Blog of the British Section of the Combustion Institute

Faraday's famous lectures

2012-02-09T06:31:00.000-08:00

We reproduce with permission the review by Prof Bill Griffith that appeared in the Royal Society of Chemistry website.

The chemical history of a candle (150th anniversary edition)
Michael Faraday (edited and introduced by Frank James)
Oxford University Press
978-0-19-969491-4

208 pages | 216x138mm | Hardback | 29 September 2011

Faraday's six Christmas lectures, delivered at his famous bench in the Royal Institution and accompanied by many demonstrations, were to be his last. He was 70 and gave two lectures in late December 1860 and the remainder in early 1861 to an audience averaging 650 'juveniles'. They were published in 1861 in William Crookes's Chemical News, and in the same year as a book. The Candle has never been out of print; this edition marks its 150th anniversary, and includes the rather difficult-to-read facsimile notes which Faraday used for the lectures.

Faraday uses the candle as a symbol to talk about the nature of combustion - how the oxygen from air is needed, how water and CO2 are produced and the hidden role of hydrogen. The text is lyrical and beautifully expressed, communicating his obvious enthusiasm, authority and sense of excitement. There were many accompanying demonstrations, often involving explosions and bright lights. Endearingly, Faraday talks about himself and the audience as 'we philosophers' and, on one occasion, as 'we juveniles'.

Frank James provides an elegant, well-referenced and informative introduction, recounting the history of the Christmas Lectures and of the Candle in particular (Charles Dickens published some earlier versions of these lectures in his Household Words). He speculates on what has kept this text alive for so long - it apparently is still used for teaching purposes in Japan and China. It is of course fine literature, as he points out, but clearly not cutting-edge science. I think we regard it with such warm affection because of the power and excitement which it still conveys and is literary qualities. As an 1861 review in the Daily News said: '[it] is so simple and engaging that the youngest reader is charmed'.

If you have never read the Candle you are in for a treat. This edition is reasonably priced, well illustrated and handsomely produced.

Shell Thornton recruiting a Fire & Explosion Scientist

2012-01-07T08:00:00.000-08:00

Shell is currently recruiting a Fire & Explosion Scientist to join their team in Thornton Research Centre.

Details reproduced below copied from the following link.

"Within Shell Projects & Technology, Global Solutions Downstream provides efficient and effective technology services to Shell’s Downstream businesses and selected third parties.
We also provide the technology support and solutions that help to make our commercial products some of the best in the world.

At Shell our commitment is to satisfy the world’s need for energy with economically, socially and environmentally responsible solutions. We seek a high standard of performance, and understand that great ideas can change the world.

If you want to work with a group of creative, ambitious and innovative professionals then you should consider Shell. We will provide you with the resources to put your ideas into action, worldwide opportunities to advance your career, and outstanding benefits and rewards that support your quality of life. Join us and let’s make a real difference together

Responsibilities:

This position sits within the Major Hazards Management team that is responsible for predicting the hazard consequences of a large scale fire or explosion following the accidental release of flammable material. We provide guidance to projects and operating assets within Shell to ensure engineering designs maximize safety against such fire and explosion events.

The major hazards team has been active in this area for more than 30 years and has developed a range of hazard consequence modelling tools validated against large scale experiments.

This role will be a core part of our ongoing program of model development and will include:
- Support ongoing development of capability in fire & explosion modeling of large flammable gas clouds using CFD techniques

- Support the design of lab and field-scale experiments to understand gas explosion phenomena and validation of models

- Development of combustion sub-models to enhance fire & explosion modelling capability

- Application of fire & explosion modeling CFD tools across range of Shell facilities (e.g. offshore platforms)

Requirements:

Educated to MSc or PhD in engineering or scientific discipline. Post study working experience either in an academic, industry or consultancy role. Proven evidence of productive R&D activity, publications and conference presentations. Experience of CFD modelling of large scale hydrocarbon explosions and/or fires.

Background or strong interest in combustion science would be advantageous (in particular combustion kinetics). Some familiarity with experimental techniques for large scale combustion phenomena.

You’ll have excellent communication skills (oral & written). Combined with strong interpersonal/and influencing skills to work effectively in/and across multi-functional virtual teams and interface with a wide range of internal stakeholders, customers and service providers.

Ability to manage challenging deadlines and adapt to changing workloads with a high degree of initiative and independence to deliver results through others. Contribute and directly influence customer bottom line results and translate their business needs into delivering innovative and sustainable value solutions.

Application Deadline: Saturday 28 January 2012
Number of Vacancies: 1"

6th European Combustion Meeting announced for 2013

2011-12-23T03:25:00.000-08:00

The following is an email from Professor Alexander Konnov sent on 22 Dec 2011.

---
Dear colleague,

The Scandinavian-Nordic Section of the Combustion Institute under the auspices of the Federation of the European Sections of the Combustion Institute invites you to contribute and join us at the 6th European Combustion Meeting (ECM2013) which will take place at Lund University, Sweden, from 25th to 28th of June, 2013.

More information could be found at:http://www.ecm2013.lth.se

The ECM 2013 follows the tradition of the previous meetings which were held in:
ECM 2003 – Orleans, France
ECM 2005 – Louvan-la-Neuve, Belgium
ECM 2007 – Chania, Greece
ECM 2009 – Vienna, Austria
ECM 2011 – Cardiff, Great Britain

The European Combustion Meeting covers all aspects of combustion science and technology, including fundamental physical and chemical aspects of traditional and novel fuel sources, modelling, reaction kinetics, industrial systems, gas turbine and engine systems, fires, combustion diagnostics, laminar and turbulent flames, burner systems, environmental impact and their mitigation, oxyfuel combustion, boilers and fluidised bed combustors, etc.

The Scandinavian-Nordic section and the University are very proud to hold this prestigious event. I look forward to meeting you at the ECM 2013 in Lund.

With this I wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !

Professor Alexander Konnov
Division of Combustion Physics, Dept. of Physics
Lund Institute of Technology
Sweden

Has the UK Forgotten how to do Combustion Science?

2011-12-10T09:44:00.001-08:00

by Dr Paul Fennell, Imperial College London
(article published in the Newsletter of the British Section of the Combustion Institute, Volume 2011-1 June 2011)

Introduction
You have prepared your manuscript for a Combustion Symposium, discussed it with your co-authors, and performed the most taxing test of your mental faculties for the year. Of course, here I am talking about getting the word count done, not writing the paper. You then send it off, and the waiting begins... For the first couple of months, the paper nags at you: did I do this correctly, was it clear enough? Then, you forget about it. Months pass.

Then, one day, an e-mail arrives. Heart pounding, you open it.

pa = “WHAT THE DEVIL? Who chose these morons?”
pb = “Fantastic! What excellent reviewers, and what a good Symposium session chair”.

Those of you who attended the 33rd Symposium may have noted that pa was quite high (on a historical basis) for the UK, whereas pb was quite low. Of course, there are always grumbles about the standard of refereeing, though this year there has been a larger than usual number reaching your humble correspondent’s ears. For interest, the success rates for submitted papers are reproduced below, grouped in a number of different ways, and including some data from the 32nd Symposium.

