In a few years, their technology may be adopted by dozens of car, bus, train or metro manufacturers.
Since 2012, engineers from Tallano Technologie, a research firm based in Boulogne-Billancourt (Hauts-de-Seine), have been working on braking solutions that suck in and store the emissions of polluting particles resulting from the abrasion of brake pads. .
"Do you see the black film on your car rims?"
It is the worn lining of the brakes that sticks together, illustrates Christophe Rocca-Serra, the CEO of Tallano.
This filling is composed of metal filaments agglomerated with glue.
With each brake application, this dust falls on the road, then crumbles in the air.
And yet, today we have solutions to significantly reduce these particles.
It is a huge project and a real fight, environmental and health.
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In France, the brakes would produce 9,000 tonnes of dust per year
Reduced to the state of fine particles and inhaled by millions of people, this micro-dust is extremely harmful to health, just like the fumes coming out of exhaust pipes.
According to evaluations, particles related to braking represent 20% of polluting dust in the air.
In France alone, the brakes produce 9,000 tonnes of dust per year.
In Europe, the cumulation is estimated at 100,000 tonnes.
Long neglected, the problem of fine particles caused by brakes is a health issue for the future.
While the latest engine standards (Euro 6) impose very low emission thresholds for gasoline or diesel engines, this source of pollution has not yet been taken into account.
But things could change with the implementation of the more demanding Euro 7 standard, expected by 2025. To be in the nails, car manufacturers could be forced to equip their new models with “clean brakes”.
Average cost to equip a car: 200 euros
This major technological change has been brewing for years.
With his partner Jean-Louis Juchault, Christophe Rocca-Serra has been working since 2012 on a continuous suction technique for dust, at the very source of emissions, under the wheels.
Their patented technology, called Tamic, has already been tested and purchased by several car manufacturers in Europe.
Tamic reduces particulate emissions from braking by 85%.
Average cost to equip a car: around 200 euros.
VIDEO.
Tamic, a patented technology
Besides the road, the other field of application of this technology is rail transport.
The enormous train brakes generate tons of dust, which accumulates in tunnels and on underground platforms.
In Ile-de-France, the Paris Respire association regularly alerts the public authorities to the very high levels of air pollution detected in metro stations, up to eight times higher than those of outside air.
Dust associated with brakes is one of the main sources.
A complaint against the RATP was also filed at the beginning of the year by Paris Respire for "aggravated deception" and "unintentional injuries" so that the authority takes strong measures.
Read alsoThe air in the metro and RER is up to 8 times more polluted than outside!
Tallano Technologie's teams are carrying out experiments on trains equipped with their own brakes with SNCF in Ile-de-France, but not with RATP for the moment. Partnerships are also underway with an operator in Seoul (South Korea) and another in China. “Equipping a train with brakes to suck in particles costs around 10,000 euros,” explains Jean-Louis Juchault. A sum ultimately modest compared to the expected benefits for the well-being of passengers and employees of the railway sector.
