Fuel additive, method for producing same, and use thereof

Abstract

To provide a fuel additive that can be applied to any organic fuel oil and can provide a fuel oil with improved combustion efficiency, and to provide a method for producing the same. A fuel additive, obtained by making an enzyme-carrying carrier by ripening an enzyme by allowing an enzyme solution, prepared by introducing a raw material enzyme containing a lipase into purified water which has been modified to sever the hydrogen bonds of the water, to stand while stirring intermittently at normal temperature, causing the enzyme to be carried by introducing a porous material and allowing the moisture to dry naturally, can improve combustion efficiency and suppress generation of greenhouse gases while suppressing the generation of harmful components in the exhaust gas without adverse effects on a combustion engine, when used as is as a fuel or when used added to a fuel.

Description

Fuel additive, its manufacturing method and use

[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel additive in which lipase is dissolved in an organic solvent and a method for producing the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fuel additive that can be applied to any fuel and that can reduce CO, HC, NO, and other substances released by combustion. Ｘ The present invention relates to a fuel additive that can improve the physical properties of fuel and improve combustion efficiency while suppressing emissions of harmful exhaust gas components such as PM, and a method for producing the same.The present invention also relates to uses of the fuel additive.

[0002] Combustion engines, which burn fuel to convert chemical energy into thermal energy as a heat source for heating a working fluid in a heat engine, are used in a variety of fields (for example, vehicles for transporting people and goods, generators, etc.).

[0003] An internal combustion engine is a general term for various prime movers that perform work by burning fuel inside the engine. These internal combustion engines take in air or other working fluid and heat it up by participating in a combustion reaction. These internal combustion engines include reciprocating engines, rotary engines, gas turbine engines, jet engines, rocket engines, and other engine-based internal combustion engines, and are widely used in a variety of fields, including automobiles, motorcycles, ships, aircraft, and other transportation, as well as in generators, and in the aerospace and military industries.

[0004] An external combustion engine is a combustion engine that heats a working fluid by transferring heat generated by a separate combustion reaction or the like to the working fluid via a heat exchanger, and examples of such an engine include a steam engine, a Stirling engine, and a nuclear engine.

[0005] Most of the fuels used in these internal combustion engines are fossil fuels, particularly petroleum-based fuels that are primarily hydrocarbons, such as heavy oil, light oil, kerosene, diesel oil, and gasoline.

[0006] Fossil fuels are non-renewable fuels, and their mining and use cause environmental pollution. Furthermore, when they are burned, they emit carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas that accelerates global warming and climate change.

[0007] For these reasons, electricity, especially hydrogen, is attracting attention as a clean energy source that can replace fossil fuels. However, most existing combustion engines burn fossil fuels, and it is virtually impossible to replace them all with new clean fuels, especially renewable energy sources. Fuel additives, generally composed of polyetheramines (PEA), are available on the market as gasoline additives, diesel fuel additives, and additives for both gasoline and diesel fuels.

[0008] For this reason, fuel additives, such as gasoline additives, have been proposed as a technology for reforming fuels used in existing combustion engines.

[0009] Gasoline additives are mixed with gasoline to improve the original functions of gasoline, with the aim of improving fuel efficiency, increasing power, correcting engine malfunctions, and cleaning exhaust gases.Furthermore, gasoline additives are intended to:Remove carbon deposits from intake and exhaust valves, combustion chambers, injectors, etc.Improve fuel efficiency by reducing friction on cylinders and piston ringsPrevent rust and corrosion inside the gasoline tankEnsure smoother engine acceleration when running.

[0010] For example, Patent Document 1 proposes at least one optionally alkylated diarylamine as a fuel oil detergent for cleaning the combustion chambers of internal combustion engines, particularly automobile engines (Patent Document 1, JP-A-2019-529604 (WO2018 / 041710)).

