Rudi Karpf

Rudi Karpf is an Honorary Professor at the Technical University of Central Hesse since 2012, specializing in exhaust gas purification and combustion technology within the Department of LSE (Environmental, Hygiene and Safety Engineering). He has extensive industry experience from his time at ABB/Alstom and currently serves as managing partner of ete.a Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH, an engineering consultancy focused on energy and environmental engineering.

Dr. Karpf holds a doctorate from TU Dresden's Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Energy Technology, following studies in energy and heat engineering in Giessen and Dresden. His professional journey began with an apprenticeship as a mechanical engineer, establishing a strong practical foundation for his later academic and consulting work.

Professor Karpf's research focuses on exhaust gas purification systems, particularly for waste incineration plants. His work addresses critical challenges in balancing emission reduction with energy efficiency, developing innovative flue gas cleaning processes, and optimizing existing systems. He has made significant contributions to denitrification technology, notably the introduction and development of High-Dust SCR behind waste incineration plants, and the further development of conditioned dry sorption processes.

His recent publications and lectures demonstrate a growing emphasis on CO2 capture technologies, circular economy integration with waste management, and the evolving regulatory landscape for waste incineration. The trend in his work shows increasing focus on sustainable solutions that balance environmental protection with resource efficiency, particularly in the context of climate change mitigation.

Professional Affiliations:

• Certified expert for exhaust gas purification, Chamber of Industry and Commerce Gießen-Friedberg
• Member of ProcessNet (DECHEMA; VDI-GVC) specialist group Waste Treatment and Recycling
• Member of the expert network WtERT (Waste to Energy Research and Technology Council)
• Appointment to working groups VDI 3460, VDI 3459, and VDI 4635
• Member of project committees at IUTA Duisburg and TU Dresden
• Member of the editorial team of the VDI trade journal HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES Air Quality Control

Professor Karpf has advised on numerous projects involving process optimization to comply with emission limits while reducing operating costs for combustion plants. His consulting work spans power plant technology, industrial processes, waste management, and energy recovery from waste and biomass. He has contributed to significant research projects including investigations of mercury behavior in wet exhaust gas scrubbing, low-temperature SCR development, and determining factors in bromine release from bromine-containing residues.