Leverkusen. Bayer pensioner Mr. Günter Lüttgens has now been awarded by the EFCE, the European Federation of Chemical Engineering, for his commitment and dedication, both as a researcher as well as a lecturer, to the field of electrostatics. The Bayer pensioner received the “International Fellow Award” of the EFCE in the framework of a ceremony in Budapest, Hungary. The honouring took place in the banquet hall of the Hungarian Science and Technology Academy within the scope of the 12th International Conference on Electrostatics. The cooperation of his wife, Sylvia, in carrying out his seminars on electrostatics was also recognised in the laudation. The couple founded the “ELSTATIK-Stiftung” in 1999, which furthers research and teaching in the field of electrostatics.
Historical context: In 1954, in Bitburg/Eifel, a fuel storage tank exploded which had serious consequences. The National Metrology Institute (PTB), Germany determined electrostatic charge as the cause and trigger of this explosion which resulted in 27 fatalities and 61 injured persons. This was reason enough for the chemical industry in Germany to study and concern itself with electrostatic dangers. Thus, in 1956 as a young engineer in the department for “Applied Physics” at BAYER, Günter Lüttgens was assigned the task of investigating ignition hazards as a result of electrostatic charge and to develop measures to prevent these. He not only worked on this subject until he retired in 1992 but continues to do so today.
Other awards: In addition to Mr Lüttgens, Prof Mark Horenstein of Boston University (USA) as well as Dr Ulrich von Pidoll of the National Metrology Institute (PTB) also received the award. Since 1953, the
EFCE has been supporting the collaboration of scientists and engineers in 30 European countries. It represents more than 100,000 engineers of the chemical industry in Europe.