… was head of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, predecessor of the Institute of Particle Technology, from 1976 to 2005. During his active times, he was perhaps the leading scientist in the field of bulk solids technology and made strong contributions also to other fields of mechanical engineering, especially grinding processes.
Jörg Schwedes studied chemical engineering at Technische Universität München and the Technische Hochschule Karlsruhe (today Karlsruhe Institute of Technology). After completing his studies he was interested in theoretical scientific work and was offered a position at the Institut für Mechanische Verfahrenstechnik (Institute of Mechanical Engineering) of Technische Hochschule Karlsruhe. The chair of the institute, Professor Hans Rumpf, asked Jörg Schwedes to look into bulk solids technology, especially the measurement of flow properties. This was an experimental subject, quite the opposite to Jörg Schwedes’ interest in theoretical work.
This area, which in the 1960s was completely new to a young graduate, quickly proved to be an intriguing and fertile subject. Already Jörg Schwedes’ initial studies led to his well known book “Fließverhalten von Schüttgütern in Bunkern” (Flow of bulk solids in bins), an outstanding achievement for a young PhD student.
After receiving his doctorate in 1971, Jörg Schwedes went to work for Bayer AG at Leverkusen, where he became head of the department of “Applied Science 2”. After six years with Bayer, he was appointed as Professor and Head of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering in Braunschweig. Bulk solids technology however has never released its hold on him. About 250 papers on bulk solids technology carry his name and give evidence of his fruitful work. To a large part due to his achievements, bulk solids technology has become a solid and mature science. He however was highly active also in other fields, especially in the development of an understanding of the mechanisms in stirred media mills, and consequently during his active times he was ranked in the top ten of the most well known Professors of Mechanical Engineering in Germany.
Professor Dr.-Ing. Jörg Schwedes deceased in August 2018 in the age of 80. With him, the Institute for Particle Technology loses a scientific father, an outstanding teacher, a highly regarded colleague, and an excellent engineer. We will always keep him in honoring memories.
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