[0011] Furthermore, the present invention provides a fuel additive for internal combustion engines that improves and prevents deterioration of fuel economy due to aging and deterioration of the engine, and at the same time aims to improve practical fuel economy, not only by simply reducing the frictional resistance of the engine, but also by changing the characteristics of the engine brake to a different feeling from normal, giving a driving feeling that makes the driver release the accelerator earlier, as a fuel additive with stable quality as a single package, comprising a polyetheramine carboxylate represented by the general formula (1), [R １ -COO-] [R ２ -O (AO) ｍ -XH+] (1), R１ is a chain hydrocarbon residue having 7 to 21 carbon atoms, and the polyetheramine moiety having a base moiety is R ２ -O (AO) ｍ -X (wherein R ２ is a hydrocarbon residue having 8 to 50 carbon atoms, A is an alkylene group having 2 to 6 carbon atoms, O is oxygen, m is an integer of 10 to 50, and X is a hydrocarbon containing an amino group or a substituted amino group. ３ H ６ NH) ｎ H, where n is an integer of 1 to 3. An additive for fuels for internal combustion engines (an octane improver for gasoline fuel) has been proposed (Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 5737730).

[0012] In this way, fuel additives improve fuel economy and the like by cleaning the inside of the engine and allowing the engine to perform at its full potential.

[0013] In the 1990s, oil companies began selling premium diesel fuel as a diesel fuel with higher added value than standard diesel fuel. This premium diesel fuel, unlike standard diesel fuel, contains additives such as a detergent to clean fuel injection systems, a cetane number improver (cetane number approximately +3) to improve autoignition and reduce white smoke during cold start-up and black smoke during high loads, and a rust inhibitor (Patent Document 3: JP 5-132682 A). According to Patent Document 3, the additives used in premium diesel fuel are 2 to 15 parts of a low-temperature fluidity improver (ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer-based additive), 5 to 25 parts of a cetane number improver (alkyl nitrate with 6 or 8 carbon atoms), 1 to 10 parts of a detergent (imide-based additive) to prevent fuel injection nozzle fouling, and the remainder is solvent, for a total of 100 parts. Furthermore, Patent Document 4 (International Publication No. 2003 / 104360) discloses a cetane number improver for diesel fuel containing beta-carotene and 2,2,4-trimethyl-6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline.

[0014] Furthermore, emulsion fuels have been proposed, based on the idea that emulsion fuels, which are produced by adding water and additives (surfactants, emulsifiers, etc.) to petroleum hydrocarbon oils (heavy oil, light oil, gasoline, etc.), stirring, mixing, and emulsifying them, can reduce the amount of fuel oil used and, therefore, CO2 emissions. For example, Patent Document 5 (JP 2015-124328 A) discloses a method for producing fuel oil, using a mixer equipped with a cylindrical container, a center pipe extending through the center of the cylindrical container, and a cylindrical mesh disposed in a cylindrical region between the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical container and the outer circumferential surface of the center pipe. A raw material liquid containing petroleum hydrocarbon oil, water, and additives such as lipase-containing enzymes is spirally swirled in the cylindrical region and mixed by passing through the mesh of the cylindrical mesh. Patent Document 4 describes 2,2,4-trimethyl-6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline, which is a flammable brown liquid that is incompatible with oxidizing agents and strong acids. It polymerizes when heated. Furthermore, this compound can polymerize when exposed to light or air, which makes it less stable over the long term.

[0015] Patent Document 5 states that "numerous shear and turbulence are generated, allowing the petroleum hydrocarbon oil and water to be finely and efficiently mixed and stirred, resulting in a fuel oil in which the petroleum hydrocarbon oil and water are less likely to separate. Furthermore, when a lipase-containing enzyme is used as an additive, the petroleum hydrocarbon oil is efficiently hydrolyzed in combination with numerous shear and turbulence, reducing the amount of water that separates. As a result, it is possible to increase the amount of water incorporated into the petroleum hydrocarbon oil, and to obtain a fuel oil in which the petroleum hydrocarbon oil and water are less likely to separate over a long period of time."

