Fuel and related compositions – Liquid fuels – Emulsion fuel
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-16
2002-07-16
McAvoy, Ellen M. (Department: 1764)
Fuel and related compositions
Liquid fuels
Emulsion fuel
C044S302000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06419714
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to an emulsifier that is the reaction product of a polyacidic polymer with a fuel soluble dispersant. More particularly, the invention relates to novel emulsifiers that are used for making an aqueous hydrocarbon fuel suitable for combustion in engines.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Internal combustion engines, especially diesel engines, using water mixed with fuel in the combustion chamber can produce lower NOx, hydrocarbon and particulate emissions per unit of power output. Nitrogen oxides are an environmental issue because they contribute to smog and pollution. Governmental regulation and environmental concerns have driven the need to reduce NOx emissions from engines.
Diesel fueled engines produce NOx due to the relatively high flame temperatures reached during combustion. The reduction of NOx production includes the use of catalytic converters, using “clean” fuels, recirculation of exhaust and engine timing changes. These methods are typically expensive or complicated to be commercially used.
Water is inert toward combustion, but lowers the peak combustion temperature resulting in reduced particulates and NOx formation. When water is added to the fuel it forms an emulsion and these emulsions are generally unstable. Stable water-in-fuel emulsions of small particle size are difficult to reach and maintain. It would be advantageous to make a stable water-in-fuel emulsion that can be made continuously and is stable in storage.
It has been found advantageous to produce stable water-in-fuel emulsions by employing a novel emulsifier that is polyacidic polymer crosslinked with a fuel-soluble dispersant. It would be advantageous to make an emulsifier with improved hydrolytic stability so as to improve the long-term stability of the water in fuel emulsifier.
The term “NOx” is used herein to refer to any of the nitrogen oxides, NO, NO
2
, N
2
O, or mixtures of two or more thereof. The terms “aqueous hydrocarbon fuel emulsion” and “water fuel emulsion” are interchangeable. The terms “aqueous hydrocarbon fuel” and “water fuel blend” are interchangeable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an emulsifier for an aqueous hydrocarbon fuel emulsion comprised of water, fuel such as diesel, gasoline or the like and an emulsifier. The emulsifier includes but is not limited to: (i) at least one fuel-soluble product made by reacting at least one hydrocarbyl-substituted carboxylic acid acylating agent with ammonia or an amine, the hydrocarbyl substituent of said acylating agent having about 50 to about 500 carbon atoms; (ii) at least one of an ionic or a nonionic compound having a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of about 1 to about 40; (iii) a mixture of (i), (ii); (iv) a water-soluble compound selected from the group consisting of amine salts, ammonium salts, azide compounds, nitrate esters, nitramine, nitro compounds, alkali metal salts, alkaline earth metal salts, in combination with (i), (ii), (iii), (v) or (vi); the reaction product of polyacidic polymer with at least one fuel soluble product made by reacting at least one hydrocarbyl-substituted carboxylic acid acylating agent with a hydroxy amine and/or a polyamine; and (vi), a mixture of (ii) and (v).
More particularly, the invention relates to a process for making an aqueous hydrocarbon fuel composition comprising:
a) preparing at least one emulsifier to form a hydrocarbon fuel emulsifier mixture wherein the emulsifier comprises the reaction product of (A) a polyacidic polymer, (B) at least one fuel soluble product made by reacting at least one hydrocarbyl-substituted carboxylic acid acylating agent and (C) a hydroxy amine and/or a polyamine;
b) mixing a liquid hydrocarbon fuel with at least one emulsifier to form a hydrocarbon fuel emulsifier mixture, and
c) mixing the hydrocarbon fuel emulsifier mixture with water or water and ammonium nitrate under emulsification conditions to form an aqueous hydrocarbon fuel composition, wherein the aqueous hydrocarbon fuel composition includes a discontinuous phase, the discontinuous aqueous phase being comprised of aqueous droplets having a mean diameter of 1.0 micron or less.
More particularly, the invention relates to an aqueous hydrocarbon fuel composition comprising:
a) a continuous phase of hydrocarbon fuel,
b) a discontinuous aqueous phase being comprised of aqueous droplets having a mean diameter of 1.0 micron or less;
c) an emulsifying amount of an emulsifier composition comprising the reaction product of (A) a polyacidic polymer, (B) at least one fuel soluble product made by reacting at least one hydrocarbyl-substituted carboxylic acid acylating agent, and (C), a hydroxy amine and/or a polyamine.
The water hydrocarbon fuel emulsion optionally includes additives. The additives include but are not limited to a cetane improver(s), an organic solvent(s), an antifreeze agent(s), surfactant(s), other additives known for their use in fuels and combinations thereof.
The Water Fuel Emulsions
The water fuel emulsions are comprised of: a continuous fuel phase; a discontinuous water or aqueous phase; and an emulsifying amount of an emulsifier. The emulsions may contain other additives that include but are not limited to cetane improvers, organic solvents, antifreeze agents, and the like. The water or aqueous phase of the aqueous hydrocarbon fuel emulsion is comprised of droplets having a mean diameter of 1.0 micron or less. Thus, the emulsification generally occurs by shear mixing and is conducted under sufficient conditions to provide such a droplet size.
These emulsions may be prepared by the steps of (1) mixing the fuel, emulsifier and other desired additives using standard mixing techniques to form a fuel-chemical additives mixture (hydrocarbon fuel/additives mixture); and (2) mixing the fuel-chemical additives mixture with water (and optionally an antifreeze agent) under emulsification conditions to form the desired aqueous hydrocarbon fuel emulsion. Alternatively, the water-soluble compounds used in the emulsifier can be mixed with the water prior to the high-shear mixing.
The invention provides for a batch, semi-batch or continuous process for making an aqueous hydrocarbon fuel by forming a stable emulsion in which the water is suspended in a continuous phase of fuel and wherein the water droplets have a mean diameter of 1.0 microns or less.
The hydrocarbon fuel/additive mixture contains about 50% to about 99% by weight, in another embodiment about 85% to about 98% by weight, and in another embodiment about 95% to about 98% by weight hydrocarbon fuel, and it further contains about 0.05% to about 25%, in another embodiment about 1% to about 15%, and in another embodiment about 2% to about 5% by weight of the emulsifier.
Optionally, additives may be added to the emulsifier, the fuel, the water or combinations thereof. The additives include but are not limited to cetane improvers, organic solvents, antifreeze agents, surfactants, other additives known for their use in fuel and the like. The additives are added to the emulsifier, hydrocarbon fuel or the water prior to and, in the alternative, at the first emulsification device dependent upon the solubility of the additive. However, it is preferable to add the additives to the emulsifier to form an additive emulsifier mixture. The additives are generally in the range of about 1% to about 40% by weight, in another embodiment about 5% to about 30% by weight, and in another embodiment about 7% to about 25% by weight of the additive emulsifier mixture.
The water, which can optionally include but is not limited to antifreeze, ammonium nitrate or mixtures thereof. Ammonium nitrate is generally added to the water mixture as aqueous solution. In one embodiment the water, the alcohol and/or the ammonium nitrate are mixed dynamically and fed continuously to the fuel additives stream. In another embodiment the water, antifreeze, ammonium nitrate or mixtures thereof flow out of separate tanks and/or combinations thereof into or mixed prior to the emulsification device. In one embodiment the water, water alco
Barr Douglas M.
Thompson Claire L.
Esposito Michael F.
Gilbert Teresan W.
McAvoy Ellen M.
The Lubrizol Corporation
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