IFRF flame is back!!

This morning at the experimental station in Livorno, IFRF and ENEL started the new measurement programme on the furnace “FOSPER”. FOSPER is a replica of the former “Furnace n.1” of the IFRF Research Station in IJmuiden.
These measurements are the core part of the first experimental campaign that the new IFRF is undertaking. The goal of this project is to provide a data base for “Validation of combustion modeling for practical combustion systems (coal /gas)”, one of the five topics proposed as the basis of the new Member Research Programme.
The topics are now built on the former IFRF MRP in areas such as solid fuels combustion characterisation, mathematical modelling and flameless combustion. New (to IFRF) topic areas of micro-pollutants and micro-particulates have also been proposed.
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.

During this campaign, data will be collected (velocity fields, temperature distributions, gas composition, etc..) on coal flames generated by different low NOx burners that would provide the references for developing and testing suitable mathematical model of the furnace and burners.
This programme, together with the MRP1 “Development of a solid fuel data base”, aims to increase and improve the capabilities of commercially based CFD codes of predicting the performances of industrial combustion systems. The document “Proposals of ENEL Ricerca- University of Pisa for the Member Research Programme 2006-2008” has been prepared and will be available soon, taking into account the first responses from many Member Organisations and National Committees as well.

During these trials, which will continue in 2007, IFRF wants to recover its diagnostics experience and capabilities in terms of measurement probes and instruments, with the aim to fully reactivate the technical services on measurement equipment.
The planning and the results of these trials will be available to the members as Research Reports in the near future. Full details on the planned campaigns can be requested at info@ifrf.net.

It was about two years ago when the IFRF Research Station shut down. During these years IFRF has gone through a lot of changes and today is able to perform again experimental trials of interest for Mermbers. Aware of the precious heritage of fifty years of top level research on combustion, IFRF is facing now the dawn of a new era of his history with new challenges and new solutions. ….The flame is back!

Valerio Cinti, ENEL Livorno Experimental Area Director, and Leonardo Tognotti, IFRF Director, supervise the measurements trials.

Flame  from the Burner TEA-C

The ENEL Livorno Experimental Area crew insert the Suction Pyrometer in the furnace.

Giovanni Coraggio, IFRF Investigator, ask for a cigarette to Marco Bedon, ENEL Livorno Experimental Area Technician!!