Last week we hosted the IJmuiden TOTeM Cluster 2003. Feedback from virtually all participants interviewed indicated that both TOTeMs were considered to be successful. In the coming weeks we will be giving more detailed reports on each TOTeM, both in the Monday Night Mail and on the Combustion Trends for the Future website – http://www.trends.ifrf.net. But for the moment we would like to mention some highlights:

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  The attendance at both TOTeMs was similar at 65 participants. This was very encouraging, particularly as the vast majority attended both TOTeMs.
  
  
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  This was the first time we were able to receive our Members “at home” in the new IFRF Communication Centre, near by to the Research Station.
  
  
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  TOTeM23 – “Efficiency and Flexibility of Energy Use in the Iron and Steel Industry – Minimise Costs and CO2 emissions”, Chaired by Dr Frank Fitzgerald gave rise to a number of important conclusions with respect to the future technical information requirements of this industrial sector.
  
  
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  The TOTeM23 keynote lecture by Nico Thijssen, President of the IFRF clearly set the scene and formed an excellent base for discussion.
  
  
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  We aim to publish the TOTeM23 presentations, summarise the discussions and list the conclusions, two weeks from now at http://www.trends.ifrf.net.
  
  
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  TOTeM24 – “Challenges in the Development of High Efficiency Combustion – The Excess Enthalpy Combustion Project”, Chaired by Neil Fricker was concentrated strongly upon the IFRF Members Research HEC Project.
  
  
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  The efforts of the late Mr Tanaka, former Chairman of JFRC was recalled – TOTeM24 was dedicated to his memory.
  
  
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  The history of the research and development of this technology was well presented by the keynote speaker Toshiaki Hasegawa.
  
  
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  We had the opportunity to show off the new HEC research facility in operation, and to present the commissioning results.
  
  
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  We received important guidance from Individual Members on how best to orient the HEC2 measurement programmes.
  
  
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  The construction and commissioning of this new experimental facility is now complete and the HEC1 commissioning report is in preparation and will be published in due course on our Members Research project website at http://www.research.ifrf.net.
  
  
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  The facility is now available to commence the HEC2 programme and at the end of this year will become available new experimental programmes.
  
  
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  We also received feedback from the participants on how to develop this programme further to cover a wider range of applications. This will be reported shortly at http://www.trends.ifrf.net.
  
  
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  Arjan van den Hoogen, Chairman of the NVV, in the Joint Committee meeting on 20th March, congratulated all those who had taken part in the planning, development, construction and commissioning of this facility in having it operational for TOTeM24.

The writers would like to thank all of those that took parting the TOTeMs, the Chairmen, the speakers, the poster presenters and the participants – and of course all those from both the Research Station and the Communications Centre, who helped organise the event and make it such a success.

TOTeM24 Participants visit to the IFRF Research Station