
  28. ^ "TOTeM 33 – Challenges in Rotary Kiln Combustion Processes". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  29. ^ "TOTeM 32 "Efficient solid fuel utilisation: How to overcome ash related restrictions"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  30. ^ "TOTeM 31 "Oxy-Combustion technologies and applications"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  31. ^ "TOTeM 30 proceedings available online". 16 February 2009.
  32. ^ "TOTeM 29 "Characterisation of biofuels for co-combustion"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  33. ^ "TOTeM 28 – Mercury, trace metals and fine particulates – Issues and Solutions". 17 March 2008.
  34. ^ "TOTeM 27 "Process heating in petroleum, petrochemical and chemical industries: Identifying trends and satisfying needs through leveraged external research"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  35. ^ "TOTeM 26 "CO2 control, capture, sequestration, storage and emissions trading"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  36. ^ "TOTeM 25 "Quest for zero emission in industrial furnaces – State of the art and future development of high temperature air combustion"".
  37. ^ "TOTeM 24 "Challenges in the development of high efficiency combustion – The Excess Enthalpy Combustion Project"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  38. ^ "TOTeM 23 "Efficiency and flexibility of energy use in the Iron and Steel industry: Minimise costs and CO2 emissions"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  39. ^ a b c "TOTeMs and Other Technical Meetings and Courses". ifrf.net. 2002-10-07. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  40. ^ "TOTeM 21 "Combustion Trends for cement and mineral processing industries"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  41. ^ "TOTeM 20 "CFD for Combustion Engineering"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  42. ^ "TOTeM 19: "Combustion oscillation and hum: Problems and opportunities"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  43. ^ "TOTeM 18 – "Intelligent Combustion Control"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  44. ^ "TOTeM 17 – "The Use of Oxygen for Industrial Combustion"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
  45. ^ "TOTeM 16 – "Toxic Metals and Fine Particulates from Combustion Processes"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  46. ^ "TOTeM 15 – "Ash and Deposit Formation in Utility Boilers"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  47. ^ "TOTeM 14 – "Bio-fuels – Fuel preparation, Combustion Technologies and Scope for Utilisation"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  48. ^ "High Temperature Combustion Research for Industry – Results from the IFRF Research Station". Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  49. ^ "IFRF Summary Document – TOTeM 12".
  50. ^ "Proceedings of the 11th Topic Oriented Technical Meeting "Liquid Fuels : Heavy oils wastes and slurries" held on 9-11th October 1995, Biarritz, France". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  51. ^ "Proceedings of the 10th Topic Oriented Technical Meeting – TOTeM10, held at Veldhoven, September 1994 on the subject: "Advanced Power Generation"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  52. ^ "Proceedings of the 9h Topic Oriented Technical Meeting – TOTeM9, held at Haarlem, April 1994 on the subject: "IFRF triennial planning 1995-1997 and future flame research"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  53. ^ "Proceedings of the 8th Topic Oriented Technical Meetings – TOTeM8 held at British Gas plc, on 9th, 10th and 11th November 1993 on the subject "High temperature combustion – High air preheat/oxygen enrichment"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  54. ^ "Proceedings of TOTeM7 held at Gas Research Institute – GRI, Chicago, April 1993, on the subject "Scaling and Mathematical Modelling of Combustion Systems"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  55. ^ "Final Announcement and call for Short Communications for the 6th Topic Oriented Technical Meeting to be held on 6th, 7th and 8th October 1992 at Karlsruhe, Germany". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  56. ^ Carvalho, Maria G. da Graca; Fiveland, Woodrow A.; Lockwood, F. C.; Papadopoulos, Christos (2022-03-23). Combustion Technologies for a Clean Environment. CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-000-72517-9.
  57. ^ "Report on the results of the discussions held during TOTEM4, at the Carlton Square Hotel, 9th,10th and 11th April 1991, Haarlem, The Netherlands". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  58. ^ "Proceedings of TOTeM3, held at the Univ. Leeds, UK, November 1990 on the subject:"In-Furnace NOx reduction techniques"". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-13.
  59. ^ "Preliminary Announcement and call for papers of the 2nd Topic Oriented Technical Meeting to be held at IFP on 21st 22nd and 23rd of May 1990, Rueil Malmaison France". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  60. ^ "Evaluation report on the First Topic Oriented Technical Meeting held at KSLA, on 17th, 18th and 19th October 1989, Amsterdam, The Netherlands". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  61. ^ "Check this out on IFRF!". 2024-01-15. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  62. ^ "IFRF 2018 Conference, Sheffield, UK".
  63. ^ "18th IFRF Members' Conference Final Update". 25 May 2015.
  64. ^ "IFRF International Member Conference June 2012". 17 October 2011.
  65. ^ "IFRF 16th International Members' Conference". 15 December 2008.
  66. ^ "15th IFRF Members Conference". 3 July 2006.
  67. ^ "Members Conference at IJmuiden 22nd – 23rd May 1969: Programme".
  68. ^ "IFRF Hydrogen Short Course 2024". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  69. ^ "Proceedings of the 5th Flame Research Course held at the Koningshof Congress Centre, Veldhoven, The Netherlands". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
  70. ^ "Proceedings for the 4th Flame Research Course held at the Christal Hotel, Prague, Czechoslovakia, from 9th-13th September 1991". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2024-04-18.
  71. ^ "European Combustion Meeting 2023 - Sciencesconf.org". ecm2023.sciencesconf.org. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  72. ^ "From lab scale to industrial combustion: challenges for the scale up of experimental and simulation approaches". ifrf.net. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  73. ^ Reichel (2023-05-10). "11th European Combustion Meeting and IFRF Workshop". Department for Industrial Furnaces and Heat Engineering. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
  74. ^ "39th International Symposium on Combustion". www.combustionsymposia.org. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
  75. ^ "IFRF flame is back!!, article from the Monday Night Mail, November 27, 2006". Archived from the original on November 18, 2015.
  76. ^ "IFRF Director's Updates, Monday Night Mail, November 16, 2015". Archived from the original on November 18, 2015.
  77. ^ "IFRF Relocation". The Monday Night Mail. 2015-12-14. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2015-12-17.
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