Process for Powering a Compression Ignition Engine and Fuel Therefor

• US 20130318946A1
• Filed: 11/25/2011
• Published: 12/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gane Energy & Resources Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Gane Energy & Resources Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Morris, Greg, Brear, Michael John, Slocombe, Ronald Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 10,023,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/273
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/003 Marking, e.g. coloration by addition of pigments
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/026 for compression ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/10 containing additives
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/125 water
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1852 Ethers; Acetals; Ketals; Orthoesters
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/328 Oil emulsions containing water or any other hydrophilic phase
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2230/18 for rendering the fuel or flame visible or for adding or altering its color
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2270/026 for diesel engines, e.g. automobiles, stationary, marine
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/06 Heat exchange, direct or indirect
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 43/00 Engines characterised by operating on gaseous fuels; Plants including such engines engines characterised by the gas-air charge being ignited by compression ignition of an additional fuel F02B7/06; engines convertible from gas to other fuel consumption F02B69/04
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 47/02 the substances being water or steam
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0809 Judging failure of purge control system
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

A diesel engine fuel composition comprising methanol at a level of at least 20% by weight of the fuel; water at a level at least 20% by weight of the fuel; a ratio of water to methanol of between 20:80 to 80:20; a total amount of water and methanol of at least 60% by weight of the fuel composition, and one or more additives, in a total amount of at least 0.1% by weight of the fuel, wherein the level of sodium chloride, if present as an additive, is between 0 to 0.5% by weight of the fuel, and the level of flavourant, if present as an additive, is between 0 to 1.5% of the composition is provided. Also provided is a process for powering a compression ignition engine using a fuel comprising methanol and water, including inlet air pre-heating, and associated systems and uses of the fuel composition.

Claims

1. A diesel engine fuel composition comprising:

methanol at a level of at least 20% by weight of the fuel;

water at a level at least 20% by weight of the fuel;

a ratio of water to methanol of between 20;

80 to 80;

20;

a total amount of water and methanol of at least 60% by weight of the fuel composition, and

one or more additives, in a total amount of at least 0.1% by weight of the fuel, wherein the level of sodium chloride, if present as an additive, is between 0 to 0.5% by weight of the fuel, and the level of flavourant, if present as an additive, is between 0 to 1.5% of the composition.

2. The diesel engine fuel composition of claim 1, wherein the additives are selected from the group consisting of:

ignition improvers, fuel extenders, combustion enhancers, oxygen absorbing oil, lubricity additives, product colouration additives, flame colour additives, anti corrosion additives, biocides, freeze point depressants, deposit reductants, denaturants, pH controlling agents, and mixtures thereof.

9. The diesel fuel composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the diesel fuel composition is a single phase fuel composition.

10. The diesel fuel composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the total amount of water and methanol is at least 80% by weight of the fuel composition.

11. The diesel fuel composition of any one of the preceding claims, comprising dimethyl either as one additive in an amount of not more than 20% by weight of the fuel composition.

12. The diesel fuel composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the methanol in the diesel fuel composition is a crude methanol.

13. The diesel fuel composition of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the additives comprise:

a product colouration additive at up to 1% by weight, and

a flame colour additive, at up to 1% by weight of the fuel.

43. Use of the diesel fuel composition of any one of claims 1 to 13 in the process of any one of claims 14 to 24, or power generation system of any one of claims 25 to 39.

3. A diesel engine fuel composition comprising methanol and water, and one or more additives selected from the group consisting of:

ignition improvers, fuel extenders, combustion enhancers, oxygen absorbing oil, lubricity additives, product colouration additives, flame colour additives, anti corrosion additives, biocides, freeze point depressants, deposit reductants, denaturants, pH controlling agents, and mixtures thereof.

4. The diesel fuel of claim 3, wherein the fuel comprises from 3% to 40% water, and not more than 20% dimethyl ether.

5. A diesel engine fuel composition of claim 3, comprising between 12% and 23% water, methanol, and not more than 20% by weight of additives.

6. The diesel engine fuel composition according to claim 3, comprising between 20% and 68% by weight water, methanol, and not more than 20% by weight of additives.

7. The diesel engine fuel composition according to claim 3, comprising between 20% and 22% by weight water, methanol, and not more than 20% by weight of additives.

8. The diesel engine fuel composition according to claim 3, comprising between 20% and 22% by weight water, 4-6% by weight DME and methanol.

