IFRF Solid Fuel Database

In response to the constantly increasing need amongst utility operators, manufacturers and scientists for wide and reliable data on solid fuel properties, the IFRF has undertaken a three phase project to compile a Solid Fuel Database which unifies a wide spectra of reliable experimental data and a significant amount of fuel analysis material.  It is envisaged that the database will also provide:

• efficient tools for the evaluation of basic model parameters, indices and fuel properties;
  
• complete descriptions of experimental facilities and conditions;
  
• proposals of uniform procedures for the most common fuel characterisation experiments.

In IFRF Doc No D 10/y/01, the three phases of the project were described as follows:

1. Collect data samples, organise these in simple electronic form, and circulate amongst IFRF Members for feedback and suggestions;
2. Create a fully flexible, efficient, secure and internet-based electronic database;
3. Fill the database with wide and reliable data, and equip it with mathematical tools.

The first phase was initiated with the collection of all the data which had been acquired in the past on the IFRF Isothermal Plug Flow Reactor.  This data has been organised, together with basic fuel properties, and includes devolatilisation, char combustion and nitrogen release results obtained at the IFRF over the last 20 years. Standardisation procedures for devolatilisation, char preparation, char combustion and nitrogen release studies in experimental drop tube furnaces and entrained flow reactors have also been proposed. 

This first phase is described in the forthcoming IFRF report  Doc. No E 36/y/02,  and will form the basis of the workshop discussion scheduled for the afternoon of 17 June.  The Chairman of what will from here on be called the SFDB Working Group is Prof. Hartmuth Spliethoff.

The creation of standardisation procedures enables interested IFRF Member Organisations to participate in the creation of the SFDB and to share their results from similar contexts. 

Preliminary agenda
Tuesday 17th  June, 14.00-19.00, Technical University of Munich, Germany.

– Introduction and scope of the meeting (L.Tognotti)
– IFRF Solid Fuel Database – Phase 1 (J.Hercog)
– Development of common methodologies for solid fuel characterisation: pf systems (various contributions)
– Kinetic and other model parameters from raw data analysis (various contributions)
– Adding Members data to the SFDB
– Conclusions and future planning  (H.Spliethoff)

Other details on agenda and organisation will appear shortly in the IFRF Events Calendar.  Members who wish to participate to the workshop are warmly invited to contact IFRF Director Leonardo Tognotti.  To send a mail, go to http://mailgate.ifrf.net/staff/