Success Rates

Table 1. Success rates for the Symposium in general (32nd Symposium data from Jan 09 British Section Newsletter)

Table 2. Success rates by country for the last two Symposia

The massive increase in submissions for the 33rd Symposium, relative to the 32nd Symposium, reduced the potential for acceptance, but France and the USA maintained position as the front runners, with Australia also having strong representation, whereas the UK’s acceptance rate was somewhat below average (34.2 % in 2010) and much lower than at the previous Symposium (87.2 % in 2008).

Table 3. Overall success 33rd Symposium, by Colloquia

Conspicuous in the success rate, when presented in the context of the colloquia, is the high proportion of accepted papers for detonations, kinetics research and soot related studies. Investigators of heterogeneous combustion and stationary combustion systems seem to have a particularly hard time. Although there is no compelling reason for success rates to be the same for each colloquium, the number of submissions to each one is certainly a reflection of the trends in combustion research activity.

Discussion
Four main possibilities come to mind as to why the British section has such a low overall success rate, even if it continues to have a similar total number of papers accepted to e.g. France and Germany.

1. Britain no longer does world-leading research in combustion science
2. Britain does research in the wrong areas
3. There is bias in the system
4. France, the USA and Australia are better prepared for the Symposia

Does Britain no Longer do World-Leading Research in Combustion? If not, why not?
If we leave out the hideous possibility that we are not as clever as we think, we need to consider whether we have adequate facilities in the UK for world-leading combustion research. Perhaps the community, accustomed to fighting each other for acceptance for a Combustion Symposium, fights itself too vehemently when it comes to reviewing grant proposals? The evidence from funding councils is that engineering disciplines review each other more harshly than others – but that they do not take into account the relative harshness of reviews within a particular discipline when awarding grants. Perhaps as a community we should take heed of certain other areas of research... those where everyone, uniformly, is world leading. The community knows that combustion underpins modern society: where would power generation or transportation be without our work? Which is more important? Combustion or nanotechnology? Which trumpets its achievements better and secures guaranteed funding in the UK? Why?

The imminent demise of BCURA as a funding agency shows just how far the star of combustion has fallen. In years gone by, the UK had the CRE and other similar establishments for electricity generation, gas and nuclear energy. Now, we have next to no centralised research facilities, and industry complains that the shortage of skilled engineers in the UK forces them to recruit from outside the EU. The combustion community needs to work collectively to promote our achievements and to explain how we can contribute to the very real challenges facing us in the next decades. Combustion scientists need to show that we are part of the clean energy solution, not the problem.

Does Britain do research in the wrong area?
A brief survey of the papers accepted for the Symposium this year from Britain (i.e. those that receiving a travel grant from the British section) indicates that Britain has particular strength in modelling (particularly LES) and flames. Of course, there is immense survivor bias in these results, since they are accepted papers, not submitted ones. (It might be helpful for the British section to request that members send details not just of accepted papers to the British section office, but also of submitted papers). It is worrying that whilst the UK still retains great strength in the field of heterogeneous combustion (amongst other fields), papers are not being accepted for publication in this colloquium. It would be interesting to see if this was caused by non-submission or by non-acceptance. Certainly, discussion with a number of eminent scientists in this area leads to the suspicion that the quality of the peer review process in certain areas is seen as a significant barrier. Furthermore, some have indicated that they do not submit papers to a Symposium because it is seen as increasingly non-relevant to industry.

Finally, the large numbers of papers which are written on the basis of shock-tube measurements would indicate that there is a relevance of this research field. It was an area which had tremendous strength in the UK, in earlier decades, but the kinetics aspect has declined to negligible activity. Fortunately, outstanding research in detonation related studies is still active. Numerical simulations of the results from a number of different types of shock tubes, along with jet-stirred reactors, etc, are world-leading. Surely, we need to obtain the facilities to conduct these experiments ourselves, rather than relying upon our colleagues around the world?

Bias
Table 3 shows that the acceptance rates in certain areas were very high at the most recent Symposium. The Institute as a whole seems at the moment to have a great deal of positive reinforcement in these fields – an extremely eminent member of the Institute recently made the statement that “we should only be doing research in important fields”. He then outlined which fields were important... the areas into which the Combustion Institute is more and more moving. Some might consider that the success rates indicate a bias in favour of kinetics research, though others would argue that the standards of this research, historically high, have simply been maintained. It is also possible that the standards of reviewing are superior in this field. (Over very many Symposia, my recollection is one of a proportionately greater success with submissions to Kinetics than to other colloquia. Perhaps crossing the boundaries from my combustion kinetics background was never going to be easy – yet the Combustion Symposia have seemed to me to be a natural forum for this to happen. Perhaps better scientists than me have a different story to tell. Ed.)

Given that the UK retains or is building significant research capability in industrial areas (such as Doosan-Babcock’s oxyfuel demonstration plant in Renfrew) and also that the Combustion Institute as a whole is worried at the highest levels about the rapid decline in the submission of papers from industry into the Symposia, perhaps the British Section should work hard to encourage the submission of papers from our industrial colleagues. It might also make sense to encourage British industrialists to take a stronger role in the British section and in time the highest echelons of the Institute. This might help to bolster our position in, for example, stationary combustion.

Finally, it is interesting to note the opacity of the methods chosen to add new members to the worldwide committee of the Combustion Institute. The Catholic Church seems to have stolen a march on the combustion community by signalling the new pope using coloured smoke. Many other features of the selection process appear to be similar.

Preparation for the Symposia
Reports indicate that the US Sections in particular are far better prepared for the International Symposia. Interesting Symposium-worthy material is, often, first presented at American Section meetings and comments sought well ahead of time on the potential for improvement. Furthermore, it was clear from the comments of the co-chairs in the introduction to the Symposium that what they were looking for was a clear message from the paper. It is possible that in the UK we are not so accustomed to writing the short, punchy, papers which are now required for a Symposium; perhaps we need to begin preparation of our papers with this in mind, rather than initially writing long papers and agonising

Conclusions
The underperformance of the British section (at least on a historical basis, and based on success rate rather than total number of accepted papers) is noteworthy. Some possible reasons for this have been explored. It is clear that the Combustion Institute has been moving in one particular direction for a number of years. Whether the British Section can do anything about this is unclear (even if we should want to - which is a topic that should be debated). Securing funding for combustion research is vital, particularly in the current environment. The countries who are outperforming the UK invest more money in combustion research, so that working together to promote combustion research in the UK and secure this outcome may be a key factor.

by Paul Fennell

New edition of "Theoretical and numerical combustion"

2011-12-06T01:03:00.001-08:00

Recent email from Thierry Poinsot and Denis Veynante:

Dear colleagues,

We are very happy to announce that the third edition of the book "Theoretical and numerical combustion " is now available. This new edition incorporates the evolutions in the field of numerical combustion since 2005 as well as some innovations: it is now coupled to a web site containing movie illustrations, recorded video courses, tutorials, on-line tools which make it (we hope) a very convenient tool for students and engineers interested in the simulation of reacting flows.

Access to electronic version and printed copy here.

Access to electronic version here.

The book is available in two forms : you can buy access to the electronic version and the web site for €3 or, if you prefer real books, obtain the electronic version and a printed version with professional quality (603 pages) for €30+ shipping price. We have done our best to keep the price low enough for students to buy it instead of using scanned pdf or photocopied versions. We hope that you will like this new version !

