Urea Conversion for Low-Temperature Selective Catalytic Reduction in a Swirled Diesel Exhaust Gas Configuration

A novel design of an AdBlue mixing unit to reduce urea deposits at low temperatures in diesel exhaust is described. The main principle of the mixer includes the injection of AdBlue in an axisymmetric swirling flow, which is achieved by splitting the exhaust stream and off-centred introduction of the sub-flows. Crucial geometric parameters were analyzed by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations towards pressure loss, flow field, and spray morphology. Deposit formation was experimentally investigated on three upscaling levels implying an optical test bench, a diesel engine test bench, and a hydraulic excavator. In particular, the studies with the hydraulic excavator showed neither deposits nor critical back pressure. Overall, the experiments substantiated the working principle of the AdBlue mixer.

Automated summary

This paper describes a novel design of an AdBlue mixing unit that reduces urea deposits in diesel exhaust at low temperatures. The design includes the injection of AdBlue in an axisymmetric swirling flow, achieved by splitting the exhaust stream and off-centred introduction of the sub-flows. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were used to analyze important geometric parameters such as pressure loss, flow field, and spray morphology. The effectiveness of the design was confirmed through experimental investigations on multiple levels, including an optical test bench, a diesel engine test bench, and a hydraulic excavator. The experiments demonstrated that the AdBlue mixer effectively prevents deposits and critical back pressure.