Series:
Transport and Environment
atene KOM‘s series of publications, “Transport and Environment”, offers a broad spectrum of content and interdisciplinarity in the fields of transport and the environment. It publishes in-depth articles on traffic-related pollution and its consequences, but also on current challenges and trends with regard to environmentally friendly alternative propulsion systems. The series serves the exchange of knowledge and the accompaniment of current discourses.
The articles of the series appear at irregular intervals several times a year and can be downloaded free of charge as PDF files from this page.
The articles are available in German only.
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Contribution 4 (2019): Hydrogen and fuel cell technology
Alternatives to fossil fuels are crucial for the reduction of CO2 and pollutant emissions in view of the growing energy requirements of the economy and the growing world population. The use of hydrogen as an energy source and fuel cells, for example for the operation of vehicles, can help to achieve the desired decarbonisation and thus make an important contribution to environmental protection.
This article from the Transport and Environment series explains the physical and chemical fundamentals of fuel cell technology and shows why hydrogen, as a clean energy carrier, may have a great future ahead of it.
Contribution 3 (2019): Hybrid, electric, fuel cell: a comparison of alternative drive technologies
Society’s need for individual mobility has been growing steadily for decades, with combustion engines based on the oil products gasoline and diesel having been the dominant drive technology to date. However, alternative drive systems are becoming increasingly important. They are attractive because they offer opportunities for reducing local emissions and can also contribute to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions through the consistent use of renewable energy sources.
The article explains how hybrid, electric and fuel cell drives differ in terms of functionality, economic and ecological aspects.
Contribution 2 (2018): Nitrogen oxide (NOx) limit values and measurement methods for monitoring concentrations of nitrogen oxides in ambient air
The combustion of fossil fuels produces a whole range of toxic substances, including the group of nitrogen oxides, colloquially known as NOx. Older diesel engines in particular produce considerable amounts of nitrogen oxides during combustion, which are released unfiltered into the environment. Legal limit values have been introduced in order to reduce the exposure to nitrogen oxides. The nitrogen oxide concentration is measured and monitored at air monitoring stations installed in public spaces. This article provides an overview of the legally stipulated nitrogen oxide limit values and describes the chemical-analytical procedure with which these values are continuously monitored.
Contribution 1 (2018): Chemical processes involved in the formation of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in diesel and petrol engines
Nitrogen oxides play the main role in the current debate on the pollution caused by diesel vehicles. Nitrogen oxides, i.e. the oxygen compounds of nitrogen – often referred to as NOx – cause health and environmental hazards. Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in particular is held responsible for respiratory diseases and is regarded as one of the causes of increased ozone concentrations in summer (photochemical smog).
The first article in the series deals with the formation of nitrogen oxides by diesel and gasoline engines and shows the chemical processes that are responsible for the high nitrogen oxide emissions from combustion engines.