Texas Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Production
As of August, 2015, Midtex Oil is operating its own Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) Production Plant, located at our main office in New Braunfels, Texas. We offer our DEF products to the Houston, Austin, and San Antonio areas. We are also partnered with BlueSky for our DEF production, which is where much of the following information is supplied from; to learn more, keep reading or visit the BlueSky website by clicking the logo below.
What is Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF)?
Diesel Exhaust Fluid, commonly abbreviated "DEF," is a urea-based solution that reduces the harmful emissions of nitrogen oxide from diesel engines. DEF is made up of two components: 32.5% high-purity urea, and 67.5% deionized water. DEF is safe to handle, odorless, clear, biodegradable, and non-flammable. Its use is required by the government for all new diesel-powered vehicles.
What is the purpose of DEF?
The exhaust produced by diesel-powered vehicles contains Nitrogen Oxides (abbreviated "NOx"), a group of harmful air pollutants. Diesel Exhaust Fluid is used to "diffuse" the harmful gases: DEF uses selective catalytic reduction technology (SCR) that the vehicles are equipped with, which injects the DEF into the vehicle's exhaust stream. This allows the DEF to break down the toxic NOx into water vapor and nitrogen gas, both of which already exist in the air we breathe and have no adverse effects on the environment.
What are the benefits of using DEF?
Glad you asked! We're proud to brag on DEF, because the benefits are many.
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It lowers NOx emissions. This is important because:
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NOx is harmful to the environment: as an air pollutant, it contributes to smog, acid rain, etc.
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NOx is harmful to people: its exposure can lead to heart and respiratory disease
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It helps diesel engines run more efficiently. The effects of this include:
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​Improved horsepower (which results in fuel savings!)
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Increasingly optimized combustion
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It takes better care of your vehicle. PickupTrucks.com states that some of the benefits of DEF-equipped trucks include:
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Less wear on the engine
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Reduced maintenance
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Fewer regenerations
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It enables your vehicle to be in compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency's 2010 mandate to reduce NOx emission levels.
Resources for more information:
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For more information on NOx, see the EPA Technical Bulletin.
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For more information on DEF, see BlueSky's website, or read PickupTrucks.com's myth-busting overview.
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For more information on selective catalytic reduction technology (SCR) and how it works with DEF, see the Diesel Technology Forum's extensive explanation.