Important Inventions from Our Faculty Member

by Muhammed Raşit Çevikalp | Dec 19, 2022

Academics of Istanbul Technical University, which has achieved great success as an R&D university, continue to make a difference with their studies. ITU Environmental Engineering Department faculty member Prof. Dr. Orhan İnce and his team received the patents of two different projects that they made.

Two important inventions made by Orhan İnce and his team in the field of "biomass" resources, one of the most important alternatives to renewable energy resources, received a patent certificate and patent registration from the International Spanish Patent Institute.

Title:Improving Biomethane Efficiency in Anaerobic Digesters Using Rumen Fungi
Type: International Spanish Patent Institute
Inventors: Prof. Dr. Orhan İnce, Prof. Dr. Bahar İnce, Doç. Dr. Sevcan Aydın, Elif Yıldırım

Improving Biomethane Efficiency in Anaerobic Digesters Using Rumen Fungi

Prof. Dr. Orhan İnce gave the following information about his invention "Increasing the Biomethane Efficiency in Anaerobic Digesters by Using Rumen Fungi": "Animal feces, which is accepted as a biomass source, constitutes an important alternative among renewable energy sources. Ease of operation of applied technologies for biomass energy systems, heat source for small businesses; for larger scale enterprises, it allows it to operate as a power plant. Obtaining biogas from animal feces is one of the most important applications of anaerobic digesters. In the near future, it is foreseen that anaerobic digesters will be used more widely within the framework of renewable energy production, integrated bioconversion concept and waste management. Therefore, biomass energy obtained from animal feces can be used for domestic, commercial and industrial purposes. In this way, both clean and environmentally friendly renewable energy can be produced and the problem of storing animal wastes in agriculture and livestock is solved.”

Title: Improving the Efficiency of Biomethane from Microalgae Using Rumen Fungi
Type: International Spanish Patent Institute
Inventors: Prof. Dr. Orhan İnce, Prof. Dr. Bahar İnce, Doç. Dr. Sevcan Aydın, Elif Yıldırım

Improving the Efficiency of Biomethane from Microalgae Using Rumen Fungi

Prof. Dr. Ince shared the following information about his other registered inventions, "Increasing the Efficiency of Biomethane Obtained from Microalgae by Using Rumen Fungi": "Increasing environmental awareness in the world, heavy environmental legislation, Kyoto and similar protocols and contracts oblige environmental investments. Algal biotechnology, which makes it possible to produce renewable energy, waste evaluation and carbon emission reduction, which has a large share in environmental investments, started to attract attention in the 2000s. As in the rest of the world, the energy deficit in Turkey is growing as a result of the increase in living standards and developing industrialization. In addition, global warming caused by the rapidly increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere poses a threat to the environment and human health in the future. Therefore, an energy source that can be obtained by photosynthesis is quite remarkable because it is carbon-neutral and renewable. Algae are small biological factories that very effectively convert carbon dioxide and sunlight into energy through photosynthesis and produce oil in the process, and therefore have a very important function in maintaining the integrity of all ecosystems.”

İTÜ Faculty of Civil Engineering

It can be accepted that the history of ITU Civil Engineering Faculty was commenced in 1727 by the establishment of Humbarahane during the era of Damat İbrahim Paşa. However, this attempt was to no avail due to the martyrization of the studwents of this school by the Janissaries.

In 1734, during the grand viziership of Topal Osman Paşa, classes related to Civil Engineering was being taught in Hendesehane, which was founded in Üsküdar. Similarly, this school was also closed after three years due to the opposition of the Janissaries. The reasons of the tragedy that occured in Battle of Chesma, 1770 were inadequacy of the ships and the ignorance of the Ottoman Navy.

Although the Atlantic Map (1513) and the Map of Europe and the Mediterranean Sea (1523) by Piri Reis were the leading pieces of the era, Ottoman viziers were so ignorant that they claimed it was impossible for the Russian Baltic Fleet to reach the Mediterranean Sea assuming that there were no sea connection. With the proposal from Gazi Hasan Paşa and Baron de Tott, Mühendishane-i Bahri-i Humayun was established during the time of Sultan Mustafa III, aiming to train naval construction engineers. Since Ottoman Empire did not have any engineering schools at the time, military engineering classes were taught by French engineers beginning from 1784. French lecturers had to return to their country in 1788 with the increasing suppression from Austria and Russia, which were unwilling for the development and thriving of Ottoman Empire. In 1759, during the Grand Viziership of Koca Ragıp Paşa, Humbarahane was reopened in Karaağaç, Haliç (Golden Horn) and continued to teach even though it was incompetent. In 1792, Lağımcı Ocağı and Humbaracı Ocağı (Guild of Sappers) were established.