Alternative fuel and fuel additive compositions
First Claim
1. An alternative fuel composition, comprising:
- a) a fuel/alcohol blend comprising between about 15 and about 95 percent by volume of gasoline or diesel fuel, and between about 10 and about 85 percent by volume of one or more C1-10 alcohols,b) between 1 and 15 percent by volume of a glycerol ether or mixture of glycerol ethers by volume of the fuel alcohol blend, andc) optionally, one or more conventional fuel additives, so long as the above-listed ratios of the fuel, alcohol(s) and glycerol ether(s) is unchanged.
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Abstract
Alternative gasoline, diesel fuel, marine diesel fuel, jet fuel, and flexible fuel compositions are disclosed. The compositions include an alcohol and/or a glycerol ether or mixture of glycerol ethers, which can be derived from renewable resources. When combined with gasoline/ethanol blends, the glycerol ethers can reduce the vapor pressure of the ethanol and increasing the fuel economy. When added to diesel fuel/alcohol blends, glycerol ethers improve the cetane value of the blends. All or part of the diesel fuel in the compositions described herein can be biodiesel fuel and/or synthetic fuel derived from a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis process. Fischer-Tropsch synthesis can also use feedstocks derived from sources other than crude oil, such as methane, methanol, ethanol, lignin and glycerol, which can further reduce reliance on foreign sources of crude oil. When used in jet fuel, glycerol ethers can replace all or part of conventional deicing additives, thus lowering skin toxicity, and glycerol ethers ability to reduce particulate emissions can lower the appearance of contrails. When used in marine diesel, the reduction in particulate emissions can be environmentally significant. In another embodiment, the alternative compositions comprise gasoline, ethanol, and n-butanol, and in one aspect, the ethanol and/or n-butanol can be derived from renewable resources. Fuel additive compositions, including glycerol ethers and hydrocarbons and/or alcohols, are also disclosed.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An alternative fuel composition, comprising:
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a) a fuel/alcohol blend comprising between about 15 and about 95 percent by volume of gasoline or diesel fuel, and between about 10 and about 85 percent by volume of one or more C1-10 alcohols, b) between 1 and 15 percent by volume of a glycerol ether or mixture of glycerol ethers by volume of the fuel alcohol blend, and c) optionally, one or more conventional fuel additives, so long as the above-listed ratios of the fuel, alcohol(s) and glycerol ether(s) is unchanged. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. (canceled)
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8. (canceled)
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9. A jet fuel composition, comprising hydrocarbons in the molecular weight range of between about 5 and 20, and glycerol ethers, wherein the glycerol ethers are present in a range of between about 0.5 and 10 percent by volume.
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10. A jet fuel composition comprising
a) hydrocarbons typically found in JP-8, and b) glycerol ethers as a jet fuel deicing additive, and, optionally, c) ethylene glycol ethers.
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11. A marine diesel fuel composition, comprising marine diesel fuel and between about 0.5 and about 12 percent by volume of glycerol ethers.
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12. (canceled)
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13. A fuel additive composition, comprising:
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a) between 5 and 95 percent by volume of a hydrocarbon and/or an alcohol, b) between 5 and 95 percent by volume of one or more glycerol ethers, and c) optionally comprising one or more conventional fuel additives, wherein the above-listed ratios of the hydrocarbons and glycerol ether(s) is unchanged and wherein said hydrocarbon is kerosene. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification