Constantin Cândea (; December 15, 1887 – March 4, 1971) was a Romanian chemist, professor, Doctor Docent, Celebration of the Centenary of the "George Bacovia" High School in Bacău Steagu Roșu, no. 4623, December 19, 1967, p. 3 Obituary, România liberă, no. 8200, March 6, 1971, p. 6 Engineer with habilitation in Chemistry, Prof. Dr.-Ing habil. C. Cândea, Dr. I. G. Murgulescu Die Umsetzung von Methan-Gas mit Zinkchlorid Angewandte Chemie, Vol. 56, no. 35–36, pp. 247–248 and Rector of the Politehnica University of Timișoara (then the Polytechnic School of Timișoara) between 1946 and 1947. Coleta de Sabata, Ioan Munteanu, Remember: Professors of the "Politehnica" University of Timișoara, Timișoara: Helicon Publishing House, 1993, , p. 4 He founded the chemistry laboratories of the Polytechnic School of Timișoara, served as a deputy, and was a member of the Romanian Academy of Sciences.
Biography
Constantin Cândea was born on December 15, 1887, in the commune of Mărgineni, Bacău, Bacău County.
He married Maria Cândea née Antoniade on September 27, 1923 (born in Galați – died in Bucharest), a professor of French and Romanian, Doctor of Letters from the Sorbonne, who founded Paul D. Popescu, "Women of Prahova Today, Yesterday and Long Ago – Maria Cândea" The History of the Buildings Housing Prahova's Elite Schools. Today: the "Queen Marie" National Pedagogical College of Ploiești, Observatorul Prahovean, July 17, 2023, Luiza Toboc and served as principal of the Girls' Normal School "Queen Marie" (today the National Pedagogical College "Queen Marie") in Ploiești from November 10, 1918.
The couple had two children: Mioara-Rodica Georgescu née Cândea, an architect, (July 9, 1924, Ploiești – September 13, 2017, Montreal), and Ioan-Radu Cândea, a civil engineer (September 24, 1925, Ploiești – February 11, 2016, Bucharest).
Constantin Cândea passed away on March 4, 1971, in Bucharest at the age of 83. He was buried in Bellu Cemetery, Plot 4. Dictionary of Persons Buried in the Șerban Vodă – Bellu «Classic» Cemetery , Vatra Veche Publishing House, 2024
Education In 1906, he graduated from the "Prince Ferdinand" High School in Bacău, after which he attended the Königlich Bayerische Technische Hochschule München (today the Technical University of Munich), graduating in 1911 with a degree in Chemical engineering.
In 1920, Constantin Cândea obtained the degree of Doctor in Chemical Sciences from the Faculty of Sciences of Bucharest. Structure of the Faculty of Sciences – 1914, Museum of the University of Bucharest His doctoral dissertation, structured in two parts, addressed both fundamental studies in organic chemistry and analyses concerning the economics of energy resources. The first part, entitled "On the Constitution of Diphenol-, Dithiophenol-, Di-α- and β-Naphthol, Dithionaphthol, Dimethylaniline-, Thionaphthenquinones, α-Naphtholisatin and Their Dye Derivatives", examined the structure and properties of a series of phenolic compounds and their derivatives relevant to dye chemistry. The second part, "The Importance of Petroleum for Romanian Industry", analyzed the strategic role of petroleum in the economic development of Romania during the first half of the twentieth century.
Career and Professional Activity At the beginning of his academic career, Constantin Cândea served as a lecturer at the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Bucharest, the institution where he also earned his doctorate in chemistry. At the same time, he was active as president of the Industrial Studies Circle, where he delivered lectures on policies for the development of Romanian industry. Male Staff of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Bucharest between 1892 and 1943 Museum of the University of Bucharest(in Romanian) Teaching Staff Yearbook of the First Academic Year 1920–1921 of the Polytechnic School of Timișoara. Cartea Românească, Timișoara, 1921, p. 18 News, Viitorul, no. 3810, November 28, 1920, p. 2 News, Lupta, no. 2, December 17, 1921, p. 2
During the first academic year of the Polytechnic School of Timișoara, established following Royal Decree No. 4822 of November 11, 1920, issued by King Ferdinand I, Professor Constantin Cândea founded the chemistry laboratory, while Professor Constantin Stăncescu established the physics laboratory.
As part of his work at the Polytechnic School of Timișoara, during the 1922–1923 academic year, Constantin Cândea also established and directed an official Laboratory for Industrial Research, Studies and Analyses, separate from the teaching laboratories. Establishment of the Laboratory for Industrial Research, Studies and Analyses by Professor Constantin Cândea The laboratory was intended to conduct applied research, technical-scientific studies, and chemical and chemical-engineering analyses for industry.
Organized into several industrial sections (inorganic industry, metallurgy, organic industry, fuels, and general expertise), the laboratory carried out analyses of industrial raw materials, fuels, oils, fats, metals, water, and chemical products, as well as studies with direct industrial applications. Constantin Cândea served as its director, working alongside specialists such as Er. Toporescu, Cerchez Manughevici, C. Ștefănescu, and other academic and technical staff members.
As part of his teaching activity, Constantin Cândea authored several university textbooks used as study materials at the Polytechnic School of Timișoara.
1928 – Course of Inorganic Chemistry: First Year, Polytechnic School of Timișoara Course of Inorganic Chemistry: First Year 1928 – Course of Organic Chemistry: First Year, Polytechnic School of Timișoara Course of Organic Chemistry: First Year 1929 – Course of Organic Chemistry II: Aromatic Series, Polytechnic School of Timișoara Course of Organic Chemistry II: Aromatic Series 1929 – Course of Petroleum Chemistry, Physics and Technology: Second Year, Polytechnic School of Timișoara Course of Petroleum Chemistry, Physics and Technology: Second Year
Throughout his academic career, Constantin Cândea regularly participated in international chemistry congresses, where he annually presented papers on the results of his research in organic and industrial chemistry in The Hague, Liège, Brussels, Prague, Paris, Madrid, Sardinia, Rome, and Nancy.
