Why is AdBlue® quality so important?

A new vehicle or machine is an expensive investment so to keep it operating optimally and earning money is of vital importance.

Because AdBlue® is dosed into a catalyst system, it is necessary to limit the presence of certain elements and compounds which can block the active sites on the catalyst. Such blockage can reduce the efficiency of the system, ultimately causing the pollutant levels to rise outside of the preset limits in the vehicle ECU, leading to power limitation until the problem is resolved and possibly needing replacement of the catalyst. In addition, blockage of the catalyst can lead to undesirable back pressure in the engine, leading to reduced fuel economy.

Elements that can cause problems include those found commonly in tap water such as Calcium and Magnesium which can cause a build up of scale, similar to the type found in a kettle, iron or boiler. This scale cannot be cleaned from the catalyst and is why it is important to never fill tap water into the AdBlue® tank.

Other elements needing limitation include Iron, Aluminium and Copper which block the reactive sites on the catalyst. Whilst not normally found in high quantities in water, these elements can be introduced into the AdBlue® by the use of incompatible storage tanks, pumps or pipework as AdBlue® is mildly alkaline and will dissolve metals such as mild steel, aluminium alloys and brass. These dissolved metals will then be irreversibly deposited in the catalyst.

Greenox® – A brand of AdBlue® you can trust:

Together, the vehicle and chemical manufacturers have developed a quality standard (ISO22241) to define the solution to be used in diesel SCR systems. To make it easy for you as a consumer to recognize solution of the correct quality, the trademark AdBlue® has been registered by the VDA and only producers committed to supplying to the ISO standard have been licensed by the VDA to use the AdBlue® trademark.

You can check that your supplier is offering you genuine AdBlue® by visiting the VDA website and finding the manufacturer on the list of approved companies.

Tennants are a trademark partner of the VDA, so whenever you buy Greenox® you can be sure that you are using AdBlue® that is approved for your vehicle or machine.