Deutsche Messe opened the application process for the Hermes Award. Companies and institutions participating in Hannover Messe can submit entries for the award until April 11, 2022. The winner will be announced by Bettina Stark-Watzinger, German Minister of Education and Research, on May 29, 2022 at the Hannover Messe opening ceremony.
Professor Reimund Neugebauer, president of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, chairs the independent jury that nominates three of the submitted entries for the Hermes Award. This jury also selects the winner from the three nominees. Selection criteria include technological innovation; benefit to industry, environment and society; cost-effectiveness; and market readiness.
Bosch Rexroth won the Hermes Award in 2021 for the SVA R2, an electric actuator that controls process valves under water. The device is an energy-efficient and safe alternative to the actuators previously used in offshore oil and gas production. The assembly is self-sufficient with its own fluid circuit and a variable-speed pump drive, which eliminates the need for a central unit and kilometers of conduits and significantly minimizes environmental risks. An SVA R2 requires only a power supply and a data line. A displacement control regulates flow rate according to speed with almost no loss, which simplifies construction and increases energy efficiency.
