EUROPEAN FEDERATION OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Working Party of Multiphase Fluid Flow

Minutes of the Business Meeting

1. The chairman, Professor B.J. Azzopardi, welcomed the delegates to this meeting, held in connection with a symposium on Annular and Droplet flow as part of the ExHFT4 Congress. He particularly welcomed Professor Brauner and Mr Hill, who were attending their first meeting.

2. The minutes of the 1996 meeting in Prague were approved. Arising from them, the long-standing question of the review of the working party was again raised. Prof. Bohnet had contacted Dr Hoffmann (EFCE President), as agreed, but no reply was forthcoming. Professor Azzopardi to express his concern at the next meeting of Working Party chairmen, that existing procedures did not seem to be put into practice.

   Dr Hills had raised with the EFCE the meetings concern about the selection of Lyon as the location of the next World Congress, and the need for a single European Voice, and this matter was still under discussion.

   Prof Bohnet expressed our sadness at the recent death of Prof. Villermaux

3. Prof. Fogelholm introduced the topic of PhD networking. He explained the situation in the Nordic countries where a small and scattered population led to a number of small universities and departments, making it difficult to set up viable research teams. To improve the situation, the council of Nordic ministers had set up a collaborative network in seven subject areas, with an annual budget of approximately DM 10 million, to allow regular contact between research students, the provision of joint PhD-level taught courses, and the possibility of researchers making short visits to other centres with expertise relevant to their work. All PhD students must spend at least 3 months in another Nordic country as part of the scheme, which is similar to the EU Mobility and Training programmes, but with more emphasis on joint courses and short visits.

   Prof. Fogelholm wished to ask the meeting whether such collaboration could be organised on an EFCE level, particularly to help the smaller, less-densely populated member countries. He felt that to send PhD students on short visits to other laboratories was a better use of money than to send them to conferences.

Prof. Azzopardi liked the principle of the idea, but felt that a solid source of funding was vital. The Working Party should not organise any such exchange, although we could provide the basis for the networking that individual groups could then develop.

Prof. Bohnet felt that exchanges of less than 3 months were of little value, but Prof Fogelholm replied that all students made a major visit of 3 months, with shorter supplementary visits to other places as appropriate. Prof. Bohnet also mentioned exchange arrangements funded by the German Science Foundation, and by DAAD and the British council. There are many funding possibilities, but personal contact is the most important pre-requisite.

Prof Giot asked that we do not concentrate on funding. There were two possible areas of application: long period exchanges to help PhD students, and Advanced Training Courses such as those organised by the Board of European Studies in Technology. Information exchange is the key to both, which the Working Party could organise through a Website (see Item 4).

Mr Hill felt that Industry could also contribute, and Dr Pauchon said that IFP were very interested in getting students to carry out their PhD studies within the company.

Prof Azzopardi urged people to talk and set things up informally. He thanked Prof. Fogelholm for initiating a most valuable discussion.

4. Current Research Bulletin
   Dr Hills reported that the Bulletin had been placed on the Internet at http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/~eczwww/EFCE_Multi/index.htm. Links had been established to the IChemE homepage in the UK and had been requested to the EFCE homepage on the DECHEMA site. The Network version is based on the paper version, with automatic cross-indexing, and automatic links to e-mail addresses of listed researchers. The possibility also exists of creating links to the homepages of any institute, and this had been done for the first entry as a guide. An E-mail form was included on the site for sending additions or corrections.

   Dr Hills requested all members to publicise the existence of this website as widely as possible, as it could only achieve its full potential when known and regularly updated. He offered to run the site for at least the first year and to monitor its use. He felt it could develop into a homepage for the Working Party, with information about forthcoming meetings, and the sort of information exchange discussed in item 3.

   Professor Giot thanked Dr Hills for his efforts.

5. Membership
   Professor Azzopardi reported that the IChemE had agreed to appoint Mr. T.J.Hill as the second UK member in place of Prof.G.Hewitt, whose commitments made it very difficult for him to attend our meetings. However, in view of Prof Hewitts continuing great contributions to our subject, Prof. Azzopardi proposed that we make him an honorary member, and this was agreed.

   Prof Azzopardi proposed, and the meeting agreed, that Israels two nominees should be treated as guest members until the political matters were sorted. Prof. Brauner said she would send copies of the correspondence to Prof. Azzopardi.

   Prof. Azzopardi will write to the Italian member society over the question of an Italian representative. He has already written to Greece suggesting Prof. Karabelas, and to Prof. Levec in Slovenia, suggesting Prof. Zun.

   Help was requested in suggesting possible Danish representatives to replace Prof Hasager, who resigned some years ago.

6. Future Events

   1998
   This had been agreed to be held in association with the 3rd World Congress on Particle Technology, Brighton, UK, 7-9 July. Professor Azzopardi had written to Professor Seville, one of the organisers of the Congress, concerning the possibility of a Symposium within it, and the response had ben encouraging, and Prof Azzopardi will see Prof. Seville within the next two weeks.

   Prof. Olujic expressed concerns about possible clashes with Partec, but Professor Bohnet assured the meeting that this had been considered, and that the 3 month separation, while not as long as one would ideally wish, would be sufficient.

   1999
   There was no further information about the second European Congress of Chemical Engineering, proposed for France. After discussion of the recent 1st European Congress, it was agreed to explore the possibilities of a meeting in connection with this event.

   2000
   Professor Bohnet suggested Expo 2000 in Hanover, but it was felt this may be too crowded a venue. Dr Oliemans suggested another joint meeting with the Reaction Engineering Working Party, due to hold another ISCRE in 2000, and it was agreed that Prof Azzopardi should talk to the chairman, Prof. Eigenberger to explore possibilities. Prof Olujic suggested CFD as a possible topic.

7. There being no other business, Prof. Azzopardi closed the formal part of the meeting with an expression of thanks to all involved.

Open Forum

Professor Azzopardi welcomed Dr J-M.Seynhaeve, a colleague of Prof. Giot, who gave a most interesting paper entitled "Towards a Better Design of Pressure Relief System for Two-Phase Flow."

This work was carried out under an EC STEP program on the Flashing of water through Safety Valves, and an EC Environment program on two-phase flows through singularities and ducts downstream of safety valves. A copy of the presentation is attached to these minutes.

Professor Azzopardi thanked Dr Seynhaeve on behalf of the meeting for a stimulating presentation.