Expansion of fuel streams using mixed hydrocarbons
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for making fuel enriched by mixed pentanes comprising the steps:
- a) providing a fuel blending unit characterized by;
i) a first enclosed conduit transmitting a fuel stream, andii) a second enclosed conduit transmitting an additive stream comprising isopentane and n-pentane at a ratio of from 1;
4 to 4;
1, andiii) an outlet in the second enclosed conduit forming a fluid connection with an inlet in the first enclosed conduit,b) providing;
i) a volatility for the additive stream (the “
additive stream volatility”
),ii) a flow rate for the fuel stream (the “
fuel stream flow rate”
),iii) an octane value for the fuel stream (the “
fuel stream octane value”
), andiv) a maximum blended volatility for the fuel stream (the “
maximum blended volatility”
),c) measuring the fuel stream for its actual volatility (the “
fuel stream volatility”
),d) calculating a rate (the “
additive stream flow rate”
) at which the additive stream can be added to the fuel stream so as not to exceed the maximum blended volatility, wherein the calculating is based upon;
i) the fuel stream volatility,ii) the additive stream volatility, andiii) the fuel stream flow rate, ande) adding the additive stream to the fuel stream at the additive stream flow rate at the fluid connection to make pentane enriched fuel having a final octane value, wherein said ratio of isopentane to n-pentane in said mixed pentane stream is adequate to overcome the depression in octane induced b said n-pentane, such that the n-pentane does not cause the final octane value to drop below the fuel stream octane value.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems for blending multiple batches of mixed hydrocarbons into fuel streams downstream of the refinery are provided that do not compromise the octane value of the fuel and do not cause the volatility of the fuel to exceed volatilities imposed by government regulation.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for making fuel enriched by mixed pentanes comprising the steps:
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a) providing a fuel blending unit characterized by; i) a first enclosed conduit transmitting a fuel stream, and ii) a second enclosed conduit transmitting an additive stream comprising isopentane and n-pentane at a ratio of from 1;
4 to 4;
1, andiii) an outlet in the second enclosed conduit forming a fluid connection with an inlet in the first enclosed conduit, b) providing; i) a volatility for the additive stream (the “
additive stream volatility”
),ii) a flow rate for the fuel stream (the “
fuel stream flow rate”
),iii) an octane value for the fuel stream (the “
fuel stream octane value”
), andiv) a maximum blended volatility for the fuel stream (the “
maximum blended volatility”
),c) measuring the fuel stream for its actual volatility (the “
fuel stream volatility”
),d) calculating a rate (the “
additive stream flow rate”
) at which the additive stream can be added to the fuel stream so as not to exceed the maximum blended volatility, wherein the calculating is based upon;i) the fuel stream volatility, ii) the additive stream volatility, and iii) the fuel stream flow rate, and e) adding the additive stream to the fuel stream at the additive stream flow rate at the fluid connection to make pentane enriched fuel having a final octane value, wherein said ratio of isopentane to n-pentane in said mixed pentane stream is adequate to overcome the depression in octane induced b said n-pentane, such that the n-pentane does not cause the final octane value to drop below the fuel stream octane value. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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2. A method for making mixed pentane enriched fuel without depressing the octane of the fuel, comprising the steps:
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a) providing a fuel blending unit characterized by; i) a first enclosed conduit transmitting a fuel stream, ii) a second enclosed conduit transmitting an additive stream, wherein the additive stream comprises mixed pentanes comprising n-pentane and isopentane at a ratio of from 1;
5 to 5;
1, andiii) an outlet in the second enclosed conduit forming a fluid connection with an inlet in the first enclosed conduit, b) providing; i) a volatility for the additive stream (the “
additive stream volatility”
),ii) a flow rate for the fuel stream (the “
fuel stream flow rate”
),iii) an octane value for the fuel stream (the “
fuel stream octane value”
), andiv) a maximum blended volatility for the fuel stream (the “
maximum blended volatility”
),c) measuring the fuel stream for its actual volatility (the “
fuel stream volatility”
),d) calculating a rate (the “
additive stream flow rate”
) at which the additive stream can be added to the fuel stream so as not to exceed the maximum blended volatility, wherein the calculating is based upon;i) the fuel stream volatility, ii) the additive stream volatility, and iii) the fuel stream flow rate, e) adding the additive stream to the fuel stream at the additive stream flow rate at the fluid connection to make a volume of pentane enriched fuel, and f) adding ethanol to the pentane enriched fuel in an ethanol volume sufficient to overcome the depression in octane caused by n-pentane in the mixed pentanes, wherein said ethanol volume is at least 5% of the volume of said pentane enriched fuel.
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3. A method for blending heterogeneous batches of mixtures of light hydrocarbons into a primary fuel stream (the “
- fuel stream”
) comprising;a) providing; i) a mixed hydrocarbon stream (the “
additive stream”
) comprising a plurality of heterogeneous batches of light hydrocarbons, wherein (1) said mixed hydrocarbon stream comprises butane and pentane at a butane;
pentane ratio, and the butane;
pentane ratio among heterogenous batches varies by more than 2%, or (2) said mixed hydrocarbon stream comprises isopentane and n-pentane at an isopentane;
n-pentane ratio of from 1;
5 to 5;
1 and the isopentane;
n-pentane ratio among heterogeneous batches varies by more than 2%,ii) a fuel blending unit characterized by a first enclosed conduit transmitting the fuel stream, a second enclosed conduit transmitting the additive stream, and an outlet in the second enclosed conduit forming a fluid connection with an inlet in the first enclosed conduit, b) providing; i) a flow rate for the fuel stream (the “
fuel stream flow rate”
),ii) an octane value for the fuel stream (the “
fuel stream octane value”
),iii) a designated volatility for the additive stream for each of the plurality of light hydrocarbon batches that exceeds the actual volatility of the batches, iv) a maximum blended volatility for the fuel stream (the “
maximum blended volatility”
),c) measuring the fuel stream for its actual volatility (the “
fuel stream volatility”
),d) calculating a rate (the “
additive stream flow rate”
) at which the additive stream can be added to the fuel stream so as not to exceed the maximum blended volatility, wherein the calculating is based upon;i) the fuel stream volatility, ii) the designated volatility of the additive stream, and iii) the fuel stream flow rate, e) adding the additive stream to the fuel stream at the additive stream flow rate at the fluid connection to make fuel enriched by mixed light hydrocarbons.
- fuel stream”
Specification