Skip to main content

St. Petersburg Mining University’s new postgraduate strategy shortens the innovation cycle

защита Горный 1
© Форпост Северо-Запад

The university guides graduate students on scientific projects with high practical potential and accelerates the development from idea to thesis defense.

St. Petersburg Mining University successfully defended dissertation projects aimed at improving the working conditions of underground personnel in coal mines and reducing costs when repairing oil wells. Graduate students Angelika Yeremeyeva and Shamil Islamov were able to proceed to the defense six months ahead of schedule.

The development by Angelika Yeremeyeva is an alternative technology to reduce the concentration of harmful gases during the operation of diesel-hydraulic locomotives in coal mines. The environmental effect is achieved through the use of bio-additives to fuel made from renewable raw materials. The chemical composition of the additives includes complex esters on the basis of vegetable oil. The innovative additive has a cost advantage over hydrotreated diesel fuel.

Today the technology is already protected by four patents. It can reduce emissions of carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides by up to 90% while increasing the operating life of a diesel engine.

Shamil Islamov's thesis is devoted to the optimization of the preparatory process before the underground repair of oil wells. The author proposed an effective formulation of the blocking composition (hydrophobic-emulsion solution with marble chips) and the technology of its application. This development allows preventing the absorption of technological fluids by the productive formation while killing the well at lower costs. The economy is achieved by reducing the killing process to a single cycle. It also reduces the time of returning the well to the technological mode after the workover.

защита горный 2
© Форпост Северо-Запад

Understanding the interest of mining companies in the rapid implementation of scientific developments, Mining University has created an effective mechanism for passing all stages of postgraduate education and preparation of dissertation projects. The scientific activities of graduate students are subject to an intensive plan with a well-established system of control, motivation, and obtaining the necessary additional competencies.

Even as students, future postgraduate students are actively involved in research activities. This is facilitated, for example, by the new procedure for laboratory work. All of them are withdrawn from the main class schedule, and each student performs all the necessary amount of work in an individual mode at the best time for him/herself.

As a result of the comprehensive approach to improving postgraduate training, 80% of them remain at the university upon completion of their studies.

Let us remind that scientists at St. Petersburg Mining University have developed an effective technology for producing alumina by sintering kaolin ores with limestone and adding carbon-containing activating additives. Researchers managed to find the optimal content of additives, which increased aluminum oxide extraction by more than 7%.