2. Know more about the
latest announcements
impacting industry, from a
scalable EV charging concept,
to microplastic filters.
3. Industrial is
a front runner
in combining
human ingenuity
with technology
and innovation.
Thomas Rinn
Senior Managing Director,
Global Industrial Sector Lead, Accenture
4. Siemens and Nexii launch
scalable EV charging concept
Siemens and Nexii Building Solutions have unveiled the
VersiCharge XL concept, developed to help charge fleets of
electric cars at speed and scale. The modular design transforms
existing parking lots and buildings into above-ground, enclosed,
low-carbon electric fueling stations. Because it’s above ground,
the VersiCharge XL eliminates timely and costly urban
construction issues and reduces construction waste. The weather-
resistant enclosure will be able to charge large numbers of electric
vehicles at locations such as office or even stadium parking lots.
A prototype was installed in just three days at Siemens’ Sentron
Busway systems, located at its R&D hub in the US, using Nexii’s
sustainable Nexiite building material, which has similar properties
to concrete but is developed more sustainably.
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5. Airbus, GE, Safran develop
hydrogen aircraft engine
Airbus has joined with CFM International (made up of General
Electric and Safran Aircraft Engines) to co-develop a hydrogen-
fueled engine that could one day power zero-emission aircraft.
The team plans to ground and flight test a direct combustion
engine using an A380 testbed with liquid hydrogen tanks
by 2035. Airbus will oversee the operation and outline the
hydrogen propulsion system requirements, while the rest of the
team will adapt GE Aviation’s turbofan, typically used in large
business jets. The new venture supports each party’s pledge
to develop technology needed to help the aviation industry
achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
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6. Wärtsilä and Grimaldi filter
ocean microplastics
Wärtsilä and shipping company Grimaldi Group have launched
a new system designed to capture microplastics from ocean
water. Microplastics are an enormous environmental problem,
with an estimated eight million metric tons of plastic ending up
in the ocean each year. Grimaldi developed a system that traps
microplastics from open loop scrubber wash-water before it’s
returned to the ocean. Scrubbers are exhaust gas cleaning
systems fitted to ships, which use seawater to help reduce
sulphur content in exhaust gas before discharging the water
back into the sea. Wärtsilä will help take the solution to market
by integrating it into its own wash-water treatment system.
Tests show the system could capture 76 particles per
m3 of water.
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7. Doosan develops ammonia-
powered hydrogen turbine
Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction is co-developing
a hydrogen turbine power plant that uses hydrogen sourced
from ammonia. The turbine is being developed in response
to a government drive in South Korea to commercialize mixed
combustion technologies that burn more than 30 percent
of hydrogen with natural gas by 2035. Doosan is also working
with Korea Midland Power and JC Energy on a 100-megawatt
fuel cell power generation project in an industrial complex, with
Doosan overseeing operations, maintenance, and construction,
as well as supplying a hydrogen turbine and fuel cells.
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8. Samsung pioneers carbon
capture for ships
Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and PANASIA have developed
an ‘Onboard Carbon Capture’ system designed to extract
carbon dioxide emitted from the exhausts of Liquefied Natural
Gas (LNG) fueled vessels. The system, which has received
preliminary approvals from regulators in South Korea, separates
and collects the gas from ship engine or generator exhausts
using an amine-based liquid absorbent. The technology is
currently undergoing testing in a pilot facility, and SHI hopes to
commercialize it by 2024. The system is aimed at both reducing
the environmental impact of the maritime industry and helping
increase demand for LNG-fueled vessels.
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9. Qualcomm and Bosch
Rexroth showcase
the power of 5G
Qualcomm Technologies and Bosch Rexroth have demonstrated
some of the end-to-end internet of things solutions that 5G is
making a reality for the industrial industry. The two companies
have been working on a joint research initiative, with recent
examples including ultra-low latency and time-synchronized
networking and precise positioning of an autonomous mobile
robot (AMR) and an assisted guided vehicle (AGV). The system,
demonstrated at a factory in Salzgitter, Germany, optimizes the
inspection of manufactured automotive parts and automates the
acceptance or rejection of those parts. It can be installed
anywhere in a factory with 5G connectivity to help improve
operational efficiency and reduce costs.
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10. Continental transforms
tire tech with
continuous analytics
Continental has announced a new digital tire management
system—ContiConnect 2.0. The system comprises a new web
portal and app and helps fleet-owners harness data analytics
and artificial intelligence to coordinate vehicle and tire services
in ways that reduce costs and CO2 emissions. ContiConnect 2.0
builds on Continental’s original system by enabling continuous
tracking of the tire condition of cars, trucks, buses and off-road
vehicles. Fleet owners will be able to see remaining mileage,
tread depth and other factors thanks to new integrations, all in
the easy-to-use platform online and in-app. Continuous
analytics will also ensure information is up to date and issues
are addressed promptly, increasing vehicle uptime.
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11. 3M and Ferrovial partner
for safer smart roads
3M’s Transportation Safety Division has expanded its partnership
with infrastructure company Ferrovial to develop AIVIA Smart Roads.
The AIVIA consortium collaborates with industry leaders including
Microsoft, Kapsch, Capgemini and Telefonica to design new solutions
for future smart roads that will improve safety, travel times, and
communication with motorists. Its ultimate aim is to accelerate the
adoption of connected, autonomous vehicles. Its pilot project, the North
Tarrant Express (NTE), is an 11-mile road connecting Dallas and Fort Worth
that has been installed with 3M’s Impact Detection System. The system
can identify when a vehicle knocks any part of that infrastructure, then
send real time notifications to the relevant parties tasked with
maintaining it. In the future, the consortium plans to trial sensors that
monitor vehicle behavior in order to help reduce or even prevent accidents.
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