An important part of his scientific and educational work is today preserved in the collections of the Romanian Academy Library, where it is consulted as a reference source for the history of Romanian chemistry. Works of Professor Constantin Cândea in the Collections of the Romanian Academy Library
As Director of the Institute of Chemistry of the Polytechnic School of Timișoara, Constantin Cândea published numerous specialized studies in Romanian and foreign journals. Among these were "The Upgrading of Romanian Lignites", published in România Petroliferă, no. 393, May 31, 1943, Prof. Dr. Eng. Constantin Cândea The Upgrading of Romanian Lignites România Petroliferă, no. 393, May 31, 1943, pp. 1–3 and "The Utilization of Methane Gas", published in the same journal, no. 394, July 5, 1943, Prof. Dr. Eng. Constantin Cândea The Utilization of Methane Gas România Petroliferă, no. 394, July 5, 1943, pp. 1, 3–4 both reproduced in full by the publication.
On November 22, 1934, following elections for the leadership of the Polytechnic School of Timișoara, Constantin Cândea was elected President of the Council of Deans. Election of the Deans of the Polytechnic School of Timișoara Dimineața, no. 10024, November 23, 1934
Beginning in 1942, Professor Constantin Cândea served as Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Mining and Metallurgy of the Polytechnic School of Timișoara, playing an important role in organizing the faculty's academic and administrative activities. Ministerial Decision No. 200565 of 1942 Official Gazette, Part I, no. 233, October 6, 1942, p. 23
Subsequently, between 1946 and 1947, he served as rector of the Politehnica University of Timișoara—then known as the Polytechnic School of Timișoara.
Technical and Industrial Expertise
Runcu–Scorțeni Investigation
In September 1929, Constantin Cândea participated as a petroleum-industry technical expert in the investigation of a major industrial accident that occurred at Well No. 4 "Romolea" of the Foraky Românească Company History of the Foraky Românească Petroleum Company, 1922–1942 Argeș County Museum, ARGESIS: Studies and Communications, History Series, Vol. XXII, 2013 in the Runcu–Scorțeni oil field area of Prahova County. A New Disaster in the Prahova Oil Region. The Terrible Explosion at the Runcu–Scorțeni Site Dimineața, no. 8166, September 11, 1929, p. 9 The Disaster at the "Romolea" Well Cuvântul, no. 1579, September 13, 1929, p. 3
The explosion occurred during intervention works on the extraction installation and resulted in fatalities, numerous serious injuries, and extensive material damage.
The investigation sought to determine the technical causes of the violent eruption of crude oil and gas, analyze the interventions carried out on the jammed well piston, and assess compliance with technical and safety regulations governing petroleum operations. The inquiry also examined the risks posed by accumulations of flammable gases and the procedures used during pressure-release operations in the well column.
Dr. Eng. Constantin Cândea's participation in this investigation reflected recognition of his scientific and technical expertise in petrochemistry and industrial safety. He was appointed by the Ministry of Labour to identify the causes of the accident, clarify responsibilities, and formulate recommendations aimed at preventing similar accidents in Romania's petroleum-producing regions.
Patents
During his scientific and applied research career, Professor Constantin Cândea held several patents in the fields of industrial chemistry and hydrocarbon use, including:
1932: Constantin Cândea, as principal inventor together with J. Kühn, obtained Patent No. 20787/1932, entitled "Process for the Decomposition of Hydrocarbons into Carbon and Hydrogen". The patent was granted by Royal Decree No. 924 of 1932, published in the Official Gazette, Part I, No. 148 of June 27, 1932. Official Gazette (Part I), No. 148, 27 June 1932 p. 4 In the subsequent detailed publication in the Official Gazette, Part I, No. 151 of June 30, 1932, the other co-applicants and economic holders of the patent are also listed, namely Maria Cassale-Sacchi Alessio Facciolo, Maria Sacchi, a Pioneer of Chemistry L'Araldo Lomellino, March 7, 2025 and the company Cesag A.G., in accordance with the patent's administrative file. Official Gazette (Part I), No. 151, 30 June 1932 p. 73 1934: Constantin Cândea, as principal inventor together with Ilie G. Murgulescu and J. Kühn, obtained Romanian Royal Patent No. 23259/1934, entitled "Conversion of Methane by Metallic Chlorides". The patent is mentioned in the Official Gazette, Part I, No. 118 of May 28, 1945, in the context of the publication of the Ministry of National Education report concerning the transformation of the chemistry lectureship at the Faculty of Mining and Metallurgy of the Polytechnic School of Timișoara into a chair of Analytical and Physical Chemistry, and the appointment of Ilie G. Murgulescu as full professor. Official Gazette (Part I), No. 118, 28 May 1945
Political Activity
In June 1939, Constantin Cândea ran as an independent candidate and was elected a deputy to the Chamber of Deputies, representing the category of "Intellectual Professions" in the Timiș electoral district, in his capacity as an academic and technical personality. He served on the Committee for National Education, Religious Affairs, and Arts. Chamber of Deputies, Session of Thursday, 22 June 1939 Official Gazette, No. 5, June 28, 1939, p. 56 His mandate ended in September 1940 with the dissolution of Parliament. Official Gazette (Part I), No. 128 bis, 6 June 1939