Sincerely,

Thierry Poinsot and Denis Veynante

CERFACS (Centre Europeen pour la Recherche et la Formation Avancee en Calcul Scientifique)

42, Avenue G. Coriolis

31057 TOULOUSE CEDEX

FRANCE

IMechE conference on Internal Combustion Engines in Nov

2011-10-04T13:12:00.000-07:00

Conference entitled Internal Combustion Engines: Improving Performance, Fuel Economy and Emissions to be held by IMechE in London on the 29th and 30th of November.

Overview

The challenges facing internal combustion engine manufacturers are greater than ever. How can engineers reduce CO2 emissions and the dependence on oil-derivate fossil fuels? How will they meet the future emission limits? What is the vision of the engine and fuels industries?

This international biennial conference series continues to address these questions and more, providing an opportunity to learn about the latest technological developments and advances from the most recent research from industry and academia. There will be keynote presentations from senior representatives of Nissan, BP and Caterpillar.

The conference will look closely at developments for personal transport applications, though many of the drivers of change apply to light and heavy duty, on and off highway, transport and other sectors; this event is the perfect opportunity to examine, compare and debate responses.

Invited Speakers at 34th Symposium announced

2011-09-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

The nine invited speakers at the 34th International Symposium on Combustion have been announced by the Combustion Institute. These are reproduced below. The Symposium will take place from 29 Jul to 03 Aug 2012 in Warsaw.

Hottel Lecture by Steve Pope (Cornell, USA) on Turbulent Combustion Modeling

Plenary Lectures
Fei Qi (China) on Combustion Chemistry Probed by Synchrotron Photo-ionization and Mass Spectrometry
Mitch Smooke (Yale, USA) on Computation of laminar flames
Jose Torero (Edinburgh, UK) on Fire research
Piotr Wolanski (Warsaw, Poland) on 50 Years of Detonation Research

Topical Reviews
Pascale Desgroux (U. Lille, France) on Study of Soot Formation Using Laser Techniques – Nascent particles
Toshiro Fujimori (IHI, Japan) on Coal Fired Boiler Technologies for the Future
Volker Sick (U. Michigan, USA) on High Speed Imaging for Fundamental and Applied Combustion Research
Alison Tomlin (Leeds, UK) on Mechanism Reduction and Uncertainty

Experimental PhD Studentship on Novel Combustion System for Reduced CO2 Emissions

2011-09-19T05:19:00.000-07:00

Experimental PhD Studentship on Novel Combustion System for Reduced CO2 Emissions from Spark-Ignition Engines with Sustainable Fuels.

A fully funded PhD studentship is currently available at UCL in the Department of MechanicalEngineering for research study leading to the degree ofPhD. The project is sponsored by BP and MAHLE Powertrain and it will use advanced experimental methods tostudy in-cylinder fuel spray and combustion phenomena with a novel turbulent jet ignition systemusing various types of sustainable fuels. The Department of Mechanical Engineering at UCL hasan established international reputation in the field of internal combustion engine research withstate-of-the-art engine research labs and fuel systems test facilities, including advanced laserbasedoptical diagnostics and exhaust emissions equipment. MAHLE Powertrain has a long historyof developing high-performance engines and BP is at the forefront of fuel technology.

Candidates must have a 1st or 2:1 (or equivalent) degree in Mechanical Engineering or a relateddiscipline and must be enthusiastic and well-motivated to carry out postgraduate research. Stronginterest and previous exposure to engine-related research and experimental techniques will be anadvantage.The studentship will meet University fees at UK/EU rate and provide a stipend of about £15,000per year (tax free). Prospective candidates need to submit a formal application for admission thatcan be downloaded from here and it is also possible to apply on-line. The studentship is open only to UK or EU nationals, soplease do not apply unless you meet this criterion. For specific enquiries regarding admissionprocedures you may contact Dr. William Suen, Graduate Tutor Research in the Department ofMechanical Engineering.For informal enquiries regarding the project, you may contact Dr. Pavlos Aleiferis. The starting date will be fixed according to student availability but itis expected that the successful applicant will start in November 2011 or soon thereafter. Closingdate for applications October 1, 2011.

Cambridge Postdoctoral Associate in Thermoacoustics

2011-08-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

A position exists for a postdoctoral associate to work on experimental measurements and laser diagnostics of aeroengine injectors, targetting thermoacoustic characteristics. The project is funded by EPSRC and EU grants and will involve significant collaboration with Rolls-Royce. The aim of the project is to understand the origins of thermoacoustic behaviour of different aeroengine injectors and what factors control the response of the flame to thermoacoustic perturbations.

Acoustically-coupled combustion oscillations are a concern in industrial gas turbines, where they have led to long commissioning times, unplanned maintenance and gaps in operation. Such oscillations are also expected in current and next generation fuel-lean aeroengine combustors. Passive control strategies are needed to minimize the amplitude of the pulsations in order to achieve cleaner power production.

The project will be developed in the Intermediate Pressure Combustion Facility at Cambridge, investigating full size injectors at realistic operating conditions up to 10 bar and 600 oC. The successful candidate will have a background in combustion and laser diagnostics and/or thermoacoustics. Preference will be given to candidates with experience in high pressure devices or laser diagnostics (PLIF/PIV and related imaging techniques), great attention to detail and ability to work under tight deadlines.

The candidate will perform most of her/his research activities in the Cambridge Combustion Group, a large group in the overall area of combustion, with state of the art experimental facilities.

The starting salary details are dependent on experience, but will range from £27,428 to 31,798. The starting date will be as soon as possible for 18 months, with an end date of May 2013. Further details may be obtained from Prof. Simone Hochgreb, Department of Engineering, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1PZ, (Tel +44 1223 764098, email: simone.hochgreb@eng.cam.ac.uk), to whom a letter of application, CV, sample publications and list of references should be sent as soon as possible.

Further Particulars
The research involves operation of a high pressure, high-temperature combustion rig, the Cambridge High Pressure Facility, with the assistance of a dedicated technician, with the objective of understand the behavior of self-excited and forced spray flames.

The work is funded by the EU (TECC-AE, KIAI), EPSRC and Rolls-Royce plc. There
are several interrelated work packages to be delivered, all focusing on using imaging diagnostics to measure species, liquid fuel and flame characteristics. The facility is reasonably automated, but the researcher will be expected to be adept at debugging experimental problems and coming to grips with a relatively complex system involving a number of controls. Training is available by the resident technician as well as an experienced post-doc. The researcher will be expected to comply with all safety and procedure regulations for the facility. Although some of the geometries used are proprietary, it is expected that the results will be publishable after agreement with the lead sponsors.

The candidate is expected to have experience in relevant experimental techniques in
combustion, particularly with regards to laser imaging. Essential to the position are the ability to manage a project independently, to organize the work and communication, to collaborate effectively with other members of the technical and professional staff, and to work using planned, safe and prudent practices. Excellent professional communication skills, both in writing and technical presentations, are highly desirable. Periodic reporting to sponsors and other stakeholders will be required.

