Історія науки і техніки (Dec 2024)
Academician of the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences Petro Mykhaylovych Suprunenko: Life and activity
Abstract
The article updates the most significant information about the outstanding scientist-mechanic and railwayman of the first third of the 20th century Academician of the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences Petro Mykhaylovych Suprunenko (1893–1938). It is proven that his activities in the field of railway development are a significant contribution to the development of world science and technology. The main scientific works of the scientist and engineer are devoted to important problems of transport mechanics. He paid special attention to locomotive and wagon construction (he was a wagon designer). Wagons were built on the basis of a large amount of experimental material, which at one time received significant public resonance and scientific and technical recognition. It is emphasized that P. M. Suprunenko was one of the first railway engineers who proposed a scientific analysis of the interaction of the track with the rolling stock of railways. The article notes that today P. M. Suprunenko is mentioned very little, only fragments of his biography are described, only some of his scientific works are characterized. In the Institute of Transport Mechanics of the All-Ukrainian Academy of Sciences headed by him, the following research was successfully developed under his leadership: methodological problems of transport mechanics were highlighted in order to comprehensively solve the tasks of modernization of the railway industry; research of non-stationary dynamic processes of interaction of rolling stock (train) with the track system (especially the study of the resonance phenomenon); research of the theory of calculations of locomotive traction on railway tracks in order to optimize elements of transport mechanics and increase their efficiency, etc. The article describes in detail each of these areas of research by P. M. Suprunenko. In general, his research focused on problems of railway transport. In the field of train traction theory, P. M. Suprunenko created a number of new methods for graphical integration of differential equations of train motion, paid significant attention to improving existing ones and creating new devices designed to measure the characteristics of various processes occurring in rolling stock and tracks. The scientist's achievements in the initial period of railway transport construction in Ukraine, especially on the South-Western Railways, are confirmed. The article shows that the role of P. M. Suprunenko was in his scientific work as an "idea generator" and a leading theorist in combination with engineering activities.
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