Can a Truck Run Without Urea?
1 Answers
Trucks (i.e., freight vehicles) can continue to operate without urea, but it is necessary to replenish it as soon as possible. Operating a truck without urea will have the following effects: 1. The urea pump is prone to crystallization and clogging: If a truck runs without urea for an extended period, the circulating urea pump nozzle, pipelines, and urea pump are prone to crystallization, clogging, or high-temperature damage. 2. Torque limitation: The truck's emission warning light will illuminate, torque will be limited, resulting in insufficient power, making it feel sluggish to drive. 3. Failure to pass annual inspection: Trucks without urea will fail the annual inspection and may face penalties. The role of urea for heavy-duty vehicles: 1. Catalytic function: Urea is primarily added to vehicles with diesel engines because diesel engines emit harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) gases, causing environmental pollution. Long-term inhalation of these exhaust gases poses significant harm to human health. To mitigate this hazard, vehicles with diesel engines use urea, which has a catalytic function. When encountering nitrogen oxides, it triggers a chemical reaction, converting them into nitrogen and water before being expelled. 2. Reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions: Qualified urea solutions consist of 32.5% ultra-pure urea and pure water. The urea solution reacts with NOx through selective catalytic reduction (SCR), converting it into nitrogen, oxygen, and water, thereby reducing nitrogen oxide emissions. 3. Urea plays a crucial role in vehicle power and fuel consumption: If diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) is not used, or if substandard or low-purity urea solutions are employed, the vehicle's engine will automatically decelerate. Additionally, inferior-quality DEF can contaminate the SCR catalytic converter's catalyst, causing damage to the after-treatment system components.