Candidates are encouraged to enclose publications and a list of referees along with their CVs. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an interview for the final selection.

AGM meeting on Clean Coal at University of Leeds Sept 6

2011-07-25T08:51:00.000-07:00

The Autumn meeting and AGM of The Combustion Institute (British Section) will be held on Tuesday 6th September 2011 at the School of Process, Environmental and Materials Engineering (SPEME), Engineering Building, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT. The organisers are: Alan Williams (A.Williams@leeds.ac.uk) and Kevin Hughes, (K.J.Hughes@leeds.ac.uk). The AGM for the Combustion Institute will also take place during the meeting, and all members are encouraged to attend. A poster session will be held during the meeting and an award made to the best contribution. Poster abstracts should be emailed to the organisers by the 26th of August.

For a map of the location of the Engineering Building (No. 48) and for car parking facilities, please consult this map, the appropriate entrance to the Engineering building is the main entrance located on Clarendon Road approximately 30 yards from the junction with Woodhouse Lane. There is virtually no free parking in the vicinity of the Engineering building, surrounding roads are mostly “pay and display”, or for a £5 fee there is limited space in the University Visitor car park (main entrance), or there is a multistorey
car park approximately 0.5 miles south of the Engineering Building, adjacent to the inner ring road.

The following registration fees are payable (it covers the cost of the meeting, lunch and refreshments)

On or before 2nd September:
£60 Member of Combustion Institute or IOP Combustion Physics Group
£25 Student members, or retired members
£95 Non members (see Membership Form here)
£45 Student/Retired non-members (see Membership Form here)

After 2nd September:
£80 Member of Combustion Institute or IOP Combustion Physics Group
£45 Student members, or retired members
£110 Non members (see Membership Form here)
£65 Student/Retired non-members (see Membership Form here)

For registration, send your Name, Address, Tel, and email, together with a cheques payable to "The Combustion Institute" to Dr K.J. Hughes, Centre for Computational Fluid Dynamics, SPEME, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, no later than 2nd September 2011.

Programme
10.15 Registration and coffee
10.45 Welcome
10:50 "Clean coal" by Dr Nigel Burdett, Drax Power Ltd.
11:20 "Impact of CO2 on devolatilisation and char burn-out in oxyfuel combustion: a drop tube furnace study", by Prof Colin Snape, University of Nottingham
11:50 "Coal with CCS – When, where and what?" by Prof Jon Gibbins, University of Edinburgh
12:20 Lunch & Posters
13:00 AGM
13:45 "Doosan Power Systems OxyCoal™ Product" by Mr Gerry Hesselman, Doosan Power Systems
14:15 "Chemical looping" by Dr John Dennis, University of Cambridge
14.45 "Modelling challenges for oxy-fuel combustion" by Dr Alessandro Pranzitelli,
University of Leeds
15:10 "Co-firing" by Prof John Oakey, Cranfield University
15:35 "Temperature measurements inside coal particles during their pyrolysis or devolatilisation in an electrically heated fluidised bed" by Prof Allan Hayhurst, University of Cambridge
16:05 "Particle Emissions from Biomass Combustion" by Prof Jim Swithenbank, University of Sheffield
16:30 tea & close

European Combustion Meeting 2011

2011-05-16T14:04:00.000-07:00

Registration for for ECM 2011 in Cardiff includes the book of abstracts, attendance to all technical sessions, lunch and refreshments each day and attendance at the Welcome Drinks Reception on Tuesday 28th June 2011. The registration fee does not include the Conference Dinner on Thursday 30th June.

Attendance at the Conference Dinner is optional and spaces will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Please tick if you would like to attend. Spaces are limited therefore once fully booked you will be informed.

There is also an Accompanying Person's Package.

PhD in Robust Upscaling of Smouldering Processes at University of Strathclyde

2011-05-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

A PhD studentship is available in Robust Upscaling of Smouldering Processes, with a specific focus on linking results from in situ smouldering remediation (Self-sustaining Treatment for Active Remediation or STAR) experiments in the laboratory (0.003 m^3) to field scale (3 m^3 to 300 m^3 and larger) activities. We are most interested in engineers, physicists, chemists and applied mathematicians with experience or at least a strong interest in combustion and fire sciences. This studentship is offered in partnership between the University of Strathclyde, the University of Edinburgh and the company SiREM.

Supervisor: Dr. Christine Switzer
Co-supervisors: Prof. Jose Torero, Dr. Guillermo Rein and Dr. Gavin Grant

The development of in situ smouldering combustion as a remediation technology (STAR) has emphasized small scale experimentation as a vehicle to understand the different processes involved and to optimize the relevant variables such as ignition protocol and flow rates. These tests have served as the basis under which larger scale tests have been conducted. Larger scale tests have been performed with overall success but with different levels of trial and error that has proven not only costly but having some negative effect in the overall performance. The optimized utilization of STAR in real sites needs to have a clear protocol that will help define the conditions that will best allow scaling-up of laboratory data.

Preliminary assessment of the viability of a site will always be done on the basis of small scale experiments. Definition of the details of the large scale implementation requires the inevitable scaling-up of the information obtained. This can be done via modelling but this requires a detailed understanding of the different phenomena involved. This understanding is currently not complete. An excellent source of information that can allow better understanding of the parameters differentiating small from large scale experiments is the thorough a posteriori assessment of the different large scale tests that have been conducted. While some assessment has been done, it has been mostly qualitative and it has never been directly correlated to small scale behaviour.

The proposal for this studentship is based on the need to develop the scale-up understanding from existing (and future) large scale experiments. The analysis of temperature/emissions/igniter/flow data together with the structure of excavation data will allow better understanding of the large scale tests. This information can be fed into existing (analytic and numerical) models to develop up-scaling tools. Furthermore, this information has to be linked to the wide database of small scale experimental data to try to establish an ideal protocol to use bench scale experimentation for the purpose of assessing site viability.

There is one studentship associated with this advertisement and this student will be based at the University of Strathclyde, UK. The studentship is open to individuals within the EEA only and provides a stipend of £13,590 per year. For further information, please contact Dr. Christine Switzer [mailto:christine.switzer@strath.ac.uk]

Towards Clean Diesel Engines - Chester 8-9 June

2011-05-10T04:14:00.000-07:00

The 8th International Symposium Towards Clean Diesel Engines (TCDE) 2011 will be held in Chester, UK on June 8th - 9th, 2011, The Queen Hotel, Chester, UK

The goal of the International Symposium "Towards Clean Diesel Engines" is to bring together researchers from academia and industry to share and discuss activities, working methods / achievements in the field of Clean Diesel engine technology and to establish new research goals resulting from progress in industry and legislation.

The programme and registration details are displayed on the website, and online registration is now fully operational.

Inaugural Lecture: Professor W. Malalasekera, Loughborough University

2011-05-04T04:50:00.000-07:00

How can Combustion and Radiation Modelling help Our Changing Planet?

By Professor Weeratunge Malalasekera, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at Loughborough University, on Wednesday 25th May, 2011 at 5pm - Lecture Theatre T.0.03, Wolfson Building.

All those wishing to attend can register their place online here before the 11th May 2011.

