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The innovative exhaust gas control technology, called SCR, radically transforms studies and changes applied to conventional engines currently available on the market. As a matter of fact, the point of action of this technology shifts downstream along the engine running cycle, no longer intervening during combustion through fume recirculation channels and ducts, but after combustion, by adding AdBlue to these fumes before entering the catalytic converter.
This means that the new Euro 4 and Euro 5 engines are structurally simpler, while also allowing to save in terms of maintenance and service. AdBlue consists of a reagent, urea and water. The heat in the exhaust system converts urea, micronized through the appropriate injector, into carbon dioxide and ammonia. This is the active substance and the main component of the process that takes place within the SCR catalytic converter.

During the subsequent chemical-catalytic process, nitrogen oxides are transformed into nitrogen gas and water vapour. Nitrogen gas is a natural element in the air we breathe. Any ammonia residue is removed in the integrated Clean-up catalytic converter. AdBlue is a stable and colourless product, similar to water and it absolutely harmless (non-explosive, non-toxic, non-flammable) and odourless, without any storage and transportation restrictions.
The AdBlue quality level is guaranteed and the additive meets DIN 70070 standard. The liquid consists of 32.5% urea diluted in deionised water. 
The consumption of this product, controlled through an appropriate control unit, occurs in percentage with respect to the consumption of diesel fuel. This percentage ranges from 3-5% for Euro 4 engines up to 6-9% for Euro 5 engines. New vehicles will be fitted with appropriate 40 l to 90 l fuel tanks, thus providing a range of almost 2000 km before refilling with AdBlue. The new SCR technology has added countless benefits. The redesigned engines provide improved performance, increased reliability, longer service intervals and reduced fuel consumption.

Synthesis production to ensure the quality of AdBlue

In order to meet the Euro IV and Euro V and the future Euro VI standards, the heavy-duty diesel engine vehicle manufacturers have adopted the SCR technology, an emission treatment system which, by using AdBlue, converts the nitrogen oxides (NOx) of the exhaust gases into harmless substances such as nitrogen and water vapour.

In order for the SCR system to operate in a stable manner and without any technical problems for long periods, the AdBlue used must be of high quality and meet specific and restrictive quality criteria as regards production, packaging and transportation.

The quality standards were laid down by the European Chemical Industry Council (CEFIC) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 22241) to ensure users that AdBlue provides the performance required by diesel engine manufacturers.

Synthetic AdBlue is certainly the primary guarantee of the quality of the product.

There are 2 types of AdBlue production processes:

  1. Synthesis production – the product being directly derived from a urea plant and being diluted with demineralised water on the plant line

  2. Dissolution of solid urea in demineralised water using small mixers

Let's look deeper into the processes and risks involved.

AdBlue synthesis production

The AdBlue synthesis production envisages - upstream - the existence of a plant run continuously for the production of technical urea1.

A urea plant requires a sizeable investment (about 300 M€) and it is now rarely approved in Europe because the starting point for the reaction in turn requires NH3 (ammonia).

Furthermore. AdBlue synthesis production plants would not be justified solely for the production AdBlue given that the minimum critical mass of a urea plant measures 200,000 tons/year of 100% product.

Let's look deeper into the process:

Urea is industrially synthesised using the Bosch-Meiser process which is based on the synthesis of ammonium carbamate, starting from carbon dioxide and ammonia, and on the subsequent decomposition reaction of carbamate which provides urea and water:

  1. 2 NH3 + CO2 → H2N-COONH4

  2. H2N-COONH4 → (NH2)2CO + H2O

At the output of the decomposition station (yellow box) the 100% urea in the liquid state is extracted from the plant and diluted with demineralised water in percentage to obtain AdBlue.

The synthesis production therefore has the following advantages:

  1. On-line control of production: all parameters are controlled during the continuous process ensuring full compliance thereof with the standards.

  2. Large production capacity

  3. Quality consistency of the product

  4. Full quality compliance of the products: the parameters are markedly below the requirements laid down in the standard

  5. No contamination during production.

  6. Lower costs

The synthesis production therefore has the following disadvantages:

  • Production occurs at the input of the plant and therefore the logistics must be organised starting from the plant. Given that AdBlue mostly consists of water (67.5%) and since specifically designed tanks have to be used for transportation, logistics costs are very high
PARTE IMPIANTO UREA sintesi

Dissolution of solid urea in demineralised water using small mixers

An alternative to AdBlue synthesis production is the production of AdBlue starting from 100% solid technical urea.

A dissolution plant does not require a sizeable investment (about 200,000 €) or even special approval, given that all that is required is to mix and dissolve (using recirculation pumps) granular urea with demineralised water.

Urea is usually purchased in granules and packaged in big bags (1000 KG) from a urea synthesis plant.

Production therefore requires (as observable from the chart) further steps:

At the urea plant

  1. Evaporation process

  2. Prilling or granulation process

  3. Process for storage in jerrycans/drums into big bags

  4. Storage in a sheltered area

  5. Transportation to mixing plant

At the mixing plant

  1. Transfer and storage in big bags

  2. Dissolution

Dissolution production therefore has the following advantages:

  • Production occurs near the place of consumption and therefore logistics are less expensive

However, dissolution production has the following disadvantages:

  1. Easier product contamination during transportation, storage and handling of the product.

  2. Small production capacity (usually 20 tons/8hr)

  3. Quality inconsistency of the product, each batch is very different from the previous one

  4. Difficult for the products to comply with the quality standards: when compliant with the standards, the parameters have values very close to the limits laid down in the legislation.

  5. Inhomogeneity of product density due to improper mixing (an anti-caking agent must be added to the granulated product to avoid sticking, this addition remains in the mixture and it could damage the catalytic converter.

PARTE IMPIANTO UREA (mixing)

To summarise

“Always use AdBlue produced by a synthesis plant, different products are highly hazardous to the catalytic converter”.

Other important recommendations not to be overlooked are:

  1. Each product batch must be checked to verify their full compliance with the guidelines;

  2. A detailed Certificate of Analysis is issued for each batch

  1. All the products are uniquely identified by a batch number which allows complete tracing of the production and logistic chain achieving compliance with the VDA guidelines

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