History

Activities of the department of heat engineering and iron-and steel furnaces are inseparably linked with establishment and development of Dnipropetrovsk educational research school of metallurgical heat engineering.

Training of engineering for iron-and steel furnaces (metallurgists and heating engineers) started in USSR in 1930s as a result of intensive development of domestic steel production.

By 1930 there were three centers training professionals in furnace heat engineering, one at Ural polytechnical institute (Yekaterinburg), one at Moscow Institute of steel and alloys, and one at Dnipropetrovsk Metallurgical Institute. Each of these centers was development independently and acquired its own scientific concentration.

Department of furnace heat engineering (later Department of furnaces), was created at DMetI in 1934. It was organized and first chaired from 1934 until 1941 by one of the founders of metallurgical heat engineering and an outstanding representative of Dniproeptrovsk scientific school professor Ioseph I. Semykin (1898 – 1971). Professor I. Semykin developed the engineering theory of heat conductivity, flame theory, and turbulent stream theory, and made a significant contribution to the development of theory and methods of calculation for radiant heat exchange, regenerators, furnace heat operation. He also laid foundations for calculation of metallurgical furnaces, and was the first to apply closed method for their calculation.

The main research field of the department during industrialization years, in compliance with the needs of the country, was intensification of heat processes in furnaces aimed to increase efficiency of open-hearth and other melting furnaces.

Further development of scientific school for heat engineers is closely related with professor Noy Tayets D.E., (1896-1974), who was the chair from 1944 to 1973. He became world-known for his works in theory and technology of steel reheating, calculations for heating furnaces and temperature stresses during heating. He introduced classical theory of heat conductivity into heat calculations for metallurgical furnaces.

Headed by professor N. Tayets, by 1960s the department had become a highly-qualified group of teachers and researchers in the number of 150 people, and evolved into the largest in the country in its field. Research authority and staff activity in 1960s were so outstanding that the USSR’s State Committee on ferrous metallurgy appointed the department to be the chief coordinating organization for development and implementation in the industry of non oxidation and low oxidation steel heating. Due to funding from the USSR Ministry of ferrous metallurgy, in 1975 the department had a new 6-storey building constructed. The department received modern laboratories and a furnace room for experiments and tests on new furnaces and their units.

Further development of the department is connected with the name of professor Anatoly Minaev, D.E. (1926 - 1988), who was the head of the Department from 1973 until 1987. He initiated and supervised creation of a specialized laboratory for non oxidation and high-speed metal heating. Due to his efforts and with his active involvement, the academic and laboratory Building B was built and fitted with modern equipment, which created scientific and industrial foundation for academic process and research. While professor Minaev was the head of the Department, the staff had the highest number of 120 persons. During this period he supervised large-scale research in the field of high-speed, low oxidation and non oxidation heating of metal as well as research on oxidation kinetics, decarbonization and gasing of materials. At the same time, new material heating methods and new furnace designs were created, and furnace equipment components were improved.

Since 1987 and until present the department has been chaired by professor Vladimir V. Gubinsky, D.E. In 1990s Vladimir V. Gubinsky, with the support from sponsors, created 2 computer classrooms equipped with modern computers for training students and postgraduate students. Teachers and researchers were trained to work on the computer. The department was also fitted with modern photocopiers; laboratories had new equipment installed.

In 1963 furnace department of DMetI became a center for scientific conferences on theories, calculations and design of metallurgical furnaces, and has remained so until present. In 2010 the department organized 15 domestic and international conferences, followed by publication of reports and theses. The latest international conference involved representatives of institutions of higher education, research and design institutes, metallurgical plants of Ukraine, Russia, Croatia, Germany, Japan, Belorussia, Poland and Slovakia and took place in our Academy in October 2008. The next, 16th conference, will take place on October 4 – 6, 2011 at NMetAU.

8 D.E.s and over 60 Ph.D.s in Technical Sciences made their contribution into training metallurgical heat engineering and professionals and research at the department throughout its history.

Since 1960s the department has been doing research not only on intensification of heat processes in furnaces, but also on increasing quality of heat treatment of metals, resource energy economy, and environment protection.

The design department created in 1965 played an important role in industrial implementation of research findings. Over 30 years, 270 production projects for furnaces and their units, recuperators, burners and rolling products cooling devices have been implemented. Authors of these projects are highly qualified designers S. Suryadnaya, S. Teteryadchenko, and S. Monakhov.

At present the department has all necessary conditions for talent search and development. Both students and teachers have access to scientific and academic books, modern computers, laboratories and production units. The department boasts a well stocked library left by professor N. Tayets.

Department’s graduates Mr. Mezhebovsky, now Director General of Promarmatura JSC, and Mr. Chelyadin, Head of the Committee of Directors of Promarmatura JSC, provide generous material assistance to the Department.

Uplink: History of department