Minutes of the Meeting of the Working Party on Mixing (WPM) of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering (EFCE), held in Prague (CzechRepublic) on August 28th, 1996.

Place of Meeting: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Czech Technical University
Duration of the Meeting: from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm

1. PRESENT:

	a) WPM Members:
		Bulgaria	Dr. S. D. Vlaev
		Czech Republic	Prof. P. Ditl Dr. I. Fořt
		France	Dr. J. Bertrand
		Germany	Prof. J. Liepe
		Great Britain	Prof. J. M. Smith
		Hungary	Dr. J. Gyenis
		Italy	Prof. G. Baldi Prof. F. Magelli
		The Netherlands	Prof. Van den Akker Prof. L. L. Van Dierendonck
		Russia	Dr. V. M. Barabash
	b) Invited:
		Czech Republic	Dr. P. Seichter
		France	Prof. J. Villermaux
		Great Britain	Prof. R. Mann
		Latvia	Dr. M. Rikmanis Dr. J. Vanags
		Russia	Prof. N. N. Kulov

2. EXCUSED:

		Austria	Prof. H. Katinger
		Great Britain	Mr. K. J. Carpenter
		Israel	Prof. D. Wolf
		Latvia	Prof. U. Viesturs
		Poland	Prof. F. Strek
		Switzerland	Dr. W. Tauscher
		USA	Dr. J. Y. Oldshue

Prague, September 10th, 1996

I . Fořt EFCE-WPM Secretary

AGENDA

• Introduction of the New Members of the EFCE - WPM.
• Adoption of the Minutes of the WPM Meeting held in Repino (Russia) on October 4th, 1995.
• Activities of the WP on Mixing of the Czech Society of Chemical Engineers.
• Activities of the WP on Mixing of the Chemical Engineering Society of Poland and Polish Academy of Sciences.
• Activities of the WP on Mixing of the GVC.VDI.
• Information about recent activities of the EFCE.
• Activities of the Conference Commitee within the EFCE-WPM.
• WPM Event in 1997.
• The 16th NAMF Mixing Conference.
• Miscellaneous.

Item 1:
Introduction of the New Members of the EFCE - WPM.
Prof. P. Ditl a Chairman of the EFCE - WPM introduced new delegates of the WPM: Prof. A. Rasmuson (Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden) and Prof. J. M. Smith (University of Surrey, UK). He expressed many thanks for active participation in the EFCE - WPM Events to Prof. R. Mann (UK) who resigned his membership in the EFCE - WPM.

Item 2:
Adoption of the Minutes of the WPM Meeting held in Repino (Russia) on October 4th, 1995.
No amendments weere requested. The Minutes were approved and adopted.

Item 3:
Activities of the WP on Mixing of the Czech Society of Chemical Engineers.
Dr. P. Seichter (Chairman of the WPM of the Czech Society of Chemical Engineering) presented a report on the recent activities of the WP on Mixing of the Czech Society of Chemical Engineering. The delegates discussed this report and appreciated a long tradition of the National Conferences on Mixing held in Czech Republic. Main points of the report are summarized in Enclosure 1.

Item 4:
Activities of the WP on Mixing of the Chemical Engineering Society of Poland and Polish Academy of Sciences.
Prof. F Strek presented in absence a report on the activities of the WP on Mixing of the Chemical Engineering Society in Poland and Polish Academy of Sciences within the period 1993 - 1996. The delegates discussed this report and expressed their hope that the National Conferences on Mixing organized in Poland every three years will successfully go on in the future. Main points of the report are summarized in Enclosure 2.

Item 5:
Activities of the WP on Mixing of the GVC.VDI.
Prof. F. Liepe presented a short report about recent activities of the WP on Mixing (Fachausschuss Mischen) of the GVC.VDI in Germany. The delegates discussed this report and recommended to prepare a report on experimental standards for measurement of various quantities at mixing of fluids and heterogeneous systems, prepared in Germany, for the 9th European Conference on Mixing in 1997. Main points of the report are summarized in Enclosure 3.

Item 6:
Information about recent activities of the EFCE.
Prof. J. Villermaux a Vice-President of the EFCE informed the WPM Meeting about recent activities of the EFCE with the aim to reach more efficiency, credibility and visibility of the EFCE. New organization of the EFCE is suggested to form Technical Groups consisting of a few WPs of the neighbouring objectives with presentation of the Individual Membership in the newly formed bodies. It is hoped that Technical Groups will be able to prepare better information about technical problems dealing with co-operation with correponding Commissions of European Union (EU) as well as with National Bodies of the EFCE (e.g. new equipment, new technologies, new approaches etc.). The project of the reconstruction of the EFCE is now discussed and will be approved in the near future.
The WPM delegates discussed broadly this essential information. Prof. N. N. Kulov mentioned that not only process engineers in chemistry but experts from other branches of industry have to be included into industrial co-ordination. Prof. Van den Akker stressed the meaning of the ISCRE Conferences for general description of chemical processes. Prof. J. Villermaux pointed out that it is desirable to reduce the number of Meetings organized with presentation of exaggerated information. Dr. I. Fořt asked Prof. Villermaux about expected time table of the process of reconstruction of the WPs into the Technical Groups. Prof. Villermaux answered that after an official announcement of this reconstruction at 1st European Conference of Chemical Engineering (to be held in May 1997 in Florence, Italy) the reorganization of the EFCE will start. Prof. P. Ditl mentioned that WPM of the EFCE organized in the past a few joint Conferences with other EFCE - WPs (e.g. with WP on Crystallization, or with WP on Chemical Reaction Engineering, or with WP on Bioreactors Performance). Dr. I. Fořt added that while in 1977, when the Meeting EFCE - WPM Preparatory Committee took place, only three National WPs on Mixing existed, now there are nine National WPMs in Europe and the NAMF in the U.S.A. Prof. J. Villermaux explained that it is expected that the WP on Mixing of the EFCE will be probably joined with a few other EFCE - WPs in the Technical Group of the Separation and Mixing Processes. Prof. G. Baldi agreed with such an arrangement because mixing is very interdisciplinary operation and, so, it has very special and unique position among other WPs. Prof. P. Ditl pointed out that it would be rather useful to ask each individual WP which other WPs seem to be eligible to be joined. Prof. J. Villermaux mentioned next two problems for the future activities of the Technical Groups Status of the Individual Members of these bodies, and Regular (once per year) Reports on the activities of the Technical Groups. Prof. P. Ditl pointed out that in any case the Technical Group membership has to be arranged in volunteers position. Pro. G. Baldi expressed his hope that the EFCE will be rather flexible in the process of the setting up of the Technical Groups. Prof. R. Mann expressed his view that Proceedings of the European Conferences on Mixing can serve for EU Office as a suitable and full description of the R and D activities of mixing technology in Europe. Prof. J. M. Smith suggested to prepare a Supplement of the Proceedings of each European Conference on Mixing in the future with a list of the main persons dealing with mixing technology in Europe. Finally, all the delegates agreed that it would be desirable to improve visibility and efficiency of the EFCE in the near future, necessary steps for its outstanding role among chemical engineers in Europe.

Item 7:
Activities of the Conference Commitee within the EFCE-WPM.
Dr. I. Fořt a Chairman of the Conference Committee within the EFCE - WPM prepared a "List of Conferences on Mixing and Sessions on Mixing of the Conferences of Chemical Engineering in 1996" (see Enclosure 5). The delegates appreciated that at least nine Events in Europe and overseas devoted to Rand D of mixing technology has taken place this year. Dr. I. Fořt asked all the WPM delegates to send him all programmes of the local Conferences of Chemical Engineering consisting of the Sessions "Mixing".

Item 8:
WPM Event in 1997.
Dr. J. Bertrand a Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 9th European Conference on Mixing, to be held at the Convention Centre of Marne - la - Vallée near Paris (France) in March 19 - 21, 1997, informed the WPM about preparation of the Conference.
The Scientific Committee of the Conference after reviewing 163 extended abstracts of submitted papers preselected 109 papers (including e. g. 29 papers from gas - liquid systems or 13 papers from industrial area), their full texts have been sent to three referees per each paper. The final selection of the papers for the Conference will be made at the Scientific Committee meeting to be held in Paris on October 16th, 1996. The final programme of the Conference (consisting both oral and poster presentations) will be distributed around November 10th. The Conference fee (including accomodation, meals, Conference Dinner and Conference Proceedings) does not exceed FRF 5,000.-. The delegates after short discussion expressed their thanks to Dr. Bertrand for kind effort of French organizers of the Conference to prepare such an important Event of the EFCE - WPM in 1997.

Item 9:
The 16th NAMF Mixing Conference.
Prof. P. M. Armenante informed the EFCE - WPM Meeting about the 16th North American Mixing Forum (NAMF) Conference. This Event will be held in Williamsburg (VA, USA), in June 22 - 27, 1997 (George Washington Inn and Conference Center). Following deadlines for the Conference are expected: Call for papers - September 1st, 1996, Abstract due - December 1st, 1996, Notificiation of presenters - January 15th, 1997, Conference Invitations - February 1st, 1997. The Conference site can be reached by train or bus from a number of airports (Baltimore, Washington Dulles, Washington National, Richmond, Norfolk). The cost of the Conference will be similar to that of past editions. Abstracts of the submitted papers should be sent to the Conference Chairman: Dr. R. Hemjarani, Phone: +1-201-765-6478, Fax: +1-201-765-1189.
The delegates expressed their thanks to Prof. Armenante for his information and, finally, their hope that some European participants will take part in the Conference, although the overlap between the 9th European Mixing Conference and the 16th NAMF Conference will probably reduce European attendance.

Item 10:
Miscellaneous.
The delegates agreed with a proposal of Prof. P. Ditl a Chairman of the EFCE - WPM to held next EFCE - WPM Meeting on the occasion of the 9th European Conference on Mixing (March 1997, Paris, Francie).
The delegates agreed with proposal made by Dr. S. D. Vlaev to held the EFCE - WPM Meeting in Varna (Bulgaria) in Autumn 1998 on the occasion of the Summer School of Chemical Engineering.
All delegates cordially agreed with a proposal made by Prof. Van den Akker to organize the 10th European Conference on Mixing in 2000 in the Netherlands.
Dr. I. Fořt remembered the procedure of the preparation of Recommended Nomenclature of the Terms and Symbols in Mixing not having been finished yet. Although this procedure is now on progress (Recommended Symbols and Terms have been used for preparation of the full texts of the Papers for the 9th European Conference on Mixing), the delegates have not agreed to introduce the above mentioned Nomenclature into general use, yet.