GO GEORGE goes extra mile against harmful emissions | George Municipality
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GO GEORGE goes extra mile against harmful emissions
When encouraging George residents to make use of the bus service – even if they own a car – the GO GEORGE team always calls this an environment-friendly choice. Many would question that claim, remembering the smelly, smoky emissions they grew up associating with heavy duty vehicles.
Those toxic gases that made you cough when driving behind or walking past a bus are, however, something of the past, thanks to modern technology and the addition of a simple liquid called AdBlue, to the exhaust system of the GO GEORGE buses.
According to James Robb, GO GEORGE Manager, adhering to even higher anti-pollution standards than currently required by Government, was one of the tender requirements of the George Municipality. “AdBlue has been used in buses and heavy trucks in Europe for a long time, so its effectiveness has been proven. By using this technology, we reach levels that meet the European Union’s Euro 4 grading, while our legislation currently requires Euro 2,” he said.
AdBlue is a colourless liquid that is made from a mixture of high-purity urea (32.5%) and deionized water (67.5%). The solution helps to reduce the nitrogen oxide (NOx) levels in the exhaust fumes that are outputted by diesel engines. NOx is one of the most harmful pollutants emitted by engines, as it reacts with other gases in the atmosphere to form small particles and ozone, both of which can damage sensitive lung tissue in humans and animals.
AdBlue is stored in its own small tank, separate from the diesel, from where it is added to outgoing exhaust gas. Microscopic quantities of this liquid are injected into the flow of exhaust gases of diesel-powered engines. When the urea and water solution combines with exhaust emissions, it converts the pollutants into nitrogen, water, and a small amount of carbon dioxide — elements that are already natural to the air that we breathe.
Since mixing diesel and AdBlue would be catastrophic and harmful to the engine, the two fill-up openings were set wide apart on the GO GEORGE buses to prevent accidents and confusion. AdBlue is being stored and filled up at the bus depot, while diesel fill-up occurs at a service station outside the depot.
Caption: Sakkie October filling up the AdBlue tank, for which the inlet is clearly marked and separate from the diesel inlet.
GO GEORGE loop die ekstra myl teen skadelike uitlaatgasse
Wanneer hulle inwoners aanmoedig om gebruik te maak van die busdiens – selfs al het hulle motors – noem die GO GEORGE-span dit altyd ’n omgewingsvriendelike keuse. Daardie aanspraak sal baie wenkbroue laat lig, gedagtig aan die stink, rokerige uitlaatgasse waarmee baie mense grootgeword het om met swaarvoertuie te assosieer.
Daardie giftige gasse wat jou laat hoes het wanneer jy agter ’n bus gery het of langs een verby geloop het, is egter iets van die verlede, danksy moderne tegnologie en die byvoeging van ’n eenvoudige vloeistof genaamd AdBlue in die uitlaatstelsel van die GO GEORGE-busse.
Volgens James Robb, GO GEORGE-bestuurder, was dit een van die tendervereistes van die George-munisipaliteit dat selfs hoër teenbesoedelingstandaarde as wat tans deur die regering vereis word, nagekom moet word. “In Europa word AdBlue al baie lank in busse en groot vragmotors gebruik, en is dit as hoogs doeltreffend bewys. Deur hierdie tegnologie te gebruik, bereik ons vlakke wat die Europese Unie se Euro 4-gradering haal, terwyl ons wetgewing tans Euro 2 vereis,” sê Robb.
AdBlue is ’n kleurlose vloeistof wat bestaan uit ’n mengsel van suiwer ureum (32,5%) en gede-ioniseerde water (67,5%). Die oplossing verminder die stikstofoksiedvlakke in die uitlaatgasse wat deur dieselenjins uitgeskei word. Stikstofoksied is een van die skadelikste besoedelingstowwe wat deur enjins uitgeskei word – dit reageer met ander gasse in die atmosfeer en vorm klein partikels en osoon wat albei sensitiewe longweefsel in mense en diere kan beskadig.
AdBlue word in sy eie klein tenk gestoor, apart van die diesel, waarvandaan dit by die uitlaatgas gevoeg word. Mikroskopiese hoeveelhede van die vloeistof word in die vloei van uitlaatgasse van dieselaangedrewe voertuie gespuit. Wanneer die ureum- en wateroplossing met die uitlaatgasse meng, skakel dit die besoedelingstowwe om na stikstof, water en ’n klein hoeveelheid koolstofdioksied – elemente wat reeds natuurlik voorkom in die lug wat ons inasem.
Aangesien dit katastrofies sou wees en die enjin sou beskadig indien diesel en AdBlue gemeng word, is die twee opvulopenings op die GO GEORGE-busse ver van mekaar af geplaas om ongelukke en verwarring te voorkom. AdBlue word by die busdepot gestoor en opgevul terwyl diesel by ’n diensstasie buite die depot aangevul word.
Onderskrif: Sakkie October maak baie seker dat hy die AdBlue by die regte opening ingooi – ’n vermenging van diesel en AdBlue sal die bus se enjin ernstig beskadig.
Last published 16 May 2017