GREENVILLE, N.C. — The installation of a new Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) tank at the City's Public Works fleet yard is going to save money and expedite the fueling process for some workers, City officials say. The tank was installed on August 17 at the fueling site of the Public Works Department located at 1500 Beatty Street.

DEF is a non-hazardous solution made up of 32.5 percent urea and 67.5 percent de-ionized water and sprayed into the exhaust stream of diesel vehicles to break down emissions into harmless nitrogen and water. The Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) system that utilizes the fluid is found on diesel trucks, pickups, and SUVs manufactured since 2010.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requires vehicle manufacturers to put measures in place to ensure that vehicles cannot run without DEF. It is not a field additive, but rather is stored in a separate tank on the vehicle.

According to Greenville Fleet Superintendent Angel Maldonado, the City has been purchasing individual containers of the fluid for workers to use when getting fuel for diesel vehicles. This slowed down the fueling process as workers had to leave the fuel pumps to retrieve the fluid. With the new tank located beside the diesel pumps, workers can simply walk from one pump to the other to get both fuel and DEF and get back to work quicker.

The tank distributions system will also prove to be less expensive, Maldonado said. The projected bulk cost for refilling the tank in 2016-17 is $4,387.50, while the annual cost of the individual 2.5-gallon containers previously used was $12,025. The initial tank purchase and installation cost was $24,977, but Maldonado said the City should make up that cost in savings within the next three and a half years.

City diesel vehicles will also use less fuel and reduce harmful engine deposits in engines while utilizing DEF. Manufacturers have also discovered that fuel mileage is typically improved by as much as 5 percent when vehicles have the SCR and DEF taking care of pollutants.