“Living up to tradition and embracing new challenges” aptly describes the spirit of the 5th Aachen Thermoprocess Colloquium organised by the Department for Industrial Furnaces and Heat Engineering at RWTH Aachen University. European industry is undergoing a profound transformation towards climate neutrality while simultaneously facing high energy prices and significant geopolitical uncertainties, with the thermo‑process sector being particularly affected due to its high specific energy demand. Against this backdrop, research and innovation are indispensable for strengthening industrial competitiveness and enabling rapid adaptation to changing boundary conditions.
In its first four editions, the Aachen Thermoprocess Colloquium successfully established itself as an event that connects experts from the thermo‑process sector in industry and academia, with more than 150 participants at each event. The 5th edition built on this foundation, explicitly opening the previously mainly German‑speaking forum to the wider European community. Contributions covered a wide range of technology readiness levels, from fundamental research to the demonstration of technologies at industrial scale, reflecting the need to bridge laboratory insights and real‑world implementation.
The main topics of the colloquium remained research and innovation in CO₂ reduction in energy‑intensive industries and the development of sustainable thermo‑processes, complemented by cross‑cutting themes such as digitalisation and advanced modelling. The opening day included keynote presentations on decarbonisation pathways for aluminium and steel, the role of green electricity and hydrogen in industrial transformation, and coordinated research activities in thermo‑process technology at Freiberg, Hannover, and Aachen, followed by a round‑table discussion.
The Parkhotel Quellenhof in Aachen provided a prestigious and well‑equipped venue, with spacious conference facilities and a tranquil atmosphere close to the city centre, ideally suited for intensive technical exchange and networking. A festive evening banquet in the ballroom of the Altes Kurhaus in Aachen offered additional opportunities for informal discussion and personal interaction in an exceptional architectural setting.
- Programme of the 5th Aachen Thermoprozess Colloquium
- Proceedings of the Aachen Thermoprocess Colloquium in the IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering
Conference proceedings
The papers presented at the colloquium have been printed and published in a conference volume. The proceedings can be obtained from the Institute. Further information can be found on the conference proceedings page.
Sponsorship
We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the sponsors whose support has enabled us to organise the colloquium on this scale:
Gold sponsor
Silver sponsor
Bronze sponsor