Abstract
Advancement in the design and operation of combustion devices used in automobile, air transport and power generation industries is very important for the reduction of emissions contributing to global warming.
Such advances depend upon making combustion equipment operate at higher efficiencies so that more power can be extracted for the same amount of fuel burnt. This will, in the long run, reduce emissions or maintain at the present levels while meeting the present and future demand for power and energy.
In this lecture Professor Malalasekera will explain the application of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to the modelling of combustion related problems and its role in helping to reduce emissions and other undesirable consequences such as combustion related accidents. Interesting examples drawn from industrial and safety related combustion situations are discussed. Radiation modelling, the role of environmental radiation and the effects of emissions on the environment
will also be discussed

European Combustion Meeting 2011 - Early Registration

2011-04-22T03:09:00.000-07:00

The deadline for early registration for ECM 2011 in Cardiff is the 29^th of April.

Registration for the conference includes the book of abstracts, attendance to all technical sessions, lunch and refreshments each day and attendance at the Welcome Drinks Reception on Tuesday 28th June 2011. The registration fee does not include the Conference Dinner on Thursday 30th June.

Attendance at the Conference Dinner is optional and spaces will be allocated on a first come first served basis. Please tick if you would like to attend. Spaces are limited therefore once fully booked you will be informed.

There is also an Accompanying Person's Package.

IOP Spring meeting - Combustion Modelling for Challenging Applications

2011-04-12T11:53:00.000-07:00

The IOP Combustion Physics Group Spring Technical meeting on “Combustion Modelling for Challenging Applications” is to be held in Southampton on the 23^rd of May.

Organised by the IOP Combustion Physics Group. Co-sponsored by the Combustion Institute British Section.
The meeting will present state of the art modeling activities for challenging applications in combustion, complemented by experimental work. Speakers include UK and international experts from academia and industry.

Venue: The Senate Room, Building 37, Highfield Campus, University of Southampton
University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ

Programme

09:15	Arrival, Registration, Coffee
09:50	Welcome by Professor Phil Bowen Morning technical session: Chaired by Prof Kai Luo
10:00	Continuous Wave Detonation Engines  Dmitry Davidenko (CNRS, Orleans)
10:30	Modelling the Effects of Volcanic Ash on High Pressure Combustion Systems   Dave Dunham and Ken Young (Rolls-Royce)
11:00	Large Marine Diesel Engine modelling   Yuri Wright (ETH, Zurich)
11:30	Diesel Fuel Injection and Combustion: What Can Modelling & Simulation Offer?   Xi Jiang (Lancaster University)
12:00	Experimental Studies of Model Gas Turbine Combustors and Links to Combustion Modelling Yannis Hardalupas (Imperial College London)
12:30	Discussions
12:45	Lunch
	Afternoon session: Chaired by Prof Epaminondas Mastorakos
13:45	Oxy-Coal Combustion   Mohamed Pourkashanian (University of Leeds)
14:15	Modelling Multiphase Flow and Chemical Reactions in Bubbling Fluidised Beds Kai Luo (University of Southampton)
14:45	Slagging and Fouling Predictor for Biomass Combustion in Boilers Piotr Plaza and Tony Griffiths (University of Cardiff)
15:15	Modelling of Turbulent Premixed and Stratified Combustion N. Swaminathan (University of Cambridge)
15:45	Inverse Modelling to Forecast Enclosure Fire Dynamics Guillermo Rein (University of Edinburgh)
16:15	Discussions
16:30	Coffee, Departure

7th Mediterranean Combustion Symposium

2011-03-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

7^th Mediterranean Combustion Symposium will be held in Chia Laguna, Sardinia, Italy, September 11-15, 2011. The meeting is the next of the series started in 1999 with the conference in Antalya, followed by conferences in Sharm El-Sheikh 2001, Marrakech 2003, Lisbon 2005, Monastir 2007 and Corsica 2009. Topics covering this eight colloquia will be considered:

Turbulent Combustion
Solid Fuels, Waste Combustion and Gasification
Propulsion & Engines Combustion
Combustion Diagnostics and Radiative Transfer
Pollutants Formation and Control
Fire and Explosions
Reaction Kinetics of Combustion
New Concepts in Combustion Technology

The paper submission deadline is April 15th. Papers, selected by a peer-review process, will be published in special issues of international journals such as Combustion Science and Technology, Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science and Fire Safety Journal.

The poster submission deadline is May 20th.

Two pre-conference workshops are planned on September 10 and 11:

- 2nd Workshop on Measurement and Computation of Turbulent Spray Combustion (TCS2)- Workshop on Advanced Measurement Techniques and Computational Methods for Premixed and Partially Premixed Combustion

Please visit the website for more information -- http://www.ichmt.org/mcs-11

5th European Combustion Meeting (ECM2011)

2011-03-04T01:42:00.000-08:00

Fifth European Combustion Meeting (ECM2011)
Cardiff University, Wales, UK
28 June – 1 July 2011
___________________________________________________________

This is to remind you that you can now register to attend ecm2011. Full
details are available on the website www.ecm2011.org

The cost of registration covers the book of abstracts, attendance at all technical sessions, lunch and refreshments each day, as well as the reception on Tuesday 28 June, but not the Conference Dinner. For members of The Combustion Institute, registration costs £280 (£200 for a student), but these costs rise to £330 (£220 for students) for late registrations.

NOTE: the British Section of The Combustion Institute invites applications from its members, who are also full-time research students, for travel grants to attend the ECM. See details here.

There will be five plenary lectures:

Prof. H. Bockhorn, Karlsruhe: Flame generated nano particles: Black magic or
towards knowledge based understanding

Prof. B. Johansen, Lund: Clean Combustion engines – what is that?

Prof. P. Bowen, Cardiff: Combustion Hazards posed by Hybrid Fuel
Systems

Dr. L. Gicquel, Toulouse: Modeling and analyzing large Eddy simulation
prédictions of complex turbulent reacting flows

Prof. T. Faravelli, Milan: Kinetics of solid fuel volatilization; a first step
in characterisation of renewable fuel gasification
and combustion

In addition, over 400 abstracts from 35 countries have been submitted, covering every
aspect of combustion. These include:

Combustion Chemistry
Flames
Turbulent Combustion - DNS and LES
Hetrogeneous Combustion and Gasification
Soot, Nano particles and Material Synthesis
Spray and Droplet Combustion
Fire Research and Heat Transfer Process
Detonations and Explosions
Stationary Combustion - Fluidised Beds and Gasifiers
Stationary Combustion - Oxyfuel, CCS and CLS
Stationary Combustion - Burners and furnaces
IC Engines and Gas Turbines
Combustion Diagnostics, Instabilities and Oscillations
Fuel Cells, Catalytic Combustion, Mild Combustion and Cool Flames

Modestly priced nearby accommodation is available in students’ rooms; in addition, there is a wide choice of hotels, which are to be booked through the website.

On Tuesday 28 June, there will be an all-day workshop on “Detailed Chemical Kinetic Models for Cleaner Combustion”.

Plenary talks will be given by Eliseo Ranzi (Milan) and Steven Klippenstein (Argonne Laboratory, Chicago). In the evening of 28 June, a drinks reception will be held before the main meeting starts the following day. On Friday 1st July there will be a free afternoon visit to Cardiff’s Gas turbine Research Centre – Limited places will be available and registration will next place
during the meeting. There will be a programme for accompanying visitors.

