Pilot project to reduce particulate matter pollution at Stuttgart’s Neckartor begins with installation of first filter columns

On Wednesday, November 28, the installation of the first eight so-called Filter Cubes III of the filtration specialist MANN+HUMMEL from Ludwigsburg began. The pilot project is intended to test whether the use of the technology can reduce fine dust pollution and thus, if necessary, the days with limit values exceeded at the Neckartor. The city of Stuttgart will be responsible for setting up the air filter columns around the Neckartor in Stuttgart and supplying them with electricity.


Model calculations by an independent simulation office based on data from 2016 and 2017 have shown a reduction in total particulate matter concentrations for Stuttgart Neckartor. The theoretical results are now being tested in practice.

The filter columns from MANN+HUMMEL are 3.60 meters tall and each consist of three assembled components, the Cubes. Equipped with fine dust particle filters and energy-efficient fans, they are capable of extracting 80 percent of the fine dust from the ambient air drawn in, while consuming very little energy. A control unit can be used to adjust the operation of the fine dust particle filters as required and thus respond to the current air quality. Integrated sensors record air and weather data, which is compiled and analyzed in a cloud.

Kai Knickmann, Managing Director Original Equipment at MANN+HUMMEL, explained, “With our newly developed Filter Cube, we want to reduce fine dust pollution at the Neckartor in Stuttgart. It is part of our Fine Dust Eater technology platform, which includes various filter technologies for stationary applications or vehicles. Wherever fine dust pollution is particularly high, we want our technologies to help protect people’s health.”

Christoph Erdmenger, Head of Department for Sustainable Mobility at the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Transport, said, “What convinced us about the project proposal is that the 17 filter columns are intended to have an effect not just at one point, but in an entire section of road. This means that the project has the potential to protect local residents. The project also shows that although the state government is focused on the main source of particulate matter, car traffic, it is taking promising measures in all areas.”

Rainer Kapp, Head of the Urban Climatology Department at the state capital Stuttgart, said, “In 2018, Stuttgart has the chance for the first time to comply with the particulate matter limits in the entire urban area at the end of the year. We have achieved this through a bundle of different measures that are now taking effect. We do not want to slacken our efforts in this regard. Our goal is still to reduce particulate matter concentrations. That is why we support projects that aim to ensure cleaner air in Stuttgart. MANN+HUMMEL’s idea of using air filter columns to clean the air sounds promising. We now want to test the effect of the method in a pilot project under real conditions and over a longer period of time.”

In Stuttgart, pollution with the air pollutants particulate matter PM10 and nitrogen dioxide has been reduced in recent years. Exceedances of the limit values for particulate matter now only occur at Neckartor. For nitrogen dioxide, on the other hand, the limit value for the annual average is still exceeded - as in many other German cities.

(Joint press release of the Ministry of Transport, the state capital Stuttgart and the company MANN+HUMMEL)