Scientific heritage of academician Nikolay Semenovich Kurnakov

Abstract

Once N.V.Lipin, a professor of mathematics at the Leningrad Mining Institute, told N.S.Kurnakov that M.V.Lomonosov had complained about his lack of familiarity with mathematics. The outstanding scientist replied «That’s absolutely true, and I have already told you about it: we all need mathematics, and the more chemistry develops, the more it needs a mathematical justification». According to one scenario of the international nongovernmental organization, the Club of Rome, there will be a three-fold decrease in the world’s raw materials resources and multifold volume reduction in industrial production by the middle of the 21st century. Another scenario claims that raw materials will reduce only by one third, and the volume of industrial production will remain at the level of the beginning of the century. Not only the first scenario, but also the second one forecasts industrial stagnation. It is unacceptable for dynamic and sustainable development of the technological civilization. Intensively developing economies in China, India, Brazil and Russia defy the forecast of the Club of Rome, as it has not taken into account the possibility of scientific and technological progress in reducing energy consumption and using alternative sources, as well as the increased technological potential of the humanity. Due to depletion of the main sources of energy (oil and gas), many experts link the future of the world’s power industry with the possible use of solid energy resources. From the environmental point of view solid fuel gasification technology is the most preferable. As the calorific value of producer gas is relatively low in comparison with natural gas, some research of possible use of producer gas (as an alternative to natural gas which is available not in all regions) at Russian industrial enterprises has been conducted.