How Mercedes Benz BLUETEC Works

BLUETEC is the brand name Mercedes is applying to their new "clean" diesel cars. Let's take a technical tour of the BLUETEC system from engine to tailpipe.

3.0 L ENGINE:
The heart of Mercedes diesel cars like the E 320 BLUETEC is a 3.0 L, V6, turbodiesel engine. The engine has four valves per cylinder and each fuel injector is located at the center of the top of the combustion chamber, in the same location where most four valve gasoline engines locate the spark plug, for optimum fuel burn.

A chain-driven balance shaft inside the engine smoothes out vibration.

COMMON-RAIL INJECTION:
Whereas older diesel engines have a mechanical pump that feeds each cylinder individually, the BLUETEC's injectors are fed by a central fuel rail that is supplied with fuel at extremely high pressure (approx. 23000 psi).

PIEZO INJECTORS:
Diesel combustion is achieved compressing air to raise its temperature and then injecting fuel. The fuel burns and expands, pushing the piston down. Traditional injectors used a mechanical or magnetic valve. The Mercedes engine's individual injectors use piezo-ceramic elements whose crystalline structure changes shape as electric current is applied. The piezo injectors can divide the injection cycle into as many as five separate injection events, each specially timed to maximize combustion efficiency. This not only improves economy and lowers emissions, but it also reduces noise.

EXHAUST TREATMENT:
The BLUETEC system has a number of components that "scrub" the exhaust before it is released into the atmosphere.

Two variants of the BLUETEC system exist: the NAC+SCR system and the AdBlue system. NAC+SCR is used on the "45 state" version of the E320; AdBlue were introduced in the 2008 model year and sold in all 50 states.

NAC+SCR:
Exhaust leaves the engine and passes through a Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC), which reduces carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust.

Next is the NOx Absorber Catalyst, or NAC, which removes and traps oxides of nitrogen (NOx is one of the chief elements in diesel pollution). During periods of lean operation (low fuel-to-air ratio) NOx is stored; under richer operating conditions (which can be created by manipulating the fuel injection) the NAC undergoes a regeneration process and releases ammonia into the exhaust. The ammonia is stored downstream in the Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) catalyst which uses it to further reduce NOx.

In between the NAC and SCR catalysts is a particulate filter that traps particulate emissions (soot). As the particulate filter becomes full, the engine computer manipulates the fuel injection process to raise the exhaust gas temperature, which in turn burns off the particulates.

ADBLUE:
The AdBlue system houses the DOC and particulate filter in a single housing. In addition to the NAC catalyst, ammonia is supplied by injecting a fluid called AdBlue into the exhaust upstream of the SCR catalyst. The addition of AdBlue fluid enables the SCR catalyst to reduce NOx emissions to a level even lower than the NAC-SCR system. AdBlue is carried in an on-board tank which can be replenished when the car is serviced; a gallon of AdBlue fluid lasts approximately 3860 km (2400 miles)

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