[0016] Patent Publication No. 2019-529604 Patent Publication No. 5737730 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 5-132682 International Publication No. 2003 / 104360 Pamphlet Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-124328

[0017] As described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, fuel additives are intended to improve fuel economy by cleaning the inside of the engine, but they are primarily intended for internal combustion engines that have been in use for a long period of time and are not suitable for engines that are little deteriorated or dirty.

[0018] Furthermore, Patent Document 4 provides a fuel cetane improver whose main component is 2,2,4-trimethyl-6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline, but when providing a gasoline modifier, 2,2,4-trimethyl-6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline is combined with other components. Therefore, Patent Documents 1 to 4 are single products that are effective for specific petroleum fractions, but cannot be applied to all types of fuel, from heavy oil to gasoline, to improve the properties of the fuel. Furthermore, although it is described that plant ingredients may be added, there are no products that are composed solely of plant ingredients.

[0019] Furthermore, CO, HC, and NO released by combustion Ｘ However, there are no fuel improvers that can increase combustion efficiency while suppressing PM and other emissions.

[0020] Furthermore, emulsion fuels such as those described in Patent Document 4 only make it difficult for water and fuel oil to separate, but do not guarantee that they will not separate. Therefore, when considering the maintenance required in the event that water and fuel oil separate inside a combustion engine, the applications in which they can be used are limited. (In fact, there are no examples of emulsion fuels being commercially successful.)

[0021] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a fuel additive that can be applied to any organic fuel oil and can provide a fuel oil with improved combustion efficiency, and a method for producing the same.

[0022] In light of these circumstances, the present inventors have conducted extensive research and have found that adding lipase to fuel as a lipase fuel additive in which lipase is dissolved in hydrocarbon oil increases combustion efficiency and reduces CO and PM emissions while maintaining NOx and other emissions.

[0023] That is, the first invention is a fuel additive comprising lipase dissolved in hydrocarbon oil, characterized by the following steps: adding 5 g to 200 g of a raw enzyme containing lipase to 1 L of purified water that has been modified to break the hydrogen bonds of water and stirring to prepare an enzyme solution; leaving the prepared enzyme solution at room temperature for 1 to 30 days with intermittent stirring to mature the enzyme; adding a porous material to the enzyme solution containing the matured enzyme to support the enzyme on the porous material; allowing the water to dry naturally to form an enzyme support; adding 5 g to 500 g of the enzyme support per 100 L of hydrocarbon oil on a dry basis and stirring while aerating; and leaving the hydrocarbon oil containing the enzyme support for at least 24 hours. In the fuel additive of the present invention, the hydrocarbon oil is preferably gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel including jet fuel, heavy oil, or biodiesel fuel. Furthermore, it is particularly preferred that the fuel additive of the present invention be prepared by diluting the enzyme solution 10 to 100 times with a vegetable oil having a flash point exceeding 250°C.

[0024] A second invention relates to a fuel with improved properties and exhaust gas characteristics, obtained by adding 1 / 1000 to 1 / 100,000 part by volume of the fuel additive to 1 part by volume of fuel. In the second invention of the present invention, the fuel is preferably kerosene, diesel, or biodiesel, or a fuel obtained by liquefaction and having a boiling point of 170 to 350°C, or a mixture thereof, which has been imparted with at least one of an increased cetane number, a raised flash point, and improved fluidity in addition to its properties and exhaust gas characteristics. Furthermore, the fuel is preferably gasoline with an increased octane number in addition to its properties and exhaust gas characteristics.

[0025] The third invention is a method for producing a fuel additive comprising dissolving lipase in hydrocarbon oil, comprising the following steps: adding 5 g to 200 g of a raw enzyme containing lipase to 1 L of purified water that has been modified to break the hydrogen bonds of water and stirring to prepare enzyme water; leaving the prepared enzyme solution at room temperature for 1 to 30 days with intermittent stirring to mature the enzyme; adding a porous material to the enzyme water containing the matured enzyme to support the enzyme on the porous material; allowing the water to dry naturally to obtain an enzyme-supported carrier; adding 5 g to 500 g of the enzyme-supported carrier on a dry basis per 100 L of hydrocarbon oil and stirring while aerating; and leaving the hydrocarbon oil with the enzyme-supported carrier added for at least 24 hours.

