Platinum metal fuel additive for water-containing fuels

• US 5,693,106 A
• Filed: 01/13/1995
• Issued: 12/02/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Platinum Plus, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Platinum Plus, Inc.
• Inventors: Sprague, Barry N., Valentine, James M., Peter-Hoblyn, Jeremy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Howard, Jacqueline V.
• Application Number:
  US08/372,188
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 44/301, 44/354, 44/357
• US Class Current: 44/301
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/10 containing additives
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1208 elements
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1225 halogen containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1233 oxygen containing compounds, e.g. oxides, hydroxides, acids and salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1241 metal carbonyls
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/125 water
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1266 nitrogen containing compounds, (e.g. NH3)
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1275 sulfur, tellurium, selenium containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1608 Well defined compounds, e.g. hexane, benzene
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1616 fractions, e.g. lubricants, solvents, naphta, bitumen, tars, terpentine
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1691 petroleum waxes, mineral waxes; paraffines; alkylation products; Friedel-Crafts condensation products; petroleum resins; modified waxes (oxidised)
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1802 natural products, e.g. waxes, extracts, fatty oils
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1814 Chelates
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1824 mono-hydroxy
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1828 Salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1832 mono-hydroxy C10L1/1802, C10L1/1805, C10L1/1808, C10L1/1811, C10L1/1814, C10L1/1817, C10L1/1828 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1852 Ethers; Acetals; Ketals; Orthoesters
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1855 Cyclic ethers, e.g. epoxides, lactides, lactones
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1857 Aldehydes; Ketones
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/188 Carboxylic acids; metal salts thereof C10L1/1802, C10L1/1805, C10L1/1808, C10L1/1811, C10L1/1814, C10L1/1817 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1881 : carboxylic group attached to an aliphatic carbon atom
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1883 : polycarboxylic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1886 : naphthenic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1888 : tall oil
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/19 : Esters ester radical containing compounds; ester ethers; carbonic acid esters C10L1/1802, C10L1/1805, C10L1/1808, C10L1/1811, C10L1/1814, C10L1/1817 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/191 : of di- or polyhydroxyalcohols
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/198 : obtained otherwise than by reactions involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds homo- or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon to carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by an acyloxy radical of a saturated carboxylic acid, of carbonic acid
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/1985 : polyethers, e.g. di- polygylcols and derivatives; ethers - esters
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/201 : aliphatic bond
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/2222 : (cyclo)aliphatic amines; polyamines (no macromolecular substituent 30C); quaternair ammonium compounds; carbamates C10L1/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/2225 : hydroxy containing C10L1/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/224 : Amides; Imides carboxylic acid amides, imides C10L1/221, C10L1/2227 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/23 : containing at least one nitrogen-to-oxygen bond, e.g. nitro-compounds, nitrates, nitrites C10L1/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/231 : nitro compounds; nitrates; nitrites C10L1/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/232 : containing nitrogen in a heterocyclic ring C10L1/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/238 : obtained otherwise than by reactions involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds C10L1/221 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/2437 : Sulfonic acids; Derivatives thereof, e.g. sulfonamides, sulfosuccinic acid esters
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/2493 : compounds of uncertain formula; reactions of organic compounds (hydrocarbons, acids, esters) with sulfur or sulfur containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/2641 : oxygen bonds only
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/2683 : obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving unsaturated carbon to carbon bonds
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/301 : derived from metals
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/305 : organo-metallic compounds (containing a metal to carbon bond)
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/306 : organo Pb compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/328 : Oil emulsions containing water or any other hydrophilic phase
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 10/02 : for reducing smoke development
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/206 : Adding periodically or continuously substances to exhaust gases for promoting purification, e.g. catalytic material in liquid form, NOx reducing agents F01N3/2066 takes precedence

Abstract

Platinum group metal fuel additives are effective in fuel environments which make the exclusion of water impractical. The fuels additives comprise a platinum group metal compound and a water-functional composition selected from the group consisting of lipophilic emulsifiers, lipophilic organic compounds in which water is miscible and mixtures of these. The additives are preferably effective in fuel compositions having water contents of at least about 0.01% water by weight.

Claims

1. A fuel additive composition for providing a catalyst to the fuel and minimizing the degradation of catalytic activity by preventing the frank separation of water from the fuel and, thereby maintain the catalyst in the fuel, comprising:

a platinum group metal compound and

a water-functional composition selected from the group consisting of lipophilic emulsifiers, lipophilic organic compounds in which water is miscible, and mixtures of these;

wherein said platinum group metal compound is present in an amount to provide from 0.05 to 2.0 milligrams of platinum per liter of fuel.

2. A fuel additive composition according to claim 1 wherein the platinum group metal compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide from about 0.1 to about 1.0 milligram of platinum group metal for each liter of fuel.

