BARBILLION

FRANCE (see also List of Individuals)

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11.5.1871 Compiègne/F - 25.3.1945 Grenoble/F

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Louis Barbillion graduated as an electrical engineer from Ecole Supérieure d'Eléctrotechnique, Paris. He joined the Grenoble University staff in 1901 as a lecturer and there was appointed professor of electro-techniques in 1904. From 1906, Barbillion directed the Electrotechnical Institute of Grenoble University and thus was an early promoter of electricity in Southeastern France. He was then until 1928 director of Institut Polytechnique, Grenoble.

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Barbillion may not be considered a hydraulician in the direct sense because he was among outstanding individuals founding Grenoble's reputation in hydro power engineering. The Polytechnic of Grenoble had its first golden era around 1900 which was reflected by the Hydropower Congresses held in Grenoble in 1902, in 1914 and in 1927. In parallel, the hydropower journal La Houille Blanche was founded in 1902, following the first Congress mentioned. 10 years later, the French Hydrotechnical Society SHF was founded thus giving a forum for the French hydropower industry. Barbillion played an eminent role in this scenery and was also a promoter of the hydraulic laboratory set up at Grenoble University after World War I. The second golden era of French hydropower engineering started right after World War II, when the second series of the La Houille Blanche journal was initiated in parallel to large works in dam engineering. By the end of the 1960s, the French nuclear power lobby took over the hydropower industry, however, and the Grenoble site had to reduce drastically the efforts in hydraulic engineering. Today, a notable remnant of these days is the Société Grenobloise d'Etudes et d'Applications Hydrauliques SOGREAH founded in 1955.

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_{Anonymous (1929). L'Institut Electrotechnique de Grenoble et M. Louis Barbillion. La Houille Blanche 28(5/6): 65-66.}

_{Barbillion, L. (1904). Manipulations et études électrotechniques. Dunod: Paris.}

_{Barbillion, L. (1914). Avant-projet d'un laboratoire hydro-technique pour études de turbines et détermination de leur rendement. 2 Congrès de la Houille Blanche Grenoble 2: 181-208.}

_{Barbillion, L., Yadoff, O. (1935). Utilisation des forces hydroélectriques - Etude générale des installations électriques, production et transformation de l'énergie électrique. Eyrolles: Paris.}

_{Poggendorff, J.C. (1936). Barbillion, Louis Charles Jean. Biographisch-Literarisches Hand- wörterbuch 6: 123-124; 7b: 239-240. Verlag Chemie: Leipzig, Berlin, bibliography.}

_{Sylvestre, V. (1950). Louis Barbillion. Institut Polytechnique de l'Université de Grenoble}

_{1900-1950: 84-94. Dardelet: Grenoble. P}