Methanol automotive fuel

• US 4,386,938 A
• Filed: 10/20/1981
• Issued: 06/07/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Roland D. Earle
• Original Assignee: Pride Manufacturing (Dayton-Phoenix Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Earle, Roland D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howard, Jacqueline V.
• Application Number:
  US06/313,211
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 44/53, 44/56, 44/77
• US Class Current: 44/322
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/023 for spark ignition
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1811 peroxides; ozonides
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/027 four

Abstract

A composition for use as a gasoline substitute. The composition includes either ethanol or methanol and an alkyl peroxide.

Claims

1. A fuel for use in an internal combustion engine comprising a lower alcohol and an amount of a tertiary alkyl peroxide effective to impove the burning efficiency of the lower alcohol in an internal combustion engine.

2. The fuel as set forth in claim 1 wherein said alcohol is methanol and said tertiary alkyl peroxide is a ditertiary alkyl peroxide.

3. The fuel as set forth in claim 2 wherein the ditertiary alkyl peroxide is ditertiary butyl peroxide.

4. The fuel as set forth in claim 3 wherein the composition of the fuel includes about 1.5-6% ditertiary butyl peroxide.

5. The fuel as set forth in claim 1 also including additives to reduce problems associated with water-methanol mixtures, auto-ignition and knocking.

6. The fuel as set forth in claim 2 also including additives to reduce problems associated with water-methanol mixtures, auto-ignition and knocking.

7. The fuel as set forth in claim 3 also including additives to reduce problems associated with water-methanol mixtures, auto-ignition and knocking.

8. The fuel as set forth in claim 4 also including additives to reduce problems associated with water-methanol mixtures, auto-ignition and knocking.

9. The fuel as set forth in claim 5 wherein the additive includes isopropanol.

10. The fuel as set forth in claim 6 wherein the additive includes isopropanol.

11. The fuel as set forth in claim 7 wherein the additive includes isopropanol.

12. The fuel as set forth in claim 8 wherein the additive includes isopropanol.

13. A fuel for use in an internal combustion engine comprising gasoline and an additive comprising a lower alcohol and an amount of a tertiary alkyl peroxide effective to improve the burning efficiency of the lower alcohol in an internal combustion engine.

14. The fuel as set forth in claim 13 wherein said lower alcohol is methanol and tertiary alkyl peroxide is a ditertiary alkyl peroxide.

15. The fuel as set forth in claim 14 wherein the ditertiary alkyl peroxide is ditertiary butyl peroxide.

16. The fuel as set forth in claim 15 wherein the composition of the additive includes about 1.5-6% ditertiary butyl peroxide and 85% methanol and the additive is mixed with gasoline in any proportion.

17. The fuel as set forth in claim 13 also including further additives to reduce problems associated with water-gasoline mixtures, auto-ignition and knocking.

18. The fuel as set forth in claim 14 also including further additives to reduce problems associated with water-gasoline mixtures, auto-ignition and knocking.

19. The fuel as set forth in claim 15 also including further additives to reduce problems associated with water-gasoline mixtures, auto-ignition and knocking.

20. The fuel as set forth in claim 16 also including further additives to reduce problems associated with water-gasoline mixtures, auto-ignition and knocking.

21. The fuel as set forth in claim 17 wherein the further additive includes isopropanol.

22. The fuel as set forth in claim 18 wherein the further additive includes isopropanol.

23. The fuel as set forth in claim 19 wherein the further additive includes isopropanol.

24. The fuel as set forth in claim 20 wherein the further additive includes isopropanol.

25. A method of powering an internal combustion engine comprising burning a fuel in said internal combustion engine which fuel comprises a lower alcohol and an amount of a tertiary alkyl peroxide effective to improve the burning efficiency of the lower alcohol in the internal combustion engine.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25 wherein said alcohol is methanol and said tertiary alkyl peroxide is a ditertiary alkyl peroxide.

27. The method as set forth in claim 26 wherein the ditertiary alkyl peroxide is ditertiary butyl peroxide.