Looking forward to seeing you in Cardiff.

For all enquiries, contact Prof. Tony Griffith

Travel Grants to Research Students for The European Combustion Meeting 2011

2011-02-26T08:03:00.000-08:00

The British Section of The Combustion Institute invites applications from its members, who are also full-time research students, for travel grants to attend the 5th European Combustion Meeting (ECM2011), in Cardiff, 28 June-1st July.

The size of each award will depend on how many valid applications are received by the deadline. However, an award will only be available to a research student actually presenting an accepted poster at the Meeting.

Applications will be considered from those who have been members of the British Section in both 2010 and 2011. No more than one award per poster will be made; likewise no one person will receive more than one grant. The other usual condition attached to all our travel grants is that the recipient agrees to write a brief report after the meeting and send it by email to The Editor of our Newsletter, Prof. J.F. Griffiths. Awards will be considered on an individual basis by the British Section Committee, whose decision will be final.

The application form can be downloaded here and must be received by mid-night Sunday, 13 March, 2011.

A Brief History of the Brittish Section of the Combustion Institute

2011-02-22T16:19:00.000-08:00

by David Smith.
Original article appeared in the Newsletter Nov 2004

The British Section of the Combustion Institute was formed essentially at the same time as the International Institute, largely under the influence of Sir Alfred Egerton, to whom (upon his death) the Proceedings of the 1960 Symposium in Pasadena were dedicated. Although no record of the first meeting of the British Committee is available, the 1954 Symposium in Pittsburgh lists three members, Sir Alfred Egerton, Stanley Clarke (Joseph Lucas, Burnley, makers of engine ignition systems) and Peter Lloyd (National Gas Turbine Establishment). Others active in the early days were R.G.W. Norrish, J.W. Linnett and A.R. Ubbelohde.

It is clear from these earliest names that the Section had both academic and industrial involvement. This has continued, as has its wish to represent the full range of combustion science and engineering interests in its activities. In 2003, it had 194 members, comprising 123 academic and 71 industrial. It has always encouraged students to join; last year there were 30. Their special membership rate also applies to retired members; last year there were 29 such. The activities of the Section are overseen by a Committee, comprising 12-15, again endeavouring to represent the full span of combustion.

Particularly over the past few years, industrial membership has shown a gradual decline, largely resulting from the declining emphasis placed on combustion by Government and industrial organisations, including research-funding bodies. The view sometimes seems to be that combustion has been around a long time, so surely we know it all by now! Given the vast changes in choice and use of energy occurring now and set to continue and probably to accelerate, such a view seems grossly short sighted. It is causing increasing concern to members of the British combustion community, who sees its task as providing a counter-force to this, but it is an uphill struggle.

One of the main ways the Section communicates with members is through a Newsletter, produced several times a year. This has been highly successful, largely to the efforts of its editors. The last three of these have been Derek Bradley, Brian Tyler and now Tony Burgess. Each has carried it forward and made their own distinctive contributions to its development. More recently, this has been augmented by a web site. As well as providing a wider range of information to members, this can address a wider interest group and act as a possible recruiting mechanism.

The main Section activity has been and remains the organisation of one-day technical meetings - normally held in Spring and Autumn of each year. There used to be a third around early December. A major factor in these last being discontinued was an occasion when the meeting had to be cancelled at the last-minute because of inclement weather, with a sudden fall of snow playing havoc with road and rail transport. (Many of our European colleagues must continue to be surprised at how regularly such disruptions happen in Britain, given our relatively mild winters.) Late cancellations always provide severe headaches for organizers. This was no exception; lesson learned.

The Committee endeavours to make these one-day meetings varied in subject matter. A selection from the past decade includes Combustion in Gas Turbines; Industrial Combustion Hazards; Auto-ignition; Numerical Simulation in Combustion; and Flame Chemistry, to single out but a very few. The size of audience varies but is generally in the range 40-100. To increase their impact, meetings are normally held in conjunction with another group with a combustion interest, e.g. from Institute of Physics, Royal Society of Chemistry, or Institute of Mechanical Engineers.

Political developments in Europe have given a new dimension to our activities. We have been delighted to work with other European Sections in the organization of joint meetings. As well as their technical objective, these meetings provide enjoyable social occasions. In some cases, attempts have also been made to use them to stress a political message about the significance of combustion knowledge and so, hopefully, aiding Governments' future energy policies.

On an international level, the main events are the biennial Combustion Symposia. The British Section has been fortunate to organize four of these. Below are a few anecdotes, which hopefully capture some of the flavour of these meetings.

London/Oxford in 1958: Because it was over 40 years ago, few memories survive. But Tony Burgess, then a student (well it was a long time ago) does recall his supervisor, Charles Cullis, giving him ?10 to cover attendance. This is the only Symposium held on split sites. The meeting began in London, with an inaugural lecture in the famous Lecture Room of the Royal Institution (where previous lecturers have been Faraday, Davy and Rumford). Then, with the permission of the Lord Mayor, Sheriffs and Corporation of the City of London, a Sunday evening gala banquet was held amid medieval splendour in the Guildhall. The traditional "Loving Cup Ceremony" lent emphasis to what Sir Alfred Egerton termed "the Brotherhood of Science - friends in search of truth" - still true today in the Institute.

Attendees then decamped to Oxford in a special train drawn by one of new gas turbine-powered locomotives, provided by British Rail. Unfortunately a technical fault occurred and the loco had to be replaced by a standard unit (plus ça change...). The main technical part of the meeting was held here, with many delegates accommodated in the somewhat spartan surroundings of the old Colleges. Away from the main technical sessions, an informal discussion was held one evening on the topic "The Study of Combustion: Is it an Art or Science?", presided over by Prof. A.R.J.P. Ubbelohde. Worth repeating?

Cambridge, 1964: Having sampled the delights of Oxford, six years later the Symposium moved to the equally ancient surroundings of Cambridge. Again, much accommodation was provided in the colleges, which, although splendid architecturally, retained some of their historical character in a rather too practical way. One of the local organisers remembers a US guest and his wife, staying in college, asking if a shower was available. The Porter's face fell; he had never heard of showers - washing facilities were still provided by jugs of hot water being brought to bedrooms. Another problem arose with a couple booked into Pembroke College. The College Porter became very excited - a woman had never slept in the college before (?!). A rapid re-think was needed and the couple moved into a hotel.

Cambridge provided many delights for the Social Programme. The Banquet was held at Woburn Abbey. This sounds very grand, except for the fact, not fully appreciated by the organisers, that it was not in the Abbey itself but in a marquee in the grounds. It was a very cold night and the guests, in particular the accompanying visitors, were therefore not pleased that the speaker at the banquet felt it was the occasion for another long, and not very scintillating, plenary lecture.

Leeds in 1978: The Wednesday Outing was to the memorable Roman city of York, with its city walls and many ancient sites. As the entertainment, a baroque string quartet played in the Assembly Rooms. With the ancient surroundings of such a venue, surely nothing could go wrong. Unfortunately it did. Hoyt Hottel, stepping into the road, was hit by a passing vehicle and rushed to hospital for treatment to a nasty injury to his skull.