14. A process for powering a compression ignition engine using a fuel comprising methanol and water, including:

pre-heating an intake air stream, introducing the pre-heated air into a combustion chamber of the engine and compressing the pre-heated air; and

introducing the fuel into the combustion chamber and igniting the fuel/air mixture to drive the engine.

15. The process for powering a compression ignition engine as claimed in claim 14, including pre-heating the intake air to 150°

C.-300°

C.

16. The process for powering a compression ignition engine as claimed in claim 14 or 15, including passing exhaust material from the engine through a heat exchanger to pre-heat the intake air stream entering the engine.

17. The process for powering a compression ignition engine as claimed in claim 16, including cooling exhaust material through the heat exchanger, collecting water from the cooled exhaust material and recycling at least a portion back to the fuel.

18. The process for powering a compression ignition engine as claimed in claim 16, including cooling exhaust material through the heat exchanger, collecting water and fuel and other combustible components from the cooled exhaust material and recycling at least a portion back to the fuel.

19. The process for powering a compression ignition engine as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 18, including condensing exhaust material, collecting water from the condensed exhaust material and recycling at least a portion back to the fuel.

20. The process for powering a compression ignition engine as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 19, including using a salt water/water heat exchanger to condense water from the exhaust material.

21. The process for powering a compression ignition engine as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 20, including purifying particulates from exhaust material and recycling the particulates back to the engine.

22. The process for powering a compression ignition engine as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 21, including adding a chemical treatment to the fuel to neutralise any pH or other imbalances.

23. The process for powering a compression ignition engine as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 22, including purifying exhaust material to capture unburnt exhaust pollutants and recycling these to the engine.

24. The process for powering a compression ignition engine as claimed in any one of claims 14 to 23, including fumigating the inlet air with a fumigant containing an ignition enhancer.

25. A power generation system comprising:

powering a compression ignition engine using a methanol-water fuel to generate power;

preheating an inlet air stream of the compression ignition engine, and/or fumigating the inlet air stream with an ignition enhancer;

treating engine exhaust gas to recover exhaust heat and/or water from the engine, and

redirecting the heat and/or water for further use.

26. The power generation system claimed in claim 25, comprising recycling the exhaust heat and/or water back into the engine.

27. The power generation system claimed in claim 25, comprising exchanging heat from the exhaust gas through a heat exchanger to water in a hot water loop, and transferring heat in the water through the hot water loop to a local community.

28. The power generation system claimed in claim 25, wherein the system is adapted to power a rail vehicle, comprising treating exhaust gas to remove particulates from the exhaust gas and recover heat and water to recycle back into the engine and/or to use on the rail vehicle.

29. The power generation system claimed in claim 25, wherein the power generating system is adapted to power a marine vehicle, comprising treating exhaust gas in a desalinator to recover heat and water to recycle back into the engine and/or to redirect for use on the marine vehicle.

30. The power generation system claimed in claim 25, comprising mixing engine exhaust gas with water in a mixer to cool the exhaust gas and recover water from exhaust gas condensate.

31. The power generation system claimed in claim 30, comprising pumping water from the mixer to a liquid/gas heat exchanger to further cool the water.

32. The power generation system claimed in claim 25, comprising recovering water from exhaust gas in a final stage exhaust gas condenser.

33. The power generation system claimed in claim 25, including adding a chemical treatment to the exhaust gas to neutralise any pH or other imbalances.

34. The power generation system claimed in claim 25, comprising processing in a pre-processor a pre-fuel composition comprising methanol and ether, and optionally water, wherein the pre-processor separates the ether from the methanol, and the using the ether as the ignition enhancer in fumigating the inlet stream.

35. The power generation system claimed in claim 34, wherein the pre-fuel composition comprises 7-10% of ether.

36. The process for powering a compression ignition engine as claimed in claim 25, including pre-heating the intake air to 150°

C.-300°

C.

37. The power generation system claimed in claim 25, comprising adding water to the methanol-based fuel for powering the engine using methanol-water fuel.

38. The power generation system claimed in claim 25, comprising transporting the fuel from a fuel manufacturing plant to the engine location.

39. The power generation system claimed in claim 34, comprising transporting the pre-fuel composition from a fuel manufacturing plant to the engine location.

40. A method of transporting a two-part pre-fuel composition comprising methanol and ether, including transporting the pre-fuel from a first location to a second location remote from the first location, and separating the ether from the methanol to yield a first fuel part comprising methanol, and a second fuel part comprising ether.

41. A pre-fuel composition comprising methanol and up to 10% by weight of an ether.

42. The pre-fuel of claim 41, further comprising water.