Technical Committee Storage, Transportation and Distribution

AdBlue as a Reducing Agent for the Decrease of NOx Emissions from Diesel Engines of Commercial Vehicles Part 2: Laboratory and Field Testing of AdBlue AdBlue Logistics

In order to comply with stringent exhaust gas emission standards issued by the European Union for 2005 and 2008 for diesel engines of HD (heavy duty) commercial vehicles, the European automobile industry has chosen the „selective catalytic reduction“ (SCR) technology. By this method, nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions can be reduced by 60 % vis-àvis current standards. In addition they agreed to use „AdBue“, an aqueous solution of urea, as a reducing agent, which is needed to reduce the oxides of nitrogen into elementary nitrogen. The first vehicles equipped with this new technology will be launched in January 2005.

This report explains the mechanism of the SCR/urea technique and outlines production as well as physical, chemical and environmental properties of urea and AdBlue. It summarises the results of laboratory and field tests, which were run in order to investigate the technical and logistical requirements of this new technique, and it describes first experiences gained at public service stations, which have been equipped with an AdBlue filling station. Finally, the report reflects on what is needed for the build-up of an AdBlue distribution network.