One of the cultural strengths of northern Britain is traditional brass bands and the Tuesday evening concert featured one. Derek Bradley spent considerable time over the previous three years, listening to possible choices before finally selecting one, the Imperial Metals Band. Subsequently, they came very close to winning the national brass band competition. Among the items on the programme was Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture". To play on the combustion theme, it had been hoped to simulate the battle's cannon fire by real explosions; a serious snag arose - it proved impossible to synchronise these with the music. Nevertheless, Bernard Lewis was delighted with the evening and asked if he might go backstage afterwards to talk with members of the band.

The banquet was held in a marquee in the grounds of Harewood House The terrain was not entirely flat and one attendee recalls a somewhat doddery waitress knocking over a glass of wine while serving soup at the start of the meal. The table sloped towards his wife and so the wine cascaded into the soup bowl, the contents of which flowed straight into her lap.

Edinburgh in 2000: This is still too recent to allow a proper perspective. But the organizers are grateful to Dan Seery, then Institute President, for effectively selecting the venue for the Welcome Reception. The local organizers had hoped to use the Royal Museum of Scotland for the banquet but it proved unable to cope with sufficient numbers. But, some months ahead of the Symposium, Dan was checking out facilities. While passing the Museum, he was shown it as a venue we had hoped to use. He quickly realised its potential for the Reception, and so it was back in the schedule - with Dan proved correct.

The Wednesday outing was at Oxenfoord Castle for an afternoon of Highland Games and BBQ. Although the skies were gloomy, no rain fell, even though a few miles away in Edinburgh itself, rain poured down.

Problems of acoustics arose in McEwan Hall: architecturally splendid but not designed as lecture hall. Further problems arose with the space for poster displays. Conflicts always tend to occur in meeting all requirements: one wants suitable lecture rooms and space for posters, close to each other and, ideally, to reception/registration areas. Few venues can manage all these constraints.

It's still too early for the author who was closely involved with arrangements for the meeting to have any real perspective on the event. But, if readers wish to contribute their own impressions, please send them to the editor.

David Smith

Editor's note: This article was prepared by Dave Smith using the reminiscences of members and it was used as the basis for the contribution from the British Section to the booklet compiled for the 50th Anniversary celebrations in Chicago.

Postdoctoral position in Numerical Simulations of Combustion at University of Southampton

2011-02-17T02:43:00.000-08:00

A postdoctoral research fellowship is available within the School of Engineering Sciences (University of Southampton), which has consistently been ranked among the top UK engineering schools for teaching and research excellence.

The fellow is to conduct a fundamental study of combustion instabilities using direct numerical simulation (DNS). The work is part of a larger EPSRC funded project that consists of three aspects:
(a) analysing flame-acoustic interactions mathematically in order to derive simplified models for acoustic-flame coupling
(b) performing high-fidelity DNS to validate and extend the mathematical models
(c) developing and implementing active control algorithms for combustion instabilities.

The research is a collaboration between Professor X. Wu and Dr. A. Morgans (Imperial College London) and Professor K. H. Luo (Southampton). You will based in Southampton will work on DNS of combustion instabilities using massively parallel supercomputers. Youshould have or will shortly gain a
PhD in combustion or other related areas. Research experience in combustion instabilities, combustion noise, premixed flames as well as advanced numerical simulations will be advantageous. Competence in
programming in Fortran/C++ and parallel algorithms is also desirable.

This post is available from 1st April 2011 for up to 3 years. Salary - £27,319 – £30,747 per annum.

Enquiries should be made to Prof. K. H. Luo with a CV or by telephone at +44 (0)23 8059 7202 . Enquiries about the post based in Imperial College should be addressed to Prof X.Wu. Please apply on-line using the link below, or alternatively call 023 8059 2750 . The closing date for applications is 28 February 2011 at 12.00 noon. Please quote reference number 5224-11-B in all correspondence.

2010 Sugden Award and journal publications

2011-01-21T09:08:00.000-08:00

Any member wanting his/her papers published in 2010 to be listed on our web site and in the Newsletter, please send the citation details to Dr KJ Hughes.

In addition, for the Sugden Award for 2010 we would appreciate a separate list of any papers you consider worthy of that prize. Do not list publications in Combustion and Flame, Combustion Science and Technology, the Proceedings and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, and Combustion Theory and Modelling as we already consider automatically all members publications in these journals.

Methods for model simplification, evaluation and improvement - Cardiff 28 Jun

2011-01-11T02:56:00.000-08:00

The one-day workshop on “Methods for model simplification, evaluation and improvement” to be held in Cardiff on 28th June 2011 (prior to ECM2011). Submitted abstracts are required by the 15^th of January.

This is the 2st Topical Workshop of the COST Action CM901: Detailed Chemical Kinetic Models for Cleaner Combustion. The main objective of the Action is to promote the development of cleaner and more efficient combustion processes through the design and implementation of better defined and more accurate chemical kinetic models.

Nominations for the Hinshelwood Award

2010-12-09T08:26:00.000-08:00

The deadline for nominations for the 2010 Hinshelwood Award is 31 December, 2010. The rules for the award are detailed in the CIBS website. Nominations and attached documentation should be sent to the Secretary (Prof Simone Hochgreb).

The prize commemorates Cyril Norman Hinshelwood OM PRS (1897-1967), who shared the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1956 for his work on the combustion of hydrogen.

Excerpt from the CIBS website:

The Hinshelwood Prize for Combustion recognises meritorious work, in any branch of combustion, by a younger member of The British Section of the Combustion Institute. One aim of this annual prize is to encourage young people, not as yet well-established researchers, but who work in any area or aspect of combustion. Preference will be given to candidates under the age of 35 years on the deadline for nominations. Written nominations, which may be submitted by anyone who knows the work of the nominee, must be received by the Secretary of the British Section no later than December 31 in each year. Nominations should include the curriculum vitae and list of publications of the nominee and also a brief account (no more than two pages of A4) of that person’s achievements. The award shall be of a certificate and a sum of £300.

Calendar of combustion events

2010-12-08T01:56:00.000-08:00

The Calendar of the BSCI has been updated. To see combustion related events, go to:

http://combustion.org.uk/calendar.html

If you use Google Calendar, you add it to your profile.

For additional events, please contact any Committee member or send an email to g.rein at ed.ac.uk

University of Edinburgh’s Christmas Lecture: Fire: A story of fascination, fear and familiarity

2010-11-17T11:18:00.000-08:00

Please join us for the University of Edinburgh’s Christmas Lecture given by the winner of the Tam Dalyell Prize 2010 - Professor Jose Torero FREng FRSE

The lecture is entitled: Fire: A story of fascination, fear and familiarity

Wednesday, December 08, 2010 from 6:00 PM - 7:15 PM at George Square Lecture Theatre, EH8 9LK, Edinburgh.

--
Professor Jose Torero winner of the 2010 Tam Dalyell science prize, will examine how fire can provide welcome warmth in everyday life but, on a bigger scale, the unpredictability of fire can be terrifying.

The BRE Trust/RAEng Professor of Fire Safety Engineering will be presented with his prize at the event in George Square Lecture Theatre at 6pm on 8 December.