[0026] In a specific embodiment, the present invention relates to an enzyme-supported carrier carrying an enzyme containing lipase. This carrier can be obtained by the following steps: adding 5 g to 200 g of a raw enzyme containing lipase to 1 L of purified water and stirring to prepare an enzyme solution, leaving the prepared enzyme solution at room temperature for 1 to 30 days with intermittent stirring to mature the enzyme, adding the enzyme solution containing the matured enzyme to a porous material to support the enzyme on the porous material, and air-drying the water to obtain an enzyme-supported carrier.

[0027] In another specific aspect of the present invention, the present invention is a method for reducing carbon dioxide emissions emitted by combustion in a combustion engine using organic fuel oil, the method comprising the steps of: adding the fuel additive of the present invention to the fuel oil to be used; and introducing the fuel oil to which the fuel additive has been added into the combustion engine.

[0028] The fuel additive of the first invention, which contains a high concentration of lipase in hydrocarbon oil, can be added to fuel oil and, when used, improves combustion efficiency and suppresses the generation of greenhouse gases while suppressing the generation of harmful components in exhaust gases without adversely affecting the combustion engine. Furthermore, since the fuel additive of the first invention is substantially moisture-free, there is no problem of rust on the bottom of the fuel tank due to moisture.

[0029] In other words, by improving combustion efficiency, the output per unit of consumption increases. For example, when used as fuel for vehicles, fuel efficiency improves and the amount of fuel used can be reduced. This reduction in CO ２ This will lead to a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases, such as CO. In addition, for example, the amount of electricity generated by using the fuel additive of the first invention will increase. ２ This will lead to a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases emitted, such as:

[0030] Furthermore, the lipase solution of the present invention contains lipase dissolved in an organic solvent that is miscible with various fuels, such as gasoline, kerosene, light oil including jet fuel, heavy oil, and biodiesel fuel, and can be added to various fuels for use, thereby making it possible to provide various fuels containing dissolved lipase that produce reduced greenhouse gases.

[0031] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The terms and substances used in this specification have the following meanings. The term "hydrocarbon oil" generally refers to a fossil fuel oil, and particularly to an oil used as fuel. In particular, hydrocarbon oils that can be used in the present invention are oils that can be added to fuel as a fuel additive. Preferred hydrocarbon oils in the present invention are diesel or kerosene, which are petroleum fractions that are relatively easy to handle, but are not limited to these.

[0032] "Lipase" refers to an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of hydrocarbons. Lipases are available in both plant and animal origins. In the present invention, a plant-derived lipase, such as pineapple-derived lipase, is used. Lipases are widely distributed not only in animals but also in plants and microorganisms. For example, lipase enzymes sold by Amano Enzyme Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. under the trade names Lipase GS "Amano" 250G, Lipase DF "Amano" 15, Lipase MER "Amano", Lipase MHA "Amano" 10SD, Lipase A "Amano" 6, Lipase R "Amano", and Lipase AY "Amano" 30SD, as well as lipase enzyme-containing fermented extracts obtained by fermenting pineapple as the main ingredient, sold by GGI Worldwide Management LTD. under the trade name SUPER XX, can be used. Alternatively, lipase-based enzyme solutions can be produced by fermenting pineapple or edible mushrooms. In the present invention, these enzymes are in powder or liquid form and are collectively referred to as "raw enzymes containing lipase." In addition to lipase, other enzymes such as bromelain may also be included.

