Process and apparatus for fuelling a marine vessel

• US 6,840,290 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2001
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BP Oil International Limited (BP PLC)
• Original Assignee: BP Oil International Limited (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Taylor, Spencer Edwin, Gregory, Donald Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US10/433,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20040040615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 141/9
• US Class Current: 141/9
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 17/0027 Tanks for fuel or the like constructional features of bunkers B63B11/04; Accessories therefor, e.g. tank filler caps fuel tanks for vehicles in general B60K15/03; cargo tanks B63B25/08; cleaning of tanks B63B57/00; handling of liquids for use in power plants B63H21/38
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 21/14 relating to internal-combustion engines of outboard type B63H20/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/328 Oil emulsions containing water or any other hydrophilic phase

Abstract

A process for fuelling a marine vessel having a diesel engine and/or a boiler, which comprises providing the marine vessel with a storage tank for high internal phase ratio (HIPR) emulsions comprising 10-40% by weight water and a fuel oil comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of atmospheric residues, vacuum distillate residues, visbreaker residues and other heavy refinery streams in the substantial absence of hydrocarbon cutter stock. The absence of cutter stock avoids incompatibility problems and may allow for use of the emulsion without settling, filtering and centrifuging.

Claims

1. A process for fuelling a marine vessel having a diesel engine and/or a boiler, which process comprises:

(a) providing said marine vessel with a storage tank operably connected to said diesel engine and/or boiler;

(b) introducing into said storage tank a first high internal phase ratio (HIPR) emulsion (A) comprising 10-40% by weight water and a fuel oil comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of atmospheric residues, vacuum distillate residues, visbreaker residues and other heavy refinery streams in the substantial absence of hydrocarbon cutter stock; and

(c) introducing into said storage tank optionally containing emulsion (A), a second high internal phase ratio (HIPR) emulsion (B) comprising 10-40% by weight water and a fuel oil comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of atmospheric residues, vacuum distillate residues, visbreaker residues and other heavy refinery streams in the substantial absence of hydrocarbon cutter stock;

and in which the emulsions (A) and (B) are different from each other.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which emulsion is pumped to the diesel engine and/or boiler without settling, or without filtering or without centrifuging or without settling, filtering and centrifuging.

3. A process as claimed in claim 2 in which emulsion is pumped directly from the storage tank to the diesel engine and/or boiler.

4. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the emulsions comprise less than 20 ppm insoluble contaminants.

5. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fuel oil in each of the emulsions independently has a viscosity at 50°

C. of 1000 to 100,000 cSt.

6. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the emulsions independently comprise a surfactant.

7. A process as claimed in claim 5 wherein the emulsions independently comprise a surfactant.

8. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the emulsions independently comprise fuel oil droplets having a mean diameter of 2 to 50 microns, preferably, 10 to 30 microns.

9. A process as claimed in claim 5 wherein the emulsions independently comprise fuel oil droplets having a mean diameter of 2 to 50 microns, preferably, 10 to 30 microns.

10. A process as claimed in claim 6 wherein the emulsions independently comprise fuel oil droplets having a mean diameter of 2 to 50 microns, preferably, 10 to 30 microns.

11. A process as claimed in claim 7 wherein the emulsions independently comprise fuel oil droplets having a mean diameter of 2 to 50 microns, preferably, 10 to 30 microns.

12. A process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the emulsions independently comprise 20 to 50 vol % water, more preferably, 30 to 40 vol %.

13. A marine vessel for use in the process of claim 1 which vessel comprises a diesel engine and/or boiler and a storage tank operably connected thereto without settling tanks, or without filters, or without centrifuges or without settling tanks, filters and centrifuges.

14. A marine vessel as claimed in claim 13 in which the storage tank is directly connected to the diesel engine and/or boiler.

15. A process for fuelling a marine vessel having a diesel engine and/or a boiler, said marine vessel having a storage tank operably connected to said diesel engine and/or boiler and said storage tank containing residual first high internal phase ratio (HIPR) emulsion (A) comprising 10-40% by weight water and a fuel oil comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting of atmospheric residues, vacuum distillate residues, visbreaker residues and other heavy refinery streams in the substantial absence of hydrocarbon cutter stock, which process comprises re-fuelling said vessel by introducing into said storage tank a second high internal phase ratio (HIPR) emulsion (B) comprising 10-40% by weight water and a fuel oil comprising at least one member selected from the group consisting at atmospheric residues, vacuum distillate residues, visbreaker residues and other heavy refinery streams in the substantial absence of hydrocarbon cutter stock;

and in which the emulsions (A) and (B) are different from each other.

16. A process as claimed in claim 15 in which emulsion is pumped to the diesel engine and/or boiler without settling, or without filtering or without centrifuging or without settling, filtering and centrifuging.

17. A process as claimed in claim 16 in which emulsion is pumped directly from the storage tank to the diesel engine and/or boiler.

18. A process as claimed in claim 15 wherein the emulsions comprise less than 20 ppm insoluble contaminants.

19. A process as claimed in claim 15 wherein the fuel oil in each of the emulsions independently has a viscosity at 50°

C. of 1000 to 100,000 cSt.

20. A process as claimed in claim 15 wherein the emulsions independently comprise a surfactant.

21. A process as claimed in claim 19 wherein the emulsions independently comprise a surfactant.

22. A process as claimed in claim 15 wherein the emulsions independently comprise fuel oil droplets having a mean diameter of 2 to 50 microns, preferably, 10 to 30 microns.

23. A process as claimed in claim 19 wherein the emulsions independently comprise fuel oil droplets having a mean diameter of 2 to 50 microns, preferably, 10 to 30 microns.

24. A process as claimed in claim 20 wherein the emulsions independently comprise fuel oil droplets having a mean diameter of 2 to 50 microns, preferably, 10 to 30 microns.

25. A process as claimed in claim 21 wherein the emulsions independently comprise fuel oil droplets having a mean diameter of 2 to 50 microns, preferably, 10 to 30 microns.

26. A process as claimed in claim 15 wherein the emulsions independently comprise 20 to 50 vol % water, more preferably, 30 to 40 vol %.