TrendingNow – What makes filtration of the pollutants highly effective – this is what lies at the core of Mann+Hummel filtration technologies. The current model – which goes under the vehicle body – is a fine dust eater which boasts of a successful merger of the company’s existing filtration technologies with practical solutions that can be installed in the public domain for the people to experience tangible benefits.
Mr. Jan-Eric Raschke, Director & Chief Product Owner – Fine Dust Eater Team – Outdoor Air Quality, said: “The primary idea is to get away from the exhaust. Roughly 85 per cent of the fine dust emissions of a car are created by the wear and tear of brakes, tyres and the road. Mann+Hummel is working towards offering solutions right away to improve the environment.” This way the company is helping the governments to maintain the legislation limits and bring down the fine dust concentrations in the urban environment. It is possible to retro-fit the equipment too.
Mr. Raschke added: “Our target is to equip every kind of mobility with our products and these are not only meant for the future vehicles but our products such as the brake dust particle filters and mobile fine dust particle filters can be fitted on to the existing fleets too. It is so because the majority of the fine dust creation is independent of the powertrain. It effectively means that the electric vehicles are creating almost as much fine dust as those fitted with combustion engines like diesel or gasoline.” Mann+Hummel is coming up with a variation to their mobile fine dust eaters, which are being called as the stationary fine dust eaters.
He shared: “In the cities, we have hotspots of problems such as the subway or train stations and heavily crowded intersections or the parking lots where the air could be trapped and vehicles are moving about. We do not need to specifically clean the complete city but if we check these hotspots, we can reduce the transition of the fine dust particulates from these spots to the surrounding areas.” The trials are on with the product prototypes being installed in different locations.
IndiaCentric – According to Mr. Pradeep S. Randhawa, VP & MD, India is a prime market for Mann+Hummel’s fine dust eaters – both mobile and stationary versions. He said: “We are working with OEMs in India currently. India is a price sensitive industry and the talk currently is moving to electric vehicles. But battery operated vehicles will not address the non-exhaust emissions but only the exhaust emissions. Mann+Hummel is focused on addressing the non-exhaust emissions which is the fine dust getting generated from the streets, construction, agricultural burning and the like.”
Mann+Hummel is offering an efficient and cost-effective solution at a marginal investment and soon as a trial, Delhi will witness the installation of their product. Official report says that roughly 60 per cent of the seasonal smog in Delhi which is a combination of the onset of winters and post-harvest crop stubble burning can be cleared using their devices.
WhatWorks – The idea of stationary fine dust eater was born in December 2017 and within the next 10 months, Mann+Hummel placed a pilot on a 350 meter long street segment at a certain location in Germany with increased air pollution.
Mr. Raschke shared: “We are proud that it took us – from the idea to realising the idea – a mere few months. We are also specifically proud that besides the filtration solution, we also have full IoT connectivity which enables the system to measure its performance, the pollution and detect weather conditions such as rains. We have designed it specifically to work on low energy consumption enabling it to shut itself down when not in use or when the fine dust concentrations are not so intense triggering the necessity of filtration.”
TechnologyFirst – This 77-year-old company that has been servicing the automotive industry since inception is looking hawk-eyed at pollution the world over in general.
Mr. Harald Kettenbach, VP – Corporate Communications & Marketing, explained: “We are not only looking at the automotive sector but are expanding into other sectors as well because clean air is not just an issue in one industry. Not many people know that we are also active in water filtration. So basically what we are saying is that everything boils down to our core competency which is – filtration.” What is also unique is that Mann+Hummel has created an international startup network for all their subsidiaries and partner company.
He added: “Any technology that is developed in Germany will be immediately transferred to the colleagues worldwide. The feedback received is keenly taken into account and put into the development of our new upcoming products.”
And the key to Mann+Hummel’s success lies in mastering the filtration technology and its application into new segments.