Cutting emissions for a cleaner environment
»I'm working on cleaning exhaust gas emissions from trucks,« explains Miriam Florack to her three children when they ask what she's doing on her PC; the engineer can access the computer on the engine test bench from her home office via remote connection. Florack develops exhaust gas aftertreatment systems for commercial vehicles at Daimler Truck AG in Stuttgart.
The FVV is making an important contribution to the transformation of the energy and transport systems through innovative collective research. Part IV/IVb of the FVV fuels studies, for example, showed that climate neutrality can be achieved by 2040 with a mix of technologies if the legal framework is created and companies are free to choose their transformation strategies.
FVV member companies are developing technologies and products that show that combustion engines are fit for the future. The younger generation of managers sometimes tackles challenges differently than before, challenging processes and established structures.
In brief profiles, we introduce people who are working to make engines, vehicles and machines more efficient, cleaner and more durable:
- Miriam Florack develops exhaust aftertreatment systems for commercial vehicles at Daimler Truck in Stuttgart.
- Christoph Weißbacher designs low-friction plain bearings for machines and transmissions.
- Sebastian Wohlgemuth is future-proofing engine manufacturer Hatz with innovative products.
The FVV plays a role in everyone's day-to-day work, but as it turns out, pre-competitive research sometimes comes with limits.
Maths, physics and chemistry were already her favourite subjects at school, so she studied chemical engineering at Münster University of Applied Sciences. »I wanted to understand the background and correlations. Why do reactions follow a certain pattern and how can undesirable side reactions be avoided?« explains Florack. She wrote her thesis on exhaust gas aftertreatment at Daimler Chrysler, as the company was still called at the time. Florack joined the commercial vehicle division, to which she had no contact before, on a trainee programme in 2007. She moved from the flat Münsterland region to the Stuttgart cauldron. It was the right move: »The subject was and is very exciting and versatile. I wasn't previously aware of the high demands placed on trucks; that they can do more than a million kilometres, and how important efficiency and TCO (total cost of ownership) are,« says Florack.
She and her team colleagues develop and test exhaust gas aftertreatment systems for diesel engines and alternative powertrain systems in the laboratory, on the engine test bench and ultimately in road tests. »The combination of desk work and practical experience in the laboratory or on the test bench makes it very rewarding,« says Florack. As an FVV member company, Daimler Truck also benefits from projects that deal with the ageing of exhaust gas aftertreatment systems/components. In the ›Diesel Cat Ageing I‹ project, for example, the ageing of diesel exhaust catalytic converters in operation with biofuels was investigated; in the follow-up project, a rapid test for ageing re-enactment was developed. Other projects focussed on the mechanisms of deposit formation on the surface of exhaust gas aftertreatment systems or the influence of new silicon-containing fuels on EGR components.
Diesel engines will continue to power trucks and buses for many years to come. The aim is to comply with the upcoming Euro 7 standard, and the years leading up to the decision on the limit values were no fun for Florack and her colleagues in the team: »We started development very early on and had already done a lot. The limit values initially planned were extremely low and close to the detection limit. We weren't sure whether this was even feasible.« But things turned out differently and Euro 7 was significantly tightened up a few months ago. Is she happy about that? »We are pleased that a viable solution has now been found. For companies, it is a reasonable balance between reducing environmental impact, costs of ownership and development expenditure. This will benefit the progress of the transformation and the development of zero-emission technologies.« Because that's exactly what it's all about: making the air cleaner, cutting emissions and protecting the environment.
Miriam Florack is a member of the FVV's Research Committee, which decides which projects to support. She is also the contact person at Daimler Truck when exciting new FVV projects come up. The topic of hydrogen in particular is currently occupying industry and research. In addition to electric and fuel cell powertrain technology, the hydrogen combustion engine will have a large market share in the commercial vehicle sector, Florack is certain. The challenges will then no longer be CO2 or soot particles, but nitrogen oxides and water in the exhaust gas. »But we can handle that quite well with the means we use today,« says the engineer.
Florack would like to bring the FVV on board more often for some issues, but this is not always possible due to time pressure. For example, it occasionally happens that Daimler Truck has an idea for a new research project that would fit into FVV's work scope, but: »The problem is sometimes that it takes a very long time, including all the decision-making and financing processes, before a project can even start,« says Florack. What is not a problem for basic research is a barrier in the commercial automotive industry. Large corporations are not necessarily known for making quick decisions, but sometimes a result is needed without any delay.
Miriam FlorackA lot of my work is meaningful, and it's a good feeling to be able to contribute to both – the energy transition in transport and a cleaner environment.
Daimler Truck has several major projects in the pipeline until 2030; Euro 7 continues to play a role, as do hydrogen combustion engines, of course. »A lot of my work is meaningful, and it's a good feeling to be able to contribute to both – the energy transition in transport and a cleaner environment,« says Florack.
In her free time, which is limited with three children, she goes to the tennis court, plays in a team and takes part in tournaments. And if she wants to take it easy, it's only a few minutes from her home in Stuttgart-Feuerbach to the forest – with all its fresh air.
