Reduced vapor pressure gelled fuels and solvents

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to gelled fuels and solvents. Specifically the invention relates to gel thickeners that reduce vapor pressure in fuels and solvents and are shear thinning (pseudoplastic or thixotropic) or are shear thickening and remain pourable and flowable. Still more specifically, the invention relates to nonaqueous gels made with diblock copolymers that reduce the Reid Vapor Pressure of gelled gasoline and lower the total volatility of gelled hydrocarbon solvents. These gels may contain secondary amino acid or triblock polymer gelling agents. The invention includes gel compositions and methods of making gels.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates generally to gelled fuels and solvents in US class 44, subclass 272. Specifically the invention relates to gel thickeners that reduce vapor pressure in fuels and solvents and are shear thinning (pseudoplastic or thixotropic) or are shear thickening and remain pourable and flowable. Still more specifically, the invention relates to nonaqueous gels made with diblock copolymers that reduce the Reid Vapor Pressure of gelled gasoline and lower the total volatility of gelled hydrocarbon solvents. These gels may contain secondary amino acid or triblock polymer gelling agents. The invention includes gel compositions and methods of making gels.[0003]2. Background Information[0004]The vapor pressure of hydrocarbon fuels such as gasoline is controlled by both state and federal regulations. The purpose of these regulations is to reduce the production of environmental pollutants including ozone that cau...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0022]The gelled hydrocarbon fuels and solvents taught by the present invention may also contain small amounts of amino acid gelling agents and triblock, radial or star copolymers in addition to the primary diblock copolymer. These low amounts of secondary gelling agents are useful in the range of about 0.1 to 5.0 weight percent to increase the viscosity of the gelled solvent while still allowing the gelled solvent to be pourable and flowable.

[0023]Yet a further benefit of the present invention is reduction in hydrocarbon product vapor pressure lowers the total amount of volatile organic compounds (VOC) that are released by the product into to the environment at a given temperature and pressure. One example of this benefit is that gelled fuel in an empty gas tank would have a lower vapor pressure, i.e. less VOC per unit volume of the gas tank, and thus would release less VOC pollution into the atmosphere during refueling, when the VOC vapor in the gas t

Problems solved by technology

These oxygenates are expensive and do not remove the need to control the gasoline's vapor pressure.

When the amount of butane in gasoline is reduced, the octane rating of the gasoline goes down, which makes engines knock and hard to start.

This requirement for the use of in-line degraders made the use of gelled fuels economically impractical.

Their elimination to lower RVP increases the price of the final gasoline product.

But the oxygen additives in re

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