Professor Torero has been head of the BRE Centre for Fire Safety Engineering at the University since 2004, and is committed to addressing the public perception of science behind fire safety.
--

IOP Conference: Emerging Technologies in Combustion, 29 Sept

2010-09-21T03:12:00.000-07:00

IOP Fall meeting: Emerging Technologies in Combustion
29 September 2010
in Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh

[website]

The Autumn meeting of IOP Combustion Physics Group will take place at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, on 29 September 2010. This one-day meeting will cover current and emerging technologies in Combustion in industry and academia. The topics will include, Clean Combustion; Coal Combustion; Carbon Capture and Storage and biochar; Underground Coal Gasification; Methane Hydrate; and Soil contaminant remediation.

Organised by the IOP Combustion Physics Group
(co-sponsored by the Combustion Institute British Section)

For registration visit: https://www.eventsforce.net/iop/125/register

Programme, registration and map can be found here.

International Symposium on Fire Safety Science at Maryland, June 2011

2010-09-13T14:47:00.000-07:00

10th International Symposium on Fire Safety Science
University of Maryland, USA
19-24 June 2011

The Symposium is the premier fire safety science meeting in the world and has been organized triennially since 1985 by the International Association for Fire Safety Science (IAFSS).

The Symposium will take place on June 19-24, 2011 at the University of Maryland in College Park, MD, USA.

The deadline for paper submission is September 30, 2010. Additional
information can be found on the IAFSS website at http://www.iafss.org/html/Maryland/marylandhome.htm.

Short course on Spark Ignition Engine Combustion at Leeds in January 2011

2010-09-13T14:42:00.000-07:00

Upcoming Automotive Engineering short course:

Spark Ignition Engine Combustion
Monday 17 - Friday 21 January 2011, Leeds (UK).

This course provides professional automotive engineers and post graduate students with a fundamental understanding of the combustion processes associated with Spark Ignition Engine design. It presents the essential analytical diagnostics and practical approaches required to quantify the turbulent flow field combustion and heat release rate.

Following the wide range of fundamentals presented on the first three days, mixture preparation and the combustion and practical aspects of alternative fuels are addressed before progressing to advanced production-ready and potential future concepts. These include gasoline direct injection and homogeneous charge compression ignition.

Delegates are free to attend the full 5 day course or just those days most relevant to them.

Visit the course webpage at: http://www.engineering.leeds.ac.uk/cpd/AutoSparkCombustion.shtml

Autumn Meeting 2010: Gas Turbine Combustion

2010-09-02T04:03:00.000-07:00

Combustion Institute Autumn Meeting and AGM 2010: Gas Turbine Combustion

The Autumn meeting of The Combustion Institute (British Section) will take place at the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. The one-day meeting will cover current research in industry and academia related to problems in gas turbine combustion. The AGM for the Combustion Institute will also take place during the meeting, and all members are encouraged to attend. A poster session will be held during the meeting, and a prize will be awarded to the best contribution.

For registration and information, please check the meeting website at http://www-g.eng.cam.ac.uk/gtcombustion/cibs/.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Graham Dixon-Lewis dies aged 88

2010-08-10T05:23:00.001-07:00

Graham Dixon-Lewis, F.R.S.

It is with great sadness that I must let you know that Graham died suddenly on August 5th 2010, aged 88. His funeral service will be held on Friday, 13th August at 11 a.m. at St Edmund’s Church, Lidgett Park Road, Leeds LS8 1JN.

In 1990 Graham was awarded both the Egerton Gold Medal and the Silver Medal of The Combustion Institute. Because of his outstanding and innovative work, he was the recipient of other international awards. Not only was he one of our most distinguished members, he proved to be the gentlest, kindest, most helpful, cheerful and humorous. He will be sorely missed by the Combustion community. Our deepest sympathy goes to Pat, his wife, and the rest of his family.

Allan Hayhurst

Chaiman of The British Section of The Combution Institute

9.viii.10

2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission releases final report on "Black Saturday"

2010-07-31T15:54:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission has just released its final report. The Commission conducted an extensive investigation into the causes of, the preparation for, the response to and the impact of the fires that burned throughout Victoria in late January and February 2009 and caused the death of 173 people.

The report is written and released openly and worldwide to ensure that lessons from the disaster are clearly defined and learnt:
http://www.royalcommission.vic.gov.au/Commission-Reports/Final-Report

Abstract submissions for European Combustion Meeting 2011, Cardiff

2010-07-15T04:33:00.000-07:00

The Fifth European Combustion Meeting is to be held in Cardiff University from 28^th June - 1^st July 2011.

Abstract submissions for ECM 2011 in Cardiff are now invited, with a deadline of the 30^th of September. Details of the procedure for submissions are given in the ECM 2011 website http://www.ecm2011.org

One-day meeting of the IOP on Combustion and NOx in the Environment, 21 April, Nottingham

2010-04-20T08:20:00.000-07:00

Combustion and NOx in the Environment

(Formerly known as Low NOx Combustion)

21 April 2010, East Midlands Conference Centre, University of Nottingham, UK Organised by the IOP Combustion Group and the IOP Environmental Physics. This meeting is co-sponsor by the Combustion Institute British Section.

Nitrogen oxides are major pollutants from combustion and their emission is strictly regulated by law and technologically challenging to reduce. This meeting will focus on the fundamentals and practical aspects of low NOx technologies and will be of interest to academics and industrialists alike.

Programme

10:00 Registration and Coffee

Session 1 – Chair: to be confirmed

10:30 Professor R.P. Lindstedt (Imperial College)

Fundamentals of NOx Chemistry

11:10 Dr. Claire Holman (Peter Brett Associates)

Sources of NOx, trends and legislation

11:50 Professor David Fowler (Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Edinburgh)

Impacts of NOx in the Environment

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch

Session 2 Chair: Mike Welbourne (Welbourne Associates)

13:30 Professor Nick Collings (University of Cambridge)

Measurements of NOx

14:10 Professor Gordon Andrews (University of Leeds)

Transport and urban air pollution

15:50 – 15:10 Tea

15:10 Dr. K. Young (Rolls-Royce)

NOx from gas turbines (aero)

15:50 David Graham (E.ON)

NOx emissions from power generation (combined cycle gas turbines)

16:30 Close

Enquiries:
Dawn Stewart
Conference Organiser,
The Institute of Physics
76 Portland Place
London W1B 1NT
E-mail: dawn.stewart_AT_iop.org
Tel: +44 (0)20 7470 4910
Fax: +44 (0)20 7637 4266

Blog of the Combustion Institute in the UK

2010-04-16T02:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the blog of the British Section of the Combustion Institute.

The Combustion Institute is an International Learned Society whose purpose is to promote and disseminate research into Combustion Science and Engineering. Amongst other activities the British section organises meetings and workshops on various aspects of Combustion.

The benefits enjoyed by its members include:

Travel grants to attend Combustion Symposia and other combustion related meetings.
Free on-line access to Combustion and Flame.
Reduced subscriptions to several combustion Journals.
Reduced fees at Section-sponsored meetings.

Membership of the British Section of the Combustion Institute in 2010 costs £ 30 per year or £ 15 per year for students or the retired. If interested in becoming a member, click here for more information.