The prestigious German Environmental Award 2011 has been granted to Dr Joachim Alfred Wünning and Dr Joachim Georg Wünning, a father and son team and the founder and manager of IFRF member organisation WS Wärmeprozesstechnik, based in Germany and the US. 

The organization has been commended as a “trendsetter in sustainability”, for developing the flameless technology FLOX and thereby setting “new standards worldwide” for energy saving and emission reduction in high temperature combustion equipment.

The German Federal Environment Foundation DBU has promoted innovative and exemplary environmental projects, investing some 1.4 billion €uro in 7800 projects since 1991.  The annual DBU award covers a diversified range and in 2011 was devoted to the small firm sector.  This year the 500,000 €uro endowment was shared by two German companies. 

Criteria included:

• model for other organizations
• wise application of environmental strategies
• virtuous imitation effects and
• cooperative R&D solutions

Bestowing the award, the secretary general of DBU said, “The Wünning father-and-son team stands for the harmonious combination of economy and ecology.  Their successful business activities, together with their world-class technological and scientific achievements, have been an important factor in bringing about a more efficient use of energy and a considerable reduction in emissions from high-temperature processes, such as in the steel, glass or chemical industry, and in making Germany a global market leader in this sector.”

Click on the DBU link above for the full story.

The systematic R&TD of FLOX combines a scientific and technical approach that is consistent with the spirit of the IFRF.  The FLOX® firing technology was discovered and extensively developed by WS, but flameless combustion was also investigated with several trials at the IFRF research station in IJmuiden.  The technology is considered as a milestone in reducing NOx emissions and is currently applied to several high temperature fuel fired processes and equipment.  A number of IFRF technical reports  (search keyword HTAC) and IFRF Handbook Combustion Files  (search flameless combustion) on the topic are available to IFRF Members.

On behalf of the greater IFRF community, the Livorno team congratulates Drs. Wünning and the staff of our member company WS on this outstanding acknowledgment of technical- scientific excellence.