ROMA – A new particulate filter for electric cars capable of trapping airborne particles. A technical solution that bears the signature of Audi and which not only already has a name, “Urban Purifier”, but was already officially presented last weekend at the Greentech Festival in London.
“Regardless of the propulsion technology of a car, 85% of the fine dust associated with vehicular mobility is due to the friction of the braking surfaces and the abrasion of tires and asphalt,” explain the engineers from Ingolstadt.
And if we consider that the finest particulate particles are less than 10 micrometers in size, it goes without saying that inhaling them is something easy and frequent. In the last year, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended significantly lower particulate limits than in the past, but according to experts in many urban areas it is now impossible to meet these values.
How to do? Hence the idea Audi, which together with the supplier Mann + Hummel has developed an innovative filtering system that collects and traps vehicular and environmental particulate. The operation follows the logic of static systems, already in use in many cities. The variant dedicated to electric cars guarantees the absorption not only of the fine dust generated by the cars themselves, but also of those related to the urban environment and to the mobility of other vehicles, acting right there where a large part of the particulate matter is produced.
“The pilot project launched in 2020 has a duration of four years,” explains Fabian Groh, Project Manager Attachment System at Audi AG. “The new particulate filter system is an example of how Audi innovation benefits both the individual customer and the community and is the result of fruitful collaboration with suppliers. This solution, which at the moment is an exclusive initiative of the brand, we foresee that in the not too distant future it could become a legal obligation “.
“The filter is located in the front part of the vehicle, upstream of the radiator, in order to require minimal structural adjustments”, they explain again to the parent company. “The filter element is integrated in the flow collector dedicated to cooling the power electronics and the mechanical action of the system is comparable to that of a vacuum cleaner. The particles remain trapped in the filter section, while the air continues its path ”.
At the moment the system has been tested on board the Audi e-tron, and after more than 50,000 kilometers of development the response has been positive: the new filters have had no negative effect on the operation of the SUV, even on summer days or when recharging. quick.
But that is not all. To make the system even more efficient, Audi is working with Mann + Hummel for a connection with public infrastructures, such as weather stations, in order to parameterize the action of the filters to the climatic conditions and integrate the information on the results of the filtering action. And even the maintenance will not involve particular problems, since the replacement of the Urban Purifier will be made on the occasion of the standard coupons. (fp)