TOTeM 32 and the DVV Technical Colloquium took place on December 15th and 16th at Freising in Germany.  Some 50 IFRF Members and guests were welcomed to the Freising conference centre, to listen to and comment on thirteen invited presentations covering most aspects of ash related problems on solid fuel fired boilers.  Ash related problems represent an obstacle to progress in improving the performance of solid fuel firing of boilers.  There was keen interest and lively comment on specific issues raised by the need to integrate ‘opportunity fuels’, in particular wastes and biofuels, into the operation of existing boilers.  Such changes can have significant impact on the fouling and corrosion behaviour of both pulverised fuel and fluid bed boilers, and both types of plant were considered during the TOTeM.   In addition, currently satisfactory boilers/fuels may run into ash problems as boiler operating parameters (eg steam temperature,  NOx limits) are changed.
 
A significant number of technology gaps and R&D needs were identified during TOTeM 32, and current and potential actions by the IFRF that would help IFRF Members to address some of the issues were identified.  IFRF Members may now view and/or download the detailed conclusions and the thirteen presentations from here.
 
I would like to thank my colleagues in the German Flame Research Committee (DVV) for making it possible to combine the DVV Colloquium with an IFRF TOTeM in such an effective manner.  The feedback I received showed that the participants who had not yet experienced a typical TOTeM meeting were very positive about this compact method of presenting and  discussing the state of the art and the demands of a topic.