Why is DEF so critical in BSVI ?

In 2015, the Supreme Court of India temporarily banned the sale of large diesel cars with an engine capacity of 2000cc or more to combat the capital's infamous toxic smog. Diesel engines had earned a reputation of being associated with the growing levels of pollution. Fast forward to 5 years later, in 2020, the pollution is alarming and has been increasing exponentially with every year that passes. Back in 2010, the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) mandated the use of Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) in all diesel vehicles. However, SCR is not something new, in fact it has been around for nearly half a century! However, there is a fluid that is going to be increasingly commonplace with the advent of BSVI emission norms - Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF). DEF is going to work as a catalyst with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) towards improving the overall health of the environment and making diesel vehicles more #Greensponsible for the future.

DEF - A Necessity in BSVI

All commercial vehicle manufacturers are striving towards re-configuring their engines to meet the stringent emission control requirements that will be implemented from April, 2020. The major challenge is the tightening of NOx emission limits for vehicles running on diesel, which is one of the major contributors to the rising impurities in the air. In BSVI, there is going to be an 89% reduction in NOx emissions as compared to BSIV

Read more about this - ( Greensponsible for a Better Future).

This massive reduction will be brought about by the use of DEF which is an indispensable component of SCR and helps it work its magic in vehicles to convert NOx into harmless water and gas in the Exhaust After Treatment System (EATS). EATS is an ancillary component in diesel-powered BSVI vehicles. Unlike in BSIV, all the diesel trucks and buses in BSVI will have SCR and therefore the need for DEF, which also goes by the name AdBlue or Urea as a layman would call it. Although the fluid is known by different names across the globe, they have similar composition and certification.

Decoding DEF

Since Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) is going to be as important as the fuel (diesel) itself in a BSVI vehicle, it is paramount that we know how the use of DEF will impact the performance. Let us explain a few basics about DEF that may pop up in your minds -

• What exactly is DEF?
  It is a colourless liquid made with a combination of deionized water (67.5%) and a very pure form of urea (32.5%).
• Is DEF a fuel or an additive?
  It is neither a fuel nor a fuel additive and has a separate tank in the vehicle. There is a certain level of DEF that has to be maintained in the tank otherwise the vehicle’s performance may be affected adversely and eventually lead to a breakdown.

• Should I use AdBlue or DEF?
  Since both are same in composition and certification, both can be used.
• Can I make DEF at home?
  DEF is manufactured with precise proportion of the purest form of urea and any alterations to the proportions can cause damage to your SCR engine. It is hence, not recommended to make DEF at home. Here’s an interesting fact about how sensitive this solution can be to additives - One spoon of salt can spoil 20,000 Liters of DEF! SCR systems are susceptible to potential chemical impurities in Diesel Exhaust Fluid, hence it is extremely important to maintain high standards of DEF quality along with ISO standard 22241 in order to ensure superior fluid quality.

• Is DEF Hazardous?
  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classifies DEF as non-toxic, non-flammable, non-hazardous, non-polluting and biodegradable.

Be Genuine or Be Sorry

According to industry experts, right quality of DEF is pivotal for optimum performance of the vehicles. Using non-genuine DEF may not only damage the Engine Exhaust System but also lead to breakdown of the vehicle in addition to higher maintenance costs. With this in mind, we have Eicher ECOMax DEF, an American Petroleum Institute (API) certified, genuine DEF which will keep your BSVI vehicles in superb health and ensure higher uptime. When it comes to the performance of your BSVI vehicle, using the right quality of DEF will be a crucial aspect in determining the productivity and uptime of BSVI vehicles. At Eicher, we are absolutely ready with our vast and widespread network to keep your BSVI fleet running smoothly.