Catalyst and method for improving combustion efficiency in engines, boilers, and other equipment operating on fuels
View Patent ↗A catalyst and method for improving combustion efficiency in boilers, engines, and other equipment by adding to fossil and other fuels a fuel additive that contains an oil-soluble iron compound and an over-based magnesium compound and for which the median particle size of the additive is less than about 0.01 micrometers.
1. A catalyst for improving combustion, the catalyst comprising: a dispersion including suspended particles, the suspended particles having a size distribution and a median particle size, wherein at least a portion of the particles includes a magnesium compound and an iron compound in the form of a colloidal dispersion including ferric oxide stabilized in a hydrocarbon solvent, wherein die median particle size is less than about 0.01 micrometers, and wherein the magnesium compound is over-based.
2. A catalyst for improving combustion, the catalyst comprising: a dispersion including suspended particles, the suspended particles having a size distribution and a median particle size, at least a portion of the particles including an iron compound and a magnesium compound, wherein the median particle size is less than about 0.01 micrometers, and wherein the magnesium compound is over-based and includes magnesium carboxylate.
3. A catalyst for improving combustion, the catalyst comprising: a dispersion including suspended particles, the suspended particles having a size distribution and a median particle size, at least a portion of the particles including an iron compound and a magnesium compound, wherein the median particle size is less than about 0.01 micrometers, and wherein the magnesium compound is over-based and includes a mixture of magnesium carboxylate, carbonate, and magnesium sulfonate.
4. A catalyst for improving combustion, the catalyst comprising: a dispersion including suspended particles, the suspended particles having a size distribution and a median particle size, at least a portion of the particles including an iron compound and a magnesium compound suspended in liquid and agglomerating to form a plurality of bimetallic particles, said particles having a size distribution and a median particle size, wherein the median particle size is less than about 0.01 micrometers and wherein the magnesium compound is over-based.
5. The catalyst of claim 4 , wherein at least 50% of the particles have a median particle size between 0.0001 and 0.0076 micrometers.
6. The catalyst of claim 4 , wherein at least 25% of the particles have a median particle size between 0.0001 and 0.0065 micrometers.
7. The catalyst for claim 4 , wherein the iron compound is oil-soluble.
8. The catalyst of claim 4 , wherein the magnesium compound includes magnesium carboxylate.
9. The catalyst of claim 4 , wherein the magnesium compound includes magnesium sulfonate.
10. The catalyst of claim 4 , wherein the magnesium compound includes a mixture of magnesium carboxylate and magnesium sulfonate.
11. A method of catalyzing fuel combustion in combustion equipment comprising the steps of: creating a solution in which particles are suspended, the particles having a size distribution and a median particle size, the median particle size less than about 0.01 micrometers, and the particles containing an iron compound and a magnesium compound; and adding the dispersion to the fuel, wherein the magnesium compound is over-based.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least 50% of the particles have a median particle size between 0.0001 and 0.0076 micrometers.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least 25% of the particles have a median particle size between 0.0001 and 0.0065 micrometers.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the iron compound is oil-soluble.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the magnesium compound includes magnesium carboxylate.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the magnesium compound includes magnesium sulfonate.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the magnesium compound includes a mixture of magnesium carboxylate and magnesium sulfonate.
18. The method of claim 11 , in which the fuel comprises fossil fuels.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the fuel is selected from a group consisting of liquid petroleum fuels, solid hydrocarbon fuels, and wood.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the combustion equipment is selected from the group consisting of combustion turbine engines, steam boilers, industrial boilers, package boilers, industrial heaters, spark-ignited reciprocating engines, and compression-ignited reciprocating engines.