Update on the MANN+HUMMEL Chair

A long-term working relationship between Mann+Hummel and Centrale Nantes, via the LHEEA, began over 13 years ago with several collaborative projects. These joint research activities led to the creation of two chairs led by David Chalet. The first between 2014 and 2018 was on "Innovative intake manifolds and thermal management". A new chair is underway, until 2023, on a different topic: "Filtration systems: fluid dynamics and reduced energy consumption". Read on for an update on this chair!

on May 9, 2022

The current Chair aims to develop innovative filtration systems to improve air quality in the surrounding environment, while reducing the energy consumption of the entire system. These filtration systems can be found inside vehicles, on station platforms and in engine systems. A full-time research team of engineers and PhD students are working on this Chair.

PhD theses within Mann+Hummel/Centrale Nantes Chair

The first PhD thesis to be conducted as part of this chair, was completed in 2021. Matisse Lesage worked for 3 years on the topic: "Cabin air quality improvement by smart air filtration with energy savings in vehicles". His research work covered two aspects:

Improving cabin air quality with respect to polluted outside air (fine particles), but also the increase in the rate of CO2 linked to the presence of passengers: a compromise was therefore required between air renewal (with respect to CO2) and preservation of cabin air quality with respect to polluted outside air (especially in urban or semi-urban environments). The tests focused on the use of an intelligent (controllable) multi-layer filtration system with advanced technologies such as HEPA, but also on the quantification of air introduced into the passenger compartment by infiltration (due to the non-sealed nature of the vehicle).
Reduced energy consumption related to heating and cooling of cabin air while taking into account air quality constraints. The application was carried out on an electric vehicle, which extended the vehicle's range.

Matisse defended and received his PhD degree on 8 December 2021 in front of a panel of experts:

Prof. Sofiane Khelladi, Prof. David Chalet, Dr. Matisse Lesage, Dr. Patrice Blondeau, Jérôme Migaud, Prof. Céline Morin

Recent participation in scientific conferences and publications

The Chair's results are published in scientific articles and at international conferences, the most recent of which:

E. Thébault, V. Raimbault, B. Junginger, M. Dos Santos Ascensao, Q. Montaigne, D. Chalet, G. Opperbeck, F. Keller – Toward an emission-neutral vehicle by integrating a particulate filter system into the frontend – 22th Stuttgart International Symposium, Automotive and Engine Technologie, Stuttgart, Germany, March 15-16, 2022
P.-E. Prétot, C. Schulz, D. Chalet, J. Migaud, M. Bogdan – Fast method to design air filtration solution at low energy cost in subterranean train stations – 7th World Congress on Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering (CSEE'22), Lisbon, Portugal, April 10-11, DOI 10.11159/iceptp22.167, 2022 – Best Paper Award

The team also recently published an article in an international journal on the modelling of infiltration in a vehicle interior:

M. Lesage, D. Chalet, J. Migaud - Experimental analysis and quantification of air infiltration into a passenger car cabin - Transportation Research Part D Transport and Environment, Volume 99, ISSN 1361-9209, DOI: 10.1016/j.trd.2021.103006, 2021

Mann+Hummel/Centrale Nantes Chair Testing

In order to carry out these studies, experimental tests are carried out either to characterise phenomena and develop appropriate simulation codes, or to validate numerical results. Even if some engine bench testing is carried out (in line with past research activity), this is more rare today compared to tests on complete vehicles or in-situ testing for specific experiments (such as railway stations).