[0033] The fuel used in this invention generally refers to fuel used to operate combustion engines, and is primarily composed of hydrocarbons. Typical examples include fossil fuels such as gasoline, kerosene, light oil (diesel), and heavy oil obtained by petroleum refining, as well as biomass fuels such as biodiesel, but are not limited to these. This invention particularly targets liquid fossil fuels such as gasoline, kerosene, light oil (diesel), and heavy oil, which are commonly used in many combustion engines, as well as biodiesel fuel, which is an alternative fuel to these. The relationship between the calorific value and CO2 emission factor of these fuels is as follows:

[0034] Crude oil: Unit calorific value (Gl / ld) 38.2, CO ２ Emission factor (CO per calorific value) ２ Conversion (tCO ２ / GL): 0.0686, CO per unit amount ２ Conversion (t CO ２ / t) 2.62 Gasoline: Unit calorific value (Gl / ld) 34.6, CO ２ Emission factor (CO per calorific value) ２ Conversion (tCO ２ / GL): 0.0671, CO per unit amount ２ Conversion (t CO ２ / t) 2.32 Naphtha: Unit calorific value (Gl / ld) 33.6, CO ２ Emission factor (CO per calorific value) ２ Conversion (tCO ２ / GL): 0.0667, CO per unit amount ２ Conversion (t CO ２ / t) 2.24 Jet fuel oil: Unit calorific value (Gl / ld) 36.7, CO ２ Emission factor (CO per calorific value) ２ Conversion (tCO ２ / GL): 0.0671, CO per unit amount ２ Conversion (t CO ２ / t) 2.46 Kerosene: Unit calorific value (Gl / ld) 36.7, CO ２ Emission factor (CO per calorific value) ２ Conversion (tCO ２ / GL): 0.0678, CO per unit amount ２ Conversion (t CO ２ / t) 2.49 Light oil: Unit calorific value (Gl / ld) 37.7, CO ２ Emission factor (CO per calorific value) ２ Conversion (tCO ２ / GL): 0.0686, CO per unit amount ２ Conversion (t CO ２ / t) 2.58 Heavy oil A: Unit calorific value (Gl / ld) 39.1, CO ２ Emission factor (CO per calorific value) ２ Conversion (tCO ２ / GL): 0.0693, CO per unit amount ２ Conversion (t CO ２ / t) 2.71 B and C heavy oil: Unit calorific value (Gl / ld) 41.9, CO ２ Emission factor (CO per calorific value) ２ Conversion (tCO ２ / GL): 0.0715, CO per unit amount２ Conversion (t CO ２ / t) 3.00

[0035] These fuels generally contain paraffinic, olefinic, naphthenic and aromatic hydrocarbons, as well as non-hydrocarbon components such as sulfur compounds, nitrogen compounds, oxygen compounds and metal compounds.

[0036] As explained in the prior art, the "combustion engine" in the present invention is a combustion engine that converts chemical energy into thermal energy by burning fuel oil as a heat source for heating a working fluid in a heat engine. In particular, it is a general term for various prime movers that perform work by burning fuel oil inside the engine, and examples thereof include internal combustion engines based on various engines such as reciprocating engines, rotary engines, gas turbine engines, jet engines, and rocket engines, as well as internal combustion engines in vehicles (vehicles) such as automobiles, motorcycles, ships, and aircraft, and generators, and external combustion engines such as boilers that transfer heat generated by a combustion reaction or the like to a working fluid via a heat exchanger for heating.

[0037] The term "combustion efficiency" is defined as the ratio of the amount of heat actually generated during the combustion process to the low calorific value of the fuel supplied to a combustion engine. Ideally, this value would be 1 (complete combustion). However, this value does not equal 1 due to losses caused by incomplete combustion. Incomplete combustion losses occur when fuel is not completely burned and is released outside the combustion device. These losses are caused by incomplete combustion components being present in the exhaust gas or by unburned fuel components remaining in the residual ash. Improving combustion efficiency depends on eliminating the causes of these incomplete combustion losses. This invention aims to improve combustion efficiency by fuel. In other words, combustion efficiency is the proportion of combustion in a combustion engine that results in power (output), while incomplete combustion losses are the energy that is not converted into power and is simply wasted.

