History

The establishment of the Division, functioning until the end of 2013 as the Division of Pumps, Drives and Power Plant (PNiS Division), can be dated back to the year 2000. Then (on the basis of the Ordinance of the Rector of the Warsaw University of Technology of 14 June 2000) it was separated as a new unit from a large Division of Machines and Power Engineering Equipment (MUE Division). However, the roots of the Department's activities at the Polytechnic date back to 1922, when the Department of Water Engines and Pumps was established. Until the outbreak of World War II, it was headed by Professor Stanisław Zwierzchowski, a world-famous designer of water turbines in the USA, and until 1922 by Professor at the State University of Michigan in Ann Arbour. After the war, the chair was headed by Professor Mieczysław Arkuszewski until 1960, when, as the Department of Power Engineering Machines and Equipment, it became a part of the Department of Boilers, Turbines and Pumps, transformed in 1970, as a result of the reorganization of the University, into the Department of Power Engineering Machines and Equipment. The informal Pump and Water Turbine Team in this Department was headed for many years by Professor Kazimierz Jackowski. The PNiS Department was also joined by employees who, prior to joining the MiUE Department, operated in Energy Management, Power Plant and Nuclear Reactors, including a group of employees carrying out didactic tasks in the field of electrical engineering and electronics.
From the moment of its establishment, the Department of Pumps, Drives and Power Plant until its retirement was managed by Prof. Waldemar Jędral. Since the beginning of the academic year 2011/2012, the Department was headed by prof. Tadeusz Skoczkowski.

During the functioning of the Division, more than a hundred diploma and master's theses were defended, promoted by its employees. Many employees of the Division performed (or continues to perform) a number of important organizational functions, including: the first-year supervisor, the student internship supervisor, the supervisor of the Energy Research Circle (1970-2009), membership in the Senate of the Warsaw University of Technology and Senate Subcommittees of the Warsaw University of Technology.
The RUE Division has three laboratories: Electric, Pump and Electronics with Microprocessor Technique, in which students of the Faculty and invited guests take part in didactic classes within the framework of laboratory exercises. The laboratories may also be used for scientific or expert research work.