Contact
Engler-Bunte-Ring 7
76131 Karlsruhe
Building number 40.13.I
Tel: +49(0)721 608-42571
Fax: +49(0)721 608-47770
E-Mail: Secretariat
History
of Combustion Technology at the Engler-Bunte-Institut
Technical Chemistry is, of course, of great importance in teaching and research at the oldest technical university in Germany. Since 1851, lectures on "Chemical Technology" by Karl Seubert and later Karl Birnbaum have been offered since the establishment of the "Chemisch-Technischen Schule". One of the consequences of this orientation was, among other things, the setting up of the "Technisch- Chemischen Laboratorium" in 1872 under Karl Birnbaum with its own institute building, which was completed a few years later by Carl Engler at the current so-called "Ehrenhof" of the university. In 1887, Hans Bunte, from Munich, became holder of the Chair for Chemical Engineering. His vocation was inspired by a suggestion of Carl Engler, with whom he remained friendly for a lifetime. The picture shows how the friendship of these two men, whose name the Engler-Bunte-Institut comprises, was depicted in a contemporary style. Among others, relevant analytical problems have been investigated in the Chemisch-Technische Institut at the university, and even the "Gas Courses", which often are thought of being a child of the "Versuchsgasastalt", had already seen the light of the world in 1898. Technical chemistry and other application-related chemical subjects were always involved in the further development of the diversity of chemistry at the University of Karlsruhe, and in 1950 the Department of Chemistry presented a broad spectrum of applied disciplines in the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Humanities the Chairs for Gas Technology and Fuel Utilization, Technical Gas Utilization and Industrial Furnace Construction, the Institute for Mineral Oil and Coal Research. In addition, the "Gasinstitut", which had already been founded by the Association of Gas and Water Utilities, the German Association of Gas and Water Experts (DVGW), was founded by Carl Engler in 1907. When the Faculty of Chemistry was newly founded in 1969, these applied fields were integrated into the then newly established Faculty of Chemical Engineering.
Today, the "Chair of Combustion Technology" is part of the Engler-Bunte-Institute and has its name only since the appointment of Prof. Bockhorn in 1998. The history of the "Engler-Bunte-Institut" began at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the DVGW In Zurich in 1903. There, Mr. Wunder appeared in a lecture with clearly motivated suggestions: "It seems to me to be a matter of concern for all gas stations, and therefore for the subject at all, to gain a complete clarity on the economic value of the gas coal of the various districts, ... ". The board decided to start the foundation of the association gas station, which was completed with the support of the city of Karlsruhe and the "Großherzoglich Baden" government, was in 1907 inaugurated. Probably the best known teaching activity of the experimental gas station was the so-called "Gas Courses" and "Water Courses", which were held regularly for more than 50 years.
Both the name of the institute and the name of the chair have undergone a number of changes in history: the institute's name "Lehr- und Versuchsgasanstalt" (1907-1919) clearly indicated what was to be done at the time. The name "Gasinstitut" (from 1919 to 1959) contained the science-oriented and universal task for the entire gas compartment. The name "Institute for Gas Technology, Combustion Technology and Water Chemistry" (1959 to 1971) came into being, first because the field of water technology was not represented in the previous name and secondly for a very important reason. This name was used to establish the principle of equality between the working areas and the chairs of the Institute. Previously, the chair of "Chemistry and Technology of Gas, Petroleum and Coal" faced a certain leadership requirement. In the course of the negotiations between Professor Pichler (gas, oil and coal), the Ministry of Culture had stated that he was within the institute "Primus inter pares".
With the current institute's name ("Engler-Bunte-Institut", starting in October 1971), it was decided not to express any particular subject areas and possible future changes. The institute bears the names of two outstanding technologists who have carried out fundamental scientific work in the fields in which the institute is active.
The name of today's "Chair for Combustion Technology" was still called Prof. "Chair for Technical Gas Use" under Prof. Körting and was later renamed "Lehrstuhl für Feuerungstechnik".
Prof. Dr. D. Trimis holds the chair of combustion engineering at the Engler-Bunte-Institut in the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Process Engineering since 2013. It stands for the development of results from fundamental oriented research and its implementation into the direction of technical application.