Charcoal ignition fluid
The invention relates generally to a charcoal ignition fluid that is composed of a cellulose ether polymer, butanol, and water. The charcoal ignition fluid has performance characteristics similar to petroleum distillate but is more sustainable. Additionally, the charcoal ignition fluid can include ethanol and/or an alcohol to reduce the water content. Moreover, the charcoal ignition fluid can include an acetate salt to increase the visible flame for safety purposes. The charcoal ignition fluid may also include an organic ester to enhance the odor of the ignition fluid.
1. A charcoal ignition fluid, comprising: (a) approximately 1 percent to approximately 15 percent by weight of cellulose ether polymer; (b) butanol; (c) water; and (d) an acetate salt, an organic ester, or a mixture thereof,
wherein said charcoal ignition fluid is a liquid.
2. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 1 wherein said cellulose ether polymer contains a 3:1 carbon-to-oxygen ratio.
3. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 1 wherein said cellulose ether polymer is both hydrophilic and hydrophobic.
4. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 1 wherein said cellulose ether polymer is ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxybutyl methylcellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl starch or a mixture thereof.
5. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 4 wherein said cellulose ether polymer is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.
6. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 5 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of less than about 15,000.
7. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 1 wherein said acetate salt comprises sodium acetate, potassium acetate, calcium acetate or a mixture thereof.
8. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 1 wherein said charcoal ignition fluid has a viscosity of between approximately 3.0 cSt and 23 cSt at 110° F.
9. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 1 wherein said organic ester comprises butyl acetate, n-butyl acetate or a mixture thereof.
10. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 1 wherein said butanol is a bio-derived butanol or a petrochemical-derived butanol or a mixture thereof.
11. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 1 further comprising ethanol.
12. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 1 further comprising a primary amyl alcohol.
13. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 12 wherein said primary amyl alcohol comprises pentanol, 1-pentanol, 2-pentanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2,2,-dimetheyl-1-propanol or a mixture thereof.
14. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 1 comprising:
approximately 0.4 percent to approximately 15 percent by weight of said cellulose ether polymer;
approximately 70 percent to approximately 95.6 percent by weight of said butanol;
approximately 4 percent to 15 percent by weight of said water; and
up to approximately 12 percent by weight of said acetate salt, up to approximately 11 percent by weight of said organic ester, or a mixture thereof.
15. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 14 further comprising between approximately 1 to approximately 20 percent by weight ethanol.
16. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 14 further comprising less than approximately 2 percent by weight of a primary amyl alcohol.
17. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 16 wherein said primary amyl alcohol is pentanol, 1-pentanol, 2-pentanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2,2,-dimetheyl-1-propanol or a mixture thereof.
18. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 14 wherein said acetate salt is sodium acetate, potassium acetate, calcium acetate or a mixture thereof.
19. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 14 wherein said ester is butyl acetate, n-butyl acetate or a mixture thereof.
20. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 1 comprising:
approximately 1.2 percent to approximately 2.5 percent by weight of said cellulose ether polymer;
approximately 85.95 percent to approximately 92.85 percent by weight of said butanol;
approximately 5.95 percent to approximately 11.55 percent by weight of said water;
up to approximately 7 percent by weight of said acetate salt, up to approximately 7 percent by weight of said organic ester, or a mixture thereof.
21. A charcoal ignition liquid, comprising:
approximately 1.2 percent to approximately 2.5 percent by weight of a cellulose ether polymer, wherein said cellulose ether polymer is both hydrophilic and hydrophobic;
approximately 85.95 percent to approximately 92.85 percent by weight butanol;
approximately 5.95 percent to approximately 11.55 percent by weight water; and
ethanol, a primary amyl alcohol, or a mixture thereof.
22. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 21 wherein said ethanol comprises up to about 7 percent by weight of ethanol.
23. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 21 wherein said primary amyl alcohol comprises up to about 2 percent by weight of a primary amyl alcohol.
24. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 23 wherein said primary amyl alcohol is pentanol, 1-pentanol, 2-pentanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2,2,-dimetheyl-1-propanol or a mixture thereof.
25. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 21 further comprising up to approximately 7 percent by weight of an acetate salt.
26. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 25 wherein said acetate salt is sodium acetate, potassium acetate, calcium acetate or a mixture thereof.
27. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 21 further comprising up to approximately 7 percent by weight of an organic ester.
28. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 27 wherein said ester is butyl acetate, n-butyl acetate or a mixture thereof.
29. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 21 wherein said charcoal ignition liquid has a viscosity of between approximately 3.0 cSt and 23 cSt at 110° F.
30. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 21 wherein said cellulose ether polymer is ethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxybutyl methylcellulose, hydroxyethyl methylcellulose, hydroxypropyl starch or a mixture thereof.
31. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 30 wherein said cellulose ether polymer is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose.
32. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 21 wherein said butanol is a bio-derived butanol, a petrochemical-derived butanol or a mixture thereof.
33. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 10 wherein said butanol is n-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol or a mixture thereof.
34. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 32 wherein said butanol is n-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol or a mixture thereof.
35. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 6 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of between about 5,000 and about 10,000.
36. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 6 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of between about 1,000 and about 5,000.
37. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 31 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of less than about 15,000.
38. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 37 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of between about 1,000 and about 5,000.
39. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 37 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of between about 5,000 and about 10,000.
40. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 8 wherein said charcoal ignition fluid has a viscosity of between approximately 6.5 cSt and 23 cSt at 110° F.
41. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 29 wherein said charcoal ignition liquid has a viscosity of between approximately 6.5 cSt and 23 cSt at 110° F.
42. A charcoal ignition liquid, comprising: (a) hydroxypropyl methylcellulose: (b) butanol; (c) water; and (d) an acetate salt, an organic ester, or a mixture thereof.
43. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 42 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of less than about 15,000.
44. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 43 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of between about 5,000 and about 10,000.
45. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 43 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of between about 1,000 and about 5,000.
46. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 42 wherein said acetate salt comprises sodium acetate, potassium acetate, calcium acetate or a mixture thereof.
47. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 42 wherein said charcoal ignition fluid has a viscosity of between approximately 3.0 cSt and 23 cSt at 110° F.
48. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 47 wherein said charcoal ignition liquid has a viscosity of between approximately 6.5 cSt and 23 cSt at 110° F.
49. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 42 wherein said primary amyl alcohol comprises butyl acetate, n-butyl acetate or a mixture thereof.
50. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 42 wherein said butanol is a bio-derived butanol or a petrochemical-derived butanol or a mixture thereof.
51. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 42 further comprising ethanol.
52. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 42 further comprising a primary amyl alcohol.
53. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 52 further wherein said primary amyl alcohol comprises pentanol, 1-pentanol, 2-pentanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2,2,-dimetheyl-1-propanol or a mixture thereof.
54. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 42 comprising:
(a) approximately 0.4 percent to approximately 15 percent by weight of said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose;
(b) approximately 70 percent to approximately 95.6 percent by weight of said butanol;
(c) approximately 4 percent to 15 percent by weight of said water;
(d) up to approximately 12 percent by weight of said acetate salt, up to approximately 11 percent by weight of said organic ester, or a mixture thereof.
55. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 42 comprising:
(a) approximately 1.2 percent to approximately 2.5 percent by weight of said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose;
(b) approximately 85.95 percent to approximately 92.85 percent by weight of said butanol;
(c) approximately 5.95 percent to approximately 11.55 percent by weight of said water;
(d) up to approximately 12 percent by weight of said acetate salt, up to approximately 11 percent by weight of said organic ester, or a mixture thereof.
56. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 54 further comprising between approximately 1 to approximately 20 percent by weight ethanol.
57. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 54 further comprising less than approximately 2 percent by weight of a primary amyl alcohol.
58. A charcoal ignition liquid, comprising: (a) hydroxypropyl methylcellulose; (b) butanol; (c) water; and (d) ethanol, a primary amyl alcohol or a mixture thereof.
59. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 58 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of less than about 15,000.
60. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 59 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of between about 5,000 and about 10,000.
61. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 59 wherein said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has a number average molecular weight of between about 1,000 and about 5,000.
62. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 58 further comprising an acetate salt.
63. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 62 wherein said acetate salt comprises sodium acetate, potassium acetate, calcium acetate or a mixture thereof.
64. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 58 wherein said charcoal ignition fluid has a viscosity of between approximately 3.0 cSt and 23 cSt at 110° F.
65. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 64 wherein said charcoal ignition liquid has a viscosity of between approximately 6.5 cSt and 23 cSt at 110° F.
66. The charcoal ignition fluid of claim 42 further comprising a primary amyl alcohol.
67. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 66 wherein said primary amyl alcohol comprises butyl acetate, n-butyl acetate or a mixture thereof.
68. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 58 wherein said butanol is a bio-derived butanol or a petrochemical-derived butanol or a mixture thereof.
69. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 58 further wherein said primary amyl alcohol comprises pentanol, 1-pentanol, 2-pentanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2,2,-dimetheyl-1-propanol or a mixture thereof.
70. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 58 comprising:
(a) approximately 0.4 percent to approximately 15 percent by weight of said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose;
(b) approximately 70 percent to approximately 95.6 percent by weight of said butanol;
(c) approximately 4 percent to 15 percent by weight of said water;
(d) approximately 1 to approximately 20 percent by weight ethanol, less than approximately 2 percent by weight of a primary amyl alcohol, or a mixture thereof.
71. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 58 comprising:
(a) approximately 1.2 percent to approximately 2.5 percent by weight of said hydroxypropyl methylcellulose;
(b) approximately 85.95 percent to approximately 92.85 percent by weight of said butanol;
(c) approximately 5.95 percent to approximately 11.55 percent by weight of said water;
(d) approximately 1 to approximately 20 percent by weight ethanol, less than approximately 2 percent by weight of a primary amyl alcohol, or a mixture thereof.
72. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 71 further comprising up to approximately 12 percent by weight of an acetate salt.
73. The charcoal ignition liquid of claim 71 further comprising up to approximately 11 percent by weight of an organic ester.