Nicolae Vasilescu-Karpen
Encyclopedia
Nicolae Vasilescu-Karpen (November 28/December 10, 1870, Craiova
– March 2, 1964, Bucharest
) was a Romania
n engineer
and physicist
, who did pioneering work in the field of telegraphy and telephony. He also had notable achievements in mechanical engineering, elasticity, thermodynamics, long distance telephony, electrochemistry
, and civil engineering.
After studying at the Carol I High School
in Craiova, he went to the School of Bridges, Roads and Mines in Bucharest
. Upon graduation in 1891, he worked as a civil engineer for three years. He went to France
to study physics
at the University of Paris
. In 1904, he was awarded a PhD
degree in physics; his thesis was titled Recherches sur l'effet magnétique des corps electrisés en mouvement (Research on the magnetic effect of electrified bodies in motion). After a year spent as Professor at the University of Lille
, he returned to Romania, to teach at the School of Bridges, Roads and Mines, where he was appointed director in February 1920. Due to his efforts, the School was transformed later that year into the Polytechnic University of Bucharest
. Vasilescu-Karpen was the first rector
of this University, serving in that capacity until 1940.
. The device is supposedly housed at the National Technical Museum "Dimitrie Leonida” however there has been no evidence offered to back up the claim of continuous functioning.
Craiova
Craiova , Romania's 6th largest city and capital of Dolj County, is situated near the east bank of the river Jiu in central Oltenia. It is a longstanding political center, and is located at approximately equal distances from the Southern Carpathians and the River Danube . Craiova is the chief...
– March 2, 1964, Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
) was a Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
and physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
, who did pioneering work in the field of telegraphy and telephony. He also had notable achievements in mechanical engineering, elasticity, thermodynamics, long distance telephony, electrochemistry
Electrochemistry
Electrochemistry is a branch of chemistry that studies chemical reactions which take place in a solution at the interface of an electron conductor and an ionic conductor , and which involve electron transfer between the electrode and the electrolyte or species in solution.If a chemical reaction is...
, and civil engineering.
After studying at the Carol I High School
Carol I High School
The Carol I National College is a high school located in central Craiova, Romania, on Titu Maiorescu street. It is one of the most prestigious secondary education institutions in Romania.-History:...
in Craiova, he went to the School of Bridges, Roads and Mines in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
. Upon graduation in 1891, he worked as a civil engineer for three years. He went to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to study physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
at the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
. In 1904, he was awarded a PhD
PHD
PHD may refer to:*Ph.D., a doctorate of philosophy*Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*PHD finger, a protein sequence*PHD Mountain Software, an outdoor clothing and equipment company*PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degree in physics; his thesis was titled Recherches sur l'effet magnétique des corps electrisés en mouvement (Research on the magnetic effect of electrified bodies in motion). After a year spent as Professor at the University of Lille
Université Lille Nord de France
The University of Lille -Nord de France , located in Lille, France, is a center for higher education, academic research and doctoral studies located over multiple campuses in the Academie de Lille....
, he returned to Romania, to teach at the School of Bridges, Roads and Mines, where he was appointed director in February 1920. Due to his efforts, the School was transformed later that year into the Polytechnic University of Bucharest
Polytechnic University of Bucharest
Universitatea Politehnica din Bucureşti is a technical university in Bucharest, Romania. It was founded in 1864 based on the older technical school of Gheorghe Lazăr and it was renamed "Politehnica" in 1920.-History:...
. Vasilescu-Karpen was the first rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of this University, serving in that capacity until 1940.
- In 1908 he is said to have invented the Karpen Pile.
- In 1922, he was elected to the Romanian AcademyRomanian AcademyThe Romanian Academy is a cultural forum founded in Bucharest, Romania, in 1866. It covers the scientific, artistic and literary domains. The academy has 181 acting members who are elected for life....
.
- He was the engineer to introduce a permanent wire telecom bridge between Brasov City and Bucharest. He marked the introduction of electrically transmitted "wired telegrams" in the Old Romanian Kingdom by 1920.
Karpen Pile
The Karpen Pile is claimed by some to be a battery that has provided continuous energy for over 60 years, making the Karpen Pile either a supremely effective method of storing energy or a Perpetuum mobilePerpetual motion
Perpetual motion describes hypothetical machines that operate or produce useful work indefinitely and, more generally, hypothetical machines that produce more work or energy than they consume, whether they might operate indefinitely or not....
. The device is supposedly housed at the National Technical Museum "Dimitrie Leonida” however there has been no evidence offered to back up the claim of continuous functioning.
External links
"Nicolae Vasilescu-Karpen (1870-1964)", short biography by Remus RădulețRemus Răduleţ
Remus Răduleţ was a Romanian electrical engineer, who contributed to the development of the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary and theoretical electrotechnology. He served as president of International Electrotechnical Commission 1964 and 1967.-Biography:He was born in 1904 in Brădeni, then...
- "For a continuous working of the Vasilescu-Karpen's concentration pile", by Mihai Dogaru and Mircea Dimitrie Cazacu
- "University Politehnica of Bucharest", short history "Pila nemuritoare", I. Golea, ZiuaZiuaZiua was a major Romanian daily newspaper published in Bucharest. It was published in Romanian with a fairly sizeable and often informative English section. Ziua was founded in 1994 by Sorin Roşca Stănescu, eventually becoming foreign-owned...
, March 11, 2006 - http://uk.ibtimes.com/articles/20101227/karpen-039pilebattery-produces-energy-continuously-since-1950-exists-romanian-museum.htm, The "Dimitrie Leonida" National Technical Museum