[0038] In the present invention, fuel efficiency may be used as a measure of combustion efficiency. For example, fuel efficiency is used as a measure of combustion efficiency in vehicles. In this case, fuel efficiency is an index indicating the distance traveled per unit volume of fuel (gasoline, diesel, etc.), or how much fuel is needed to travel a certain distance.

[0039] Greenhouse gases are gases in the atmosphere that cause the greenhouse effect by absorbing some of the infrared rays emitted from the earth's surface, and include water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, etc. The main greenhouse gases that have increased due to human activities include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, etc., and carbon dioxide generated by the mass consumption of fossil fuels, including the fuel oil that is the subject of this invention, is particularly problematic, and its reduction is desired.

[0040] Improving combustion efficiency means increasing the output (amount of combustion) per unit of fuel consumption (for example, 1 liter), and increasing combustion efficiency reduces the amount of fuel consumed, resulting in a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, fuel with improved combustion efficiency in this invention has the same significance as fuel with reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

[0041] (Production Method) The fuel additive of the present invention comprising lipase dissolved in hydrocarbon oil can be obtained by preparing an enzyme solution by stirring 5 g to 200 g of a lipase-containing raw enzyme in 1 L of purified water, leaving the prepared enzyme solution at room temperature for 1 to 30 days with intermittent stirring to mature the enzyme, adding the matured enzyme-containing enzyme solution to a porous material to support the enzyme in the porous material, allowing the water to dry naturally to form an enzyme support, adding 10 g to 1,000 g of the enzyme support (dry basis) to hydrocarbon oil, stirring with aeration, and leaving the hydrocarbon oil containing the enzyme support for at least 24 hours. This fuel additive contains a high concentration of lipase-based enzymes dissolved in hydrocarbon oil, which is an organic solvent.

[0042] By dissolving lipase in a hydrocarbon oil in this manner, a fuel additive containing a high concentration of lipase can be produced.

[0043] In the present invention, it is preferable to use purified water, particularly water with fine clusters, such as Milli-Q level pure water, purified water treated with a commercial pi water purifier sold by ACM Corporation. Enzyme water is prepared by adding 5 g to 200 g of the aforementioned lipase-containing raw enzyme to 1 L of purified water and stirring. Pi water is water whose permeability and water absorbency have been enhanced by passing it through such a water purifier, thereby breaking hydrogen bonds. Similarly, it is preferable to use water whose permeability and water absorbency have been enhanced by breaking hydrogen bonds by applying magnetic energy to the water or passing it through a special ceramic. In this invention, breaking the hydrogen bonds of water is referred to as water modification. Modified water is called modified water.

[0044] If the amount of raw enzyme material containing lipase is less than 5 g per liter of purified water, it will be impossible to prepare a highly concentrated lipase solution, and if the amount exceeds 200 g, the lipase will not be completely dissolved and will be wasted.

[0045] The prepared enzyme water is then stirred at room temperature and left to mature for 1 to 30 days, preferably 1 to 2 weeks. The matured enzyme water is then filtered to remove impurities, after which a porous material, such as activated carbon, carbon powder, or zeolite carrier, is added. The porous material preferably has a particle size of about 0.1 to 5 mm, and is used in an amount such that the porous material is immersed in the enzyme water.

[0046] After leaving the porous material to stand in this manner, the porous material soaked with the enzyme is naturally dried, for example, by transferring the porous material to a colander or mesh plate, and then air-dried or preferably sun-dried. By drying in this manner, a carrier (intermediate) in which a considerable amount of enzyme is supported in the porous material is obtained.

[0047] This intermediate is added in an amount of 5 g to 500 g per 100 L of hydrocarbon oil, such as kerosene, and stirred with aeration, and then allowed to stand for at least 24 hours, preferably 36 hours or more, and more preferably 60 hours or more. By treating in this manner, the fuel additive of the present invention can be produced. Furthermore, this intermediate can be, for example, produced and transported to a separate production facility and then used in the subsequent production of the fuel additive of the present invention. Therefore, this intermediate is also within the scope of the present invention.

