The TOTeM 34 Programme Committee is delighted to announce that Professor Allan Jones, Managing Director of E.ON Engineering, and President of the British Flame Research Committee, will co-Chair the upcoming meeting with colleague and Combustion Technology Team Leader, Cath Goy.

TOTeM 34 takes place on 22 and 23 April 2010 and is the 34th in the IFRF’s series of Topic Oriented Technical Meetings.   The topic of this particular TOTeM is Gas Turbine Research and the venue is Cardiff University’s Gas Turbine Research Centre in Port Talbot, Wales.  The meeting will concentrate on alternative fuels, combustion, and related aspects of environmental protection and operability issues. 

All IFRF TOTeMs follow the same format.  TOTeM 34, too, will begin with a series of invited lectures from international experts who describe the state-of-the-art, list the short, medium, and long term development goals, detail the legislative constraints, and finally determine the research goals.  Following on from the invited lectures, ongoing related work by TOTeM participants will be described –  primarily through Poster Presentations.  Finally, through detailed discussion, participants will be able to drive the conclusions of the TOTeM by determining the short, medium and long term research goals in this particular field.  

It is typical of the TOTeM process that the determination of the research goals feeds directly into the establishment of the IFRF’s own research policy.  For participating organisations. this phase of the meeting – and its outcomes – has the same purpose.   In all cases, all the information produced becomes very swiftly available to the IFRF community – in easily accessible format.

TOTeM 34 is related to a previous IFRF TOTeM event, TOTeM 19, “Combustion oscillation and hum – Problems and opportunities”.   IFRF  Members may peruse or download the proceedings of this – and any other previous TOTeM meeting, on the IFRF website.

The first day of the TOTeM 34 proceedings (Thursday 22 April) will be held in the Council Chambers of Cardiff University.  The day will be devoted to the keynote address and invited presentations and will finish with a formal dinner in the Banqueting Hall of the historic Cardiff Castle, which is of Roman origin and stands opposite the internationally-renowned sporting arena, Cardiff Millennium Stadium.

On Friday 23 April, TOTeM 34 will continue at Cardiff University’s Gas Turbine Research Centre at Port Talbot.  The site is within a couple of miles of the first installation of GE ‘H System’ CCGT plant at Baglan Bay, at the time the world’s largest and most powerful single-shaft, combined cycle system.  Prior to the discussion sessions, participants will be able to view the high pressure combustion research facilities of the GTRC.

More detail on TOTeM 34 will be shortly be placed in the IFRF Events Calendar.  Golf enthusiasts meanwhile should prepare for their assault on the venue which will host the 2010 Ryder Cup.