What is Adblue? And why is there a risk of a shortage?
Adblue, also known as urea, is a substance that many modern diesel engines can no longer do without. But what is Adblue? And what is it good for?
Adblue is a liquid, clear solution made from 32.5 percent and 67.5 percent pure water. First described in 1727 by Dutch physician Herman Boerhaave, urea is a waste product produced in the livers of humans and animals.
In modern diesels
In 1828, urea was the first organic compound ever artificially synthesized by German chemist Friedrich Wöhler. Among other things, it serves as a fertilizer for plants and is therefore used in modern diesel engines.
How does Adblue work?
Adblue is a trade name that has become a product name, such as Aspirin, Brinta, Luxaflex and Maggi. The copyright lies with the Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA).
In a diesel with Adblue, the liquid is not in the fuel tank, but in a separate tank. Adblue is not a fuel additive, but something that is injected into the exhaust between the engine and the catalytic converter.
Adblue is a way to reduce emissions of harmful nitrogen oxides (NOx). This is the only way modern diesels can meet the increasingly strict emissions requirements.
When Adblue is injected, ammonia is created, which reacts with the nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gases in the catalytic converter and converts them into nitrogen and water vapor.
Can you drive without Adblue?
Suppose your car’s small Adblue tank is empty. Can you continue driving then? The answer is very simple: no. The engine doesn’t want to start. If it is already running, it issues an error message and then starts an emergency running program.
Is the engine broken? No, there is nothing wrong with the power source itself. The engine management only intervenes because the car cannot drive within the specified emissions standards without Adblue.
Fortunately, a car with Adblue already warns when the tank is half empty. Then a message appears on the dashboard and you can often continue driving for another 2000 kilometers.
How many kilometers per tank of fuel?
How far you can get with a full tank of Adblue depends entirely on the car model, type of engine, consumption and your own driving style. Ford provides a cost estimate on its website that is actually of little use to you, it is so broad. Between 3750 and 11000 kilometers.
How can I refill Adblue?
You can buy and refill Adblue at many gas stations (there are separate pumps for this). But there are also many stores and websites where you can buy bottles and canisters.
Is there a shortage?
Yes, that will probably happen. Australia and South Korea, among others, have already had to deal with this. The main ingredient, urea, is in increasing demand, including from the agricultural industry.
In addition, Russia and China are two of the largest suppliers of urea. For example, Australia and South Korea suffered from an export ban from China because that country wanted to secure its own supplies.