[0048] This fuel additive is an oil solution (called a concentrate) in which a high concentration of lipase is dissolved in a hydrocarbon oil that is miscible with fuel, so it can be mixed with fuel at a high dilution rate.

[0049] The properties of fuel can be improved by adding, for example, 1 / 1000 to 1 / 100,000 parts by volume of the fuel additive of the present invention to 1 part by volume of fuel. The amount of the fuel additive of the present invention can be adjusted appropriately depending on the concentration of lipase in the fuel additive. For example, the optimal amount is determined by the amount of lipase-containing raw enzyme added to purified water and the amount of intermediate added to the hydrocarbon oil solvent. In the case of fuel additives for consumer fuels such as vehicle fuels and small generator fuels, the additive can be further diluted with hydrocarbon oil to facilitate handling even with small amounts of fuel. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a fuel additive can be prepared by diluting the concentrate of the fuel additive of the present invention with 10 to 100 times the amount of oil with a flash point above 250°C, preferably vegetable oil, more preferably palm oil, cottonseed oil, rapeseed oil, or rapeseed oil. This configuration allows the fuel additive of the present invention to be distributed as a non-hazardous product with a flash point of 250°C or less.

[0050] The fuel additive of the present invention, which contains a high concentration of lipase in hydrocarbon oil, can be added to fuel oil and used to improve combustion efficiency and suppress the generation of greenhouse gases while suppressing the generation of harmful components in exhaust gases without adversely affecting the combustion engine. Furthermore, since the fuel additive of the present invention is substantially moisture-free, there is no problem of rust on the bottom of the fuel tank due to moisture.

[0051] In other words, by improving combustion efficiency, output per unit of consumption increases. For example, when used as fuel for vehicles, fuel efficiency improves and the amount of fuel used can be reduced. This reduction leads to a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases generated, such as CO2. In addition, for example, the amount of electricity generated by using the fuel additive of the first invention increases. This leads to a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases generated, such as CO2.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fuel additive of the present invention is prepared by dissolving a lipase in kerosene or diesel to form a concentrate, and adding the concentrate to diesel, kerosene, or other fuel oil. In this case, the fuel additive of the present invention can be said to be a fuel oil with reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

[0053] In this way, when the lipase solution as a solvent is prepared by dissolving lipase as a concentrated solution in kerosene or light oil, and adding this concentrated solution to light oil, kerosene, or other fuel, it is preferable to leave it for several hours, for example, 1 to 24 hours, until the lipase permeates the entire fuel and modifies the fuel itself.

[0054] By leaving the fuel for a predetermined period of time, the aromatic components are olefinized by the action of lipase in the fuel oil, and elements such as N and S in the heterocycle are removed via the aqueous phase. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fuel additive of the present invention can be diluted with a low-flammability oil having a flash point above 250°C, preferably a vegetable oil such as palm oil, rapeseed oil, or oil obtained from rapeseed, at a predetermined dilution amount, preferably 10 to 100 times. By diluting the fuel additive with such a low-flammability oil having a flash point above 250°C, the fuel additive of the present invention can be handled as a low-flammability product.

[0055] Thus, when the fuel additive of the present invention is used as a fuel directly or added to a fuel, it can improve combustion efficiency and suppress the generation of greenhouse gases while suppressing the generation of harmful components in exhaust gases without adversely affecting combustion engines.

[0056] In other words, by improving combustion efficiency, the output per unit of consumption increases. For example, when used as a fuel for vehicles, fuel efficiency improves and the amount of fuel used can be reduced. This reduction in CO ２ This leads to a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases generated, such as CO. In addition, for example, when the fuel additive of the present invention is added to a specific fuel and used as fuel for a generator, the combustion efficiency is improved, and the amount of electricity generated per unit amount of fuel used increases. ２ This leads to a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases generated, such as CO₂. That is, regardless of the type of fuel, fuel to which the lipase solution of the present invention has been added can provide a fuel that can be burned with high combustion efficiency while emitting relatively clean exhaust gases. High combustion efficiency means that high output and high fuel efficiency can be achieved using the same fuel. In other words, an improvement of 10% to 20% is possible with the same amount of fuel used. This means that CO₂ can be reduced by 10% to 20% with the same amount of fuel used. ２ It is possible to reduce the amount of waste (see Example 4).

