At the start of 2020, filtration specialists, MANN+HUMMEL, and global recycling and environmental services company, the ALBA Group, joined forces to launch a pilot project with the aim of significantly improving air quality standards in Singapore. As part of a series of innovative measures developed by the ALBA Group for the city state, the company’s recycling trucks were fitted with PureAir fine dust particle filter roof boxes from MANN+HUMMEL.
The partnership proved very successful and the two companies now plan to fit more of the ALBA fleet with PureAir roof boxes. The hope, ultimately, is that the technology can be rolled out to wider markets. The roof box design is well-suited to trucks and lorries because they generally operate at lower speeds in environments where there is a high concentration of particulate in the ambient air. These are the ideal performance conditions for the roof box, which means these products can significantly reduce emissions from these vehicles.
“Although electric vehicles are becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide, particulate emissions are still a major problem, especially in cities,” explained Franck Bento, director of sales for New Products at MANN+HUMMEL. “Our technology can make a real difference in tackling this problem, so we’re excited to continue our partnership with the ALBA Group and help them install more of our roof boxes in the near future.”
“It’s vital for us that we protect our environment and preserve our natural resources,” said Thomas Mattscherodt, head of Project Management Office at ALBA W&H Smart City Pte Ltd in Singapore. “In 2019 alone, our recycling operations saved 32.3 million tonnes of primary raw materials and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 4.2 million tonnes compared with producing the same materials from scratch. We’re always looking for ways to reduce our environmental footprint and the PureAir fine dust particle filters provide a really effective way of reducing the particulate pollution generated by our trucks on their rounds.”
The PureAir roof box is a great solution for buses, lorries and other similar use cases. The built-in filter elements are extremely energy efficient. The low flow resistance maximizes the volume of air passing through the filter and guarantees excellent filtration results. According to MANN+HUMMEL, the filter removes over 90% of PM10 particles – that is particles measuring 10 micrometres or less in diameter – from the ambient air. The standard filter element is a PM10 design, but other filters are available on request.
Fans also increase the flow of air through the filter by drawing in ambient air in addition to the airflow generated by the moving vehicle. So even when the vehicle is stationary, the roof box continues to filter particulate out of the ambient air. This low-energy design makes the roof box a very sustainable solution.
Moreover, customers have the option to customize the outside of the roof box with their own company branding or advertising material. As well as working to optimize the aerodynamics, size and efficiency of this product, MANN+HUMMEL has also developed new versions of the technology, including its concept for integrating particulate filters into the front end of cars, which it showcased at the IAA International Motor Show in Frankfurt in 2019.
