Diesels - are they taking the p**s?

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Wed 26 Sep 2001 20:10
Diesels - are they taking the p**s? - Anon - but a regular poster
Following on to the Diesel PM10 thread>

Due to the possible copyrighted nature of this news item, I will not post my name>

URINE MAY BE JUST THE TONIC FOR DIESEL EMISSIONS

A chemical originally extracted from urine could help reduce emissions from diesel engines.

A specially converted truck has been fitted with a urea solution injector and is now testing the theory.

Dutch scientists hope the urea could reduce diesel emissions by up to 80%.

Urea is a nitrogen-rich organic compound found naturally in urine which can now be manufactured.

It is injected into a catalytic converter where the heat converts it into ammonia.

It then reacts with the harmful nitrogen oxides transforming them into harmless nitrogen and water vapour.

New Scientist reports trucks with 230 gallon diesel tanks will need an extra 13 gallon tank for the urea solution.

The system is being developed by the Dutch national laboratory TNO, truck maker DAF and the catalytic converter manufacturer Engelhard.
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Wed 26 Sep 2001 20:13
Re: Diesels - are they taking the p**s? - Mark (Brazil)
>>Due to the possible copyrighted nature of this news item, I will not post my name

But you will, however, expose the website to risk ?

Mind you, if its published in magazine it is probably now public domain depending on how accurately you quoted it.
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Wed 26 Sep 2001 21:20
Re: Diesels - are they taking the p**s? - David Woollard
If this is real I look forward to calling up this site on the morning of 1st April 2002. Still it'll save those layby stops, all diesel cars will obviously come with a personal urine interface.

David
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Wed 26 Sep 2001 22:44
Re: Diesels - are they taking the p**s? - Alvin Booth
The only thing which I know urine was good for.....no kidding.
When a dome or other aesthetic feature usually found on distinguished buildings was finished in sheet copper, it was required to oxidise as quickly as possible to give that lovely green patina.
The men on the job used to urinate into a bucket which was poured onto the copper to hurry along the process.
Nothing to do with cars unless you happen to have a copper body shell.
Alvin
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Wed 26 Sep 2001 23:08
Re: Diesels - are they taking the p**s? - Mary Longford
His Lordship just muttered something about personal inclinometers and establishing the direction of a slope.

Does anyone have any idea what he is refering to?
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Thu 27 Sep 2001 09:39
Re: Diesels - probably not! - John Slaughter
Anon,

The issue referred to here isn't particulates (PM10 etc), but nitrogen oxides. As it happens, for large industrial boilers, using urea injection plus a catalyst is an established way of reducing NOx emissions! No reason why it shouldn't work on a smaller scale.

So, the science is good, although the source of urea is unusual! Sounds awfully environmentally friendly - disposal of a common waste product by useful use. I'm just wondering though - would you need one of those blue blocks in the tank to kill the smell?

Regards

John
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