3. A fuel additive composition according to claim 1 wherein the water-functional composition comprises a lipophilic emulsifier at a ratio of from about 10:

1 to about 500,000;

1 based on the weight of platinum group metal in the additive composition.

4. A fuel additive composition according to claim 1 wherein the water-functional composition comprises a lipophilic organic compound in which water is miscible, said compound being present at a ratio of from about 10:

1 to about 500,000;

1 based on the weight of platinum group metal in the additive composition.

5. A fuel additive composition according to claim 4 wherein the water-functional composition additionally comprises a lipophilic emulsifier at a ratio of from about 10:

1 to about 500,000;

1 based on the weight of platinum group metal in the additive composition.

6. A fuel additive composition according to claim 1 wherein the fuel comprises a diesel fuel and contains from about 0.01 to about 0.5% water.

7. A fuel additive composition according to claim 1 wherein the fuel comprises gasoline and contains from about 0.01 to about 0.5% water.

8. A fuel additive composition according to claim 1 wherein the fuel comprises gasoline, diesel fuel or gasohol and contains from about 1.0 to about 15% water, and the platinum group metal composition exhibits a partition ratio of less than about 25.

9. A fuel additive composition according to claim 1 wherein the fuel comprises gasohol and contains from about 1.0 to about 15% water, and the water-functional composition comprises a lipophilic emulsifier at a ratio of from about 10:

1 to about 500,000;

1 based on the weight of platinum group metal in the additive composition.

10. A fuel additive composition according to claim 1 wherein the fuel comprises gasoline, diesel fuel or gasohol and contains from about 1.0 to about 15% water, and the water-functional composition comprises a lipophilic organic compound in which water is miscible, said compound being present at a ratio of from about 10:

1 to about 500,000;

1 based on the weight of platinum group metal in the additive composition.

11. A fuel additive composition according to claim 1 wherein the additive comprises a continuous hydrocarbon phase including a hydrophilic emulsifier at a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 10%, and a dispersed phase comprised of aqueous droplets having a platinum group metal compound dissolved or dispersed therein and a lipophilic emulsifier at a ratio of from about 10:

1 to about 500,000;

1 based on the weight of platinum group metal in the additive composition.

12. A fuel additive composition according to claim 1 wherein the additive further comprises from about 1 to about 100 ppm of a catalyst metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, iron, copper, cerium, sodium, and lithium compounds, in combination with the platinum group metal compound.

13. A fuel composition comprising:

a distillate fuel; and

,

a fuel additive comprising a platinum group metal compound present in an amount sufficient to provide from about 0.1 to about 1.0 milligram of platinum group metal for each liter of fuel and a water-functional composition selected from the group consisting of lipophilic emulsifiers, lipophilic organic compounds in which water is miscible, and mixtures of these.

14. A fuel composition according to claim 13 wherein the water-functional composition comprises a lipophilic emulsifier at a ratio of from about 10:

1 to about 500,000;

1 based on the weight of platinum group metal in the additive composition.

15. A fuel composition according to claim 13 wherein the water-functional composition comprises a lipophilic organic compound in which water is miscible, said compound being present at a ratio of from about 10:

1 to about 500,000;

1 based on the weight of platinum group metal in the additive composition.

16. A fuel composition according to claim 13 wherein the additive further comprises from about 1 to about 100 ppm of a catalyst metal selected from the group consisting of manganese, iron, copper, cerium, sodium, and lithium compounds, in combination with the platinum group metal compound.

17. A fuel composition according to claim 13 wherein the additive comprises a continuous hydrocarbon phase including a hydrophilic emulsifier at a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 10%, and a dispersed phase comprised of aqueous droplets having a platinum group metal compound dissolved or dispersed therein and a lipophilic emulsifier at a ratio of from about 10:

1 to about 500,000;

1 based on the weight of platinum group metal in the additive composition.

18. A method for operating an internal combustion engine comprising:

adding to the fuel system of an internal combustion engine, a fuel composition comprising a distillate fuel and, a fuel additive comprising a platinum group metal compound the platinum group metal compound is present in an amount sufficient to provide from about 0.1 to about 1.0 milligram of platinum group metal for each liter of fuel, and a water-functional composition selected from the group consisting of lipophilic emulsifiers, lipophilic organic compounds in which water is miscible and mixtures of these, said fuel composition within said fuel system having a water content of at least about 0.01% water by weight; and

combusting the fuel composition within the engine.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the water-functional composition comprises a lipophilic organic compound in which water is miscible, said compound being present at a ratio of from about 10:

1 to about 250,000;

based on the weight of platinum group metal in the additive composition.

20. A method according to claim 18 wherein the water-functional composition comprises a lipophilic emulsifier at a ratio of from about 10,000 to about 250,000 based on the weight of platinum group metal in the additive composition.