• Institute of Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer

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A short history of our institute

In 1909, the institute was founded as a chair for airshipping and automotive engineering (Lehrkanzel für Luftschiffahrt und Automobilwesen). The first head of the institute was Richard Knoller (* Apr 25, 1869, † Mar 4, 1926). He worked from Nov 30, 1909 to Mar 4, 1926 on drag and friction in liquids, the theory of propellors, and the stability of hang gliders.

In 1912 a new laboratory became available. It was essentially housing the wind tunnel which was built from 1911 to 1914. The Eiffel-type wind tunnel had an open test section with the airstream being directed from the center top towards the base of the building. The return flow was guided through the four corners of the building and propelled by four engines placed at the entrance of each return-flow channel in the basement. Each of them provided a power of 30 hp which enabled a maximum velocity of 80 km/h in the test section with a cross sectional area of 2.5m². The particular construction of the wind tunnel allowed an easy access from all sides to the models mounted in the test section.

After the death of Richard Knoller, Richard Katzmayr (* Nov 3, 1884, † Apr 12, 1945) held the deputy chair from 1926 to 1937. His interest and work were devoted to wing measurements, suction of boundary layers, and the flow through railroad tunnels. During the same period of time, the institute was hosting Leo Kirste (* Mar 8, 1892) from 1926 to Mar 1938.

During the war time, from 1941 to 1945, the institute was run by Oskar Tietjens. He was assisted, from 1943 to 1945, by Oskar Schrenk who was teaching flight mechanics.

From Jan 1, 1946 to Sep 4, 1958 Franz Magyar (* May 6, 1894, † Sep 4, 1958) held the chair of the institute. He refurnished the power supply of the wind tunnel from DC to three-phase current. Scientifically he worked on steam turbines, ventilators, velocity measurements of air flows, and spraying through rotary nozzles. Another subject was the theoretical treatment of Eiffel cyclones. After Magyar passed away, Bruniak became deputy chair from Sep 5, 1958 to Mar 28, 1960.

In more recent times, from Mar 29, 1960 to 1980, Klaus Oswatitsch (* Mar 10, 1910, † Aug 1, 1993) held the chair of fluid mechanics. His work on super- and hypersonic flows, condensation effects, and the dynamics of gases in general have received international attention. In particular, his comprehensive monographs on Gas Dynamics, namely Gasdynamik (1952), Grundlagen der Gasdynamik (1976), and Spezialgebiete der Gasdynamik (1977), became famous and served as the standard textbooks for generations of fluid dynamicists. His way of science and his personality have left a deep and lasting influence on his pupils and successors.

Klaus Oswatitsch was succeeded by Maximilian F. Platzer in Mar 1982. In 1984 Max Platzer moved to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, where he became Department Chair of Aero- and Astronautics. Currently, he is still active there as a professor emeritus.