Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AeroSolfd (Fast track to cleaner, healthier urban Aerosols by market ready Solutions of retrofit Filtration Devices for tailpipe, brake systems and closed environments)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-05-01 al 2023-10-31
AeroSolfd is an EU-co-funded Innovation Action that addresses quick wins in the reduction of the overall footprint of the existing vehicles by developing retrofit filtration devices for tailpipe, brake, and semi-closed environments. The focus is on reducing a) particle/nitrogen oxide (NOx) for tailpipe emissions of present gasoline engines, b) filtering brake emissions of (municipal) busses and c) reducing overall exposure levels at metro stations by delivering cleaner air at such semi-closed environments. (For the development of the tailpipe retrofit solution the partner VERT is receiving funding by State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI))
Based on the latest Harvard research, globally 10.2 million people per year die prematurely solely due to traffic-generated emissions. These particles contribute to poor local air, soil, and water quality, severely impacting human health. For the next decade, the existing vehicle fleet will continue emitting fine particles and ultrafine particles, as well as gaseous toxic compounds such as NOx until a full transition to zero-exhaust-emission vehicles takes place. While retrofit filters have been installed for diesel particle emissions in the past 20 years, the worldwide gasoline fleet segment, introduced before 2018, currently drives without any filtering technology (EURO 6c and earlier). In contrast to exhaust emissions, toxic particles from brakes, tires and rail-wheel contact have not yet been regulated and the first legislation is introduced with EURO 7. To limit these harmful effects, retrofit solutions to reduce emissions through tailpipe and brake wear of existing vehicles must be urgently developed and introduced to the market.
AeroSolfd aims for immediate impact on cleaner urban mobility; the solutions will be retrofit filtration devices replacing existing exhaust treatment, adding filtration to brake systems, and installing air purifiers at metro stations. The overall project methodology is built on two pillars A) development to bring existing retrofit technologies from TRL 4-7 to TRL 8 and B) market preparation including sustainability assessment, raising public awareness, stakeholder engagement and proposal of incentive schemes.
Based on the latest Harvard research, globally 10.2 million people per year die prematurely solely due to traffic-generated emissions. These particles contribute to poor local air, soil, and water quality, severely impacting human health. For the next decade, the existing vehicle fleet will continue emitting fine particles and ultrafine particles, as well as gaseous toxic compounds such as NOx until a full transition to zero-exhaust-emission vehicles takes place. While retrofit filters have been installed for diesel particle emissions in the past 20 years, the worldwide gasoline fleet segment, introduced before 2018, currently drives without any filtering technology (EURO 6c and earlier). In contrast to exhaust emissions, toxic particles from brakes, tires and rail-wheel contact have not yet been regulated and the first legislation is introduced with EURO 7. To limit these harmful effects, retrofit solutions to reduce emissions through tailpipe and brake wear of existing vehicles must be urgently developed and introduced to the market.
AeroSolfd aims for immediate impact on cleaner urban mobility; the solutions will be retrofit filtration devices replacing existing exhaust treatment, adding filtration to brake systems, and installing air purifiers at metro stations. The overall project methodology is built on two pillars A) development to bring existing retrofit technologies from TRL 4-7 to TRL 8 and B) market preparation including sustainability assessment, raising public awareness, stakeholder engagement and proposal of incentive schemes.
AeroSolfd is a collaborative Innovation Action coordinated by MANN+HUMMEL, Germany. The consortium consists of large industrial players, renowned scientific institutes, and lighthouse demo sites from nine European countries. The development work is organized into four major Work Packages (WP). For each of the three filtration solutions there is a separate WP, while the WP focusing on sustainability is an overarching one.
WP 1) Tailpipe retrofit filters.
The innovative filters will replace the underfloor silencer to significantly reduce particle number (PN)-emissions in existing gasoline vehicles of the high mileage urban fleets currently driving without any filter technology (Euro 6c and earlier). The extensive work of matching vehicles/engines, EURO classification, and injection types with market occurrence, vehicle availability, and technical requirements has been completed. Four types of vehicles/engines have been selected to focus on. Owners of such vehicles are now asked to join the field testing. For around 300 used vehicles the PN testing has been completed, 700 more are to be included. Four representative used vehicles have been selected for detailed analysis of extensive exhaust emissions testing. The innovative filter technology has been identified, geometrically matched with the vehicle/engine sizes. Field trials with the retrofitted vehicles are currently prepared.
