Organic cetane improver
View Patent ↗The present invention relates generally to a composition and method for increasing the amount of cetane in fuel. More specifically, it was discovered that the amount of cetane in fuel can be increased by mixing a fuel additive comprising β-carotene that was prepared in an inert atmosphere.
1. A hydrocarbon fuel comprising a base fuel and a non-oxygenated cetane improver additive selected from the group consisting of a precursor of carotene, a precursor of carotenoid, a derivative of carotene, a derivative of carotenoid and mixtures thereof.
2. The fuel of claim 1 wherein the base fuel is a diesel fuel.
3. The fuel of claim 1 further comprising a supplemental cetane improver, a diluent, or mixtures thereof.
4. The fuel of claim 3 wherein the supplemental cetane improver comprises an alkyl nitrate.
5. The fuel of claim 4 wherein the alkyl nitrate is 2-ethylhexyl nitrate.
6. The fuel of claim 3 wherein the diluent is toluene.
7. The fuel of claim 1 wherein the additive is a percursor of β-carotene.
8. The fuel of claim 2 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.0001 g to about 0.03 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
9. The fuel of claim 2 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.00025 g to about 0.025 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
10. The fuel of claim 2 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.0005 g to about 0.02 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
11. The fuel of claim 2 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.001 g to about 0.015 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
12. The fuel of claim 2 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.002 g to about 0.01 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
13. The fuel of claim 4 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about from about 0.025 g to about 10 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
14. The fuel of claim 4 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.075 g to about 7.5 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
15. The fuel of claim 4 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.1 g to about 5 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
16. The fuel of claim 4 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 1 g to about 4.0 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
17. The fuel of claim 2 , wherein the base fuel comprises No. 2 diesel fuel.
18. A method of increasing a cetane number of a fuel, the method comprising dissolving a non-oxygenated additive in a diluent under an inert atmosphere to yield a cetane improver, the additive being selected from the group consisting of a precursor of carotene, a precursor of a carotenoid, a derivative of carotene, a derivative of carotenoid and mixtures thereof; and adding the cetane improver to a base fuel to yield an additized fuel, such that the additized fuel has a cetane number higher than the cetane number of the base fuel.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the base fuel comprises diesel fuel.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the base fuel comprises No. 2 diesel fuel.
21. The method of claim 18 , wherein the diluent comprises toluene.
22. The method of claim 18 , wherein the inert atmosphere comprises argon, helium, nitrogen or mixtures thereof.
23. The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of:
mixing a supplemental cetane improving component with the cetane improver.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the supplemental cetane improving component is an alkyl nitrate.
25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the alkyl nitrate comprises 2-ethylhexyl nitrate.
26. A hydrocarbon fuel comprising a base fuel and a non-oxygenated cetane improver additive, the additive selected from the group consisting of α-carotene or carotenoids derived from algae xea xabthin, crypotoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, precursors of α-carotene or carotenoids derived from algae xea xabthin, crypotoxanthin, lycopene, lutein; derivative of α-carotene or carotenoids derived from algae xea xabthin, crypotoxanthin, lycopene, lutein and mixtures thereof.
27. The fuel of claim 26 wherein the base fuel is a diesel fuel.
28. The fuel of claim 26 further comprising a supplemental cetane improver, a diluent, or mixtures thereof.
29. The fuel of claim 28 wherein the supplemental cetane improver comprises an alkyl nitrate.
30. The fuel of claim 29 wherein the alkyl nitrate is 2-ethylhexyl nitrate.
31. The fuel of claim 28 wherein the diluent is toluene.
32. The fuel of claim 26 wherein the additive is a percursor of β-carotene.
33. The fuel of claim 27 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.0001 g to about 0.03 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
34. The fuel of claim 27 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.00025 g to about 0.025 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
35. The fuel of claim 27 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.0005 g to about 0.02 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
36. The fuel of claim 27 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.001 g to about 0.015 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
37. The fuel of claim 27 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.002 g to about 0.01 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
38. The fuel of claim 37 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about from about 0.025 g to about 10 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
39. The fuel of claim 37 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.075 g to about 7.5 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
40. The fuel of claim 37 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.1 g to about 5 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
41. The fuel of claim 37 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 1 g to about 4.0 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
42. The diesel fuel of claim 27 , wherein the base fuel comprises No. 2 diesel fuel.
43. A hydrocarbon fuel comprising a base fuel and a non-oxygenated cetane improver additive the additive selected from the group consisting of a carotenoid derived from broccoli concentrate, spinach concentrate, tomato concentrate, kale concentrate, cabbage concentrate, and brussel sprout extract and mixtures thereof.
44. The fuel of claim 43 wherein the base fuel is a diesel fuel.
45. The fuel of claim 43 further comprising a supplemental cetane improver, a diluent, or mixtures thereof.
46. The fuel of claim 45 wherein the supplemental cetane improver comprises an alkyl nitrate.
47. The fuel of claim 46 wherein the alkyl nitrate is 2-ethylhexyl nitrate.
48. The fuel of claim 45 wherein the diluent is toluene.
49. The fuel of claim 44 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.0001 g to about 0.03 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
50. The fuel of claim 44 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.00025 g to about 0.025 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
51. The fuel of claim 44 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.0005 g to about 0.02 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
52. The fuel of claim 44 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.001 g to about 0.015 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
53. The fuel of claim 44 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.002 g to about 0.01 g non-oxygenated cetane improver per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
54. The fuel of claim 46 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about from about 0.025 g to about 10 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
55. The fuel of claim 46 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.075 g to about 7.5 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
56. The fuel of claim 46 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 0.1 g to about 5 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
57. The fuel of claim 46 , wherein the diesel fuel comprises from about 1 g to about 4.0 g alkyl nitrate per 3785 ml of the diesel fuel.
58. The fuel of claim 44 , wherein the base fuel comprises No. 2 diesel fuel.