Fuel and related compositions – Liquid fuels – Organic nitrogen compound containing
Patent
1994-02-28
1995-10-24
McAvoy, Ellen M.
Fuel and related compositions
Liquid fuels
Organic nitrogen compound containing
44329, 44335, 44388, C10L 122
Patent
active
054606349
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to the use of additives in fuel oils to reduce emissions on combustion of the fuel oil and to increase engine power when used in an internal combustion engine.
Although modern internal combustion engines are highly efficient and give almost complete combustion of the hydrocarbon fuel used, the slight reduction from total efficiency leads to the formation of black smoke, a proportion of which is particulate carbon and other products of incomplete combustion. Apart from the smoke being unpleasant to breathe and unsightly, the carbon particles may have absorbed in them polynuclear hydrocarbons, which also result from incomplete combustion, some of which are known carcinogens.
Furthermore, internal combustion engines give rise to gaseous emissions on combustion of fuel therein, examples of such emissions being one or more hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen and which examples are noxious and undesirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,505 describes diesel fuel compositions including N,N-disubstituted organic nitroxides, which are organic free radicals, in amounts effective to increase the cetane number of the fuel. Such amounts are stated to ordinarily be in the range from about 0.01 to 5 weight percent based on the total weight of the resulting fuel, preferably from about 0.1 to about 3 weight percent. However, U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,505 neither discloses nor suggests that organic free radicals such as those disclosed therein are capable of reducing emissions on combustion of the fuel. This effectiveness has now been found, according to this invention. Thus, the invention provides in one aspect the use as an additive in a fuel oil to reduce, on combustion of the fuel oil, one or more of particulate emissions, hydrocarbon emissions, carbon monoxide emissions, and oxides of nitrogen emissions, the additive comprising an oil-soluble stable free radical or a precursor therefor.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,505 neither discloses nor suggests the use of organic free radicals in amounts less than those effective to increase the cetane number of the fuel. It has now been found, according to this invention, that such amounts are effective in reducing emissions on combustion of fuels. Thus, in a second aspect, the invention provides a composition comprising a major proportion of a fuel oil and, dissolved therein, a minor proportion of an additive comprising an oil-soluble free radical or a precursor therefor, the minor proportion of the additive being such that it is incapable of increasing the cetane number of the fuel oil; and in a third aspect, the invention provides a method for operating a diesel engine to reduce one or more of particulate emissions, hydrocarbon emissions, carbon monoxide emissions, and oxides of nitrogen emissions in operation of the engine, which method comprises operating the engine using a composition comprising a major proportion of a fuel oil and a minor proportion of an additive comprising an oil-soluble stable free radical or a precursor therefor, the minor proportion of the additive being such that it is incapable of increasing the cetane number of the fuel oil.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,398,505 neither discloses nor suggests using organic free radicals in additive combinations with co-additives. Such combinations have been found to be surprisingly beneficial according to the invention and, in a fourth aspect, the invention provides an additive combination comprising an oil-soluble stable free radical or a precursor therefor and one or more co-additives as defined hereinafter in this specification. Such a combination may be included in a fuel oil composition or in a concentrate for addition to a fuel oil.
It is noteworthy in the present invention that the organic free radicals or precursors therefor, when incorporated in a diesel, heating or jet fuel, may reduce the emissions of particulates even in the absence of injector deposits. Thus the reduction in particulate emission achieved by the present invention may result directly on combustion of a fuel contai
REFERENCES:
patent: 2734814 (1956-02-01), Thompson
patent: 3219424 (1965-11-01), Case et al.
patent: 4398505 (1983-08-01), Cahill
patent: 4637886 (1987-01-01), Brois et al.
patent: 4670131 (1987-06-01), Ferrell
patent: 4880923 (1989-11-01), Brois et al.
PCT International Examination Report, PCT/EP92/01481, Jan. 7, 1992.
Fava Carlo
Gschwendtner Wolfgang W. J.
Hart Richard J.
Sexton Michael D.
Smith Anthony K.
Exxon Chemical Patents Inc.
Mahon John J.
McAvoy Ellen M.
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