Engine fuels

Abstract

Novel engine fuels and engine fuel additives comprising terpenes, aliphatic hydrocarbons, and lower alcohols are disclosed.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION1. Field of InventionThe present invention is related to novel engine fuels which are more efficient and environmentally safer than conventional fossil fuels and nitromethane-based fuels. The inventive fuel compositions are suitable for igniting internal combustion engines, specifically 2-cycle, 4-cycle, and diesel engines, as well as jet propulsion engines.2. Description of Related ArtPresently, race cars and dragsters having 4-cycle internal combustion engines use fuels containing as much as 90 to 95% nitromethane. Similarly, the smaller Hobby car and airplane engines (2-cycle and 4-cycle) use fuels containing from 5% to 40% nitromethane, over 50% methanol, and from about 18% to about 24% oil. While these fuels possess the necessary high levels of BTU's required to run these engines, nitromethane fuels are very dangerous as well as toxic to the environment. A conventional nitromethane (10%) / methanol (70%) / oil (20%) fuel, for example, has a vapor pressure of ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is related to novel engine fuels useful for the ignition of internal combustion engines, in particular 2-cycle, 4-cycle, and diesel engines, as well as jet propulsion engines. The inventive engine fuels may be used alone as alternatives to conventional engine fuels, or as fuel additives for other conventional fuels such as petroleum-based fuels (i.e. fossil fuels), nitromethane-based fuels, and alcohol-based fuels, for example. In certain aspects of the present invention, the inventive fuel is particularly useful as a replacement for the more dangerous and environmentally hazardous nitromethane fuels used in small Hobby car and airplane 2-cycle and 4-cycle engines and large 4-cycle engines found in race cars, for example. The inventive fuel is also a safer, more efficient, and in most embodiments, an environmentally cleaner fuel than conventional fossil fuels, such as gasoline, used to ignite small 2-cycle and 4-cycle utility engines, such as those used in lawn and garden equipment, outboard motors, and motorcycles, for example, as well as 4-cycle engines also found in some garden equipment and in automobiles and trucks, for example. In particular, particulate emissions are especially reduced since less oil, if any, is present in the inventive fuel to burn. Certain compositions of the inventive fuel are at least 60% more efficient in terms of gallons per hour (GPH) than conventional 2-cycle and 4-cycle engine fuels and exhibit low flash points and high BTU's (i.e. from about 15,000 to about 18,000 BTU's).

Because terpenes such as limonene have relatively high flash points, the inventive fuels contain at least one component which has a lower flash point, and thus contributes to lowering the overall flash point of the entire fuel for better ignition. Suitable "flash-point" lowering compounds include alcohols, more preferably alcohols having preferably from one to six carbon atoms, and aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents such as aliphatic petroleum distillates, preferably VM&P Naphtha. Like the terpenes, these components are environmentally cleaner than conventional fossil fuels and nitromethane fuels.

Finally, certain embodiments of the inventive fuel further include a surfactant to improve the blending of the foregoing components and improve the shelf life of the final product.

Problems solved by technology

While these fuels possess the necessary high levels of BTU's required to run these engines, nitromethane fuels are very dangerous as well as toxic to the environment.

These fuels also leave relatively large amounts of liquid raw residue in the exhaust and are environmentally unsafe.

In addition, the relatively large percentage of lubricating oil present in the fuel mixture, in particular conventional 2-cycle oils, also contributes to these emissions.

Since limonene has a relatively high flash point of about 113 to 124.degree. F., depending upon the grade used, it is believed that the fuel described by Whitworth is not capable, by itself, of igniting an engine unless the engine has a high voltage ignition.