WP 2) Brake dust particle filter as a retrofit solution
An existing passive brake dust particle filter (BDPF) concept for passenger cars is modified for bus and commercial vehicle brake applications. For assessing the brake emissions of a municipal bus, first, a representative driving/brake cycle had to be developed. Based on the measurement of busses driving in the partner cities, the brake events have been recorded and a brake driving cycle has been derived. The filter design has been already optimized by simulation and will be evaluated in the next steps in lab tests. To prepare the market entry, exchange with the transport authority has been started to seek a type approval for the retrofit device.
WP 3) Stationary air purifiers for semi-closed environments
To decrease the concentration of fine particles in semi-closed spaces, such as bus depots and metro stations, effective stationary air purifiers are developed and optimized. Pre-testing of how air purifiers can improve air quality in a semi-closed environment has been successfully done. Emissions of a typical metro brake have been analysed. From this result it is possible to trace the contribution of brake emissions to the overall particle concentration at the station. Installation of the stationary air purifiers and measurement equipment at one metro station is ongoing.
WP 4) Sustainability
The overall sustainability assessment considers the environmental, health and social dimensions of the AeroSolfd retrofit solutions. A sustainable framework, integrating the human and environmental risk, the environmental life cycle, and the social life cycle assessment, was developed. The first main step of identifying the assessment methodologies, data requirements and a data collection plan for each of the assessments, has been successfully achieved. The assessment is made considering achievements in line with the ambitions of the EU Green Deal, the Zero Pollution Action Plan, and the UN sustainable development goals. The results will help to document the improvements in sustainability and societal benefits and to support the market uptake of the retrofit solutions aiming for cleaner urban mobility.
WP 1) Tailpipe retrofit filters.
The innovative filters will replace the underfloor silencer to significantly reduce particle number (PN)-emissions in existing gasoline vehicles of the high mileage urban fleets currently driving without any filter technology (Euro 6c and earlier). The extensive work of matching vehicles/engines, EURO classification, and injection types with market occurrence, vehicle availability, and technical requirements has been completed. Four types of vehicles/engines have been selected to focus on. Owners of such vehicles are now asked to join the field testing. For around 300 used vehicles the PN testing has been completed, 700 more are to be included. Four representative used vehicles have been selected for detailed analysis of extensive exhaust emissions testing. The innovative filter technology has been identified, geometrically matched with the vehicle/engine sizes. Field trials with the retrofitted vehicles are currently prepared.
WP 2) Brake dust particle filter as a retrofit solution
An existing passive brake dust particle filter (BDPF) concept for passenger cars is modified for bus and commercial vehicle brake applications. For assessing the brake emissions of a municipal bus, first, a representative driving/brake cycle had to be developed. Based on the measurement of busses driving in the partner cities, the brake events have been recorded and a brake driving cycle has been derived. The filter design has been already optimized by simulation and will be evaluated in the next steps in lab tests. To prepare the market entry, exchange with the transport authority has been started to seek a type approval for the retrofit device.
WP 3) Stationary air purifiers for semi-closed environments
To decrease the concentration of fine particles in semi-closed spaces, such as bus depots and metro stations, effective stationary air purifiers are developed and optimized. Pre-testing of how air purifiers can improve air quality in a semi-closed environment has been successfully done. Emissions of a typical metro brake have been analysed. From this result it is possible to trace the contribution of brake emissions to the overall particle concentration at the station. Installation of the stationary air purifiers and measurement equipment at one metro station is ongoing.
WP 4) Sustainability
The overall sustainability assessment considers the environmental, health and social dimensions of the AeroSolfd retrofit solutions. A sustainable framework, integrating the human and environmental risk, the environmental life cycle, and the social life cycle assessment, was developed. The first main step of identifying the assessment methodologies, data requirements and a data collection plan for each of the assessments, has been successfully achieved. The assessment is made considering achievements in line with the ambitions of the EU Green Deal, the Zero Pollution Action Plan, and the UN sustainable development goals. The results will help to document the improvements in sustainability and societal benefits and to support the market uptake of the retrofit solutions aiming for cleaner urban mobility.
Two deliverables have been published going beyond the state-of-the-art: 1) brake driving cycle for urban buses and 2) sustainability framework for retrofit solutions aiming at improving air quality. While the brake driving cycle is needed to measure the effect of city buses on urban air quality and to evaluate the retrofit filtration solution, the sustainability framework is needed to create awareness and to provide good reasons for regulations to support market uptake. Both are not limited to European applications. An exchange with international organizations and governmental agencies in other countries will provide access to a larger market making it commercially more attractive.