[0057] Furthermore, the lipase solution of the present invention contains lipase dissolved in an organic solvent that is miscible with various fuels, such as gasoline, kerosene, light oil including jet fuel, heavy oil, and biodiesel fuel, and can be added to various fuels for use, thereby making it possible to provide various fuels containing dissolved lipase that produce reduced greenhouse gases.

[0058] Furthermore, the fuel additive of the present invention is capable of reducing CO, HC, and NO emitted by combustion, which is unimaginable in the prior art. Ｘ It has become possible to increase combustion efficiency while suppressing PM and other emissions.

[0059] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. For example, by adding the lipase solution of the present invention to the fuel of a target combustion engine and leaving it for a predetermined period of time, it is possible to suppress the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from the combustion engine. Therefore, the present invention extends to a method for reducing carbon dioxide emissions emitted by combustion in a combustion engine that uses organic fuel, the method comprising the steps of adding the lipase solution of the present invention to the organic fuel to be used and introducing the organic fuel to which the lipase solution has been added into the combustion engine.

[0060] (Example 1: Production of fuel additive) Enzyme water was prepared by adding 30 g of SUPER XX (GGI Worldwide Management LTD.) as a raw enzyme containing lipase to 10 L of purified water treated with a commercial pie water purifier (ACM Co., Ltd.) and stirring. This enzyme water was left to stand at room temperature (20 to 28°C) for one week while stirring appropriately.

[0061] After filtering out the impurities, 300 g of zeolite (particle size 0.1 mm) was added and left overnight, and then the treated zeolite was transferred to a 100-mesh steel plate and dried in the sun to prepare a carrier carrying lipase enzyme. The carrier carrying lipase enzyme was added to 100 L of kerosene and aerated with stirring for 3 days to obtain the fuel additive of the present invention.

[0062] Example 2 1 cc of the fuel additive produced in Example 1 was added to 100 L of diesel oil and left to stand for 24 hours to prepare diesel fuel 1 of the present invention.

[0063] Table 1 shows the rotation speed, exhaust gas concentration, power output, fuel economy, etc. when the diesel oil of the present invention and non-additive diesel oil were added (power output test using a Detroit Diesel 4-cylinder 4.65 liter engine). As shown in Table 1, it can be seen that by adding the lipase solution of the present invention, the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) and soot (C) emissions was dramatically reduced, while the power output and fuel economy were improved.

[0064]

[0065] (Example 3) The fuel additive of Example 1 was added at 1 cc per liter of diesel fuel, and a running test was carried out in a diesel vehicle (truck: VOLVO FH12). As a result, when the vehicle was run from 325,193 miles to 425,857 miles using a normal diesel engine, the fuel economy was 39.26 liters / 100 km, but when the fuel additive of the present invention was added, the fuel economy was 35.62 liters / 100 km, resulting in a 9.3% reduction in fuel costs and carbon dioxide emissions.

[0066] Example 4 As in Example 3, when the fuel additive of Example 1 was added to gasoline, it was found that the combustion efficiency (fuel economy) of gasoline-powered vehicles was improved by 10% to 20%.

[0067] In the present invention, for example, if the fuel efficiency of a gasoline vehicle with a fuel efficiency of 10 km / L can be improved to 12 km / L by adding the fuel additive of the present invention to the gasoline, the distance that can be traveled with 100 L of fuel is 1,000 km, and the CO2 emissions are 232.166 kg-CO2.In contrast, when the lipase solution of the present invention is added, the fuel required to travel 100 km is 83.33 L, and the emission coefficient is 193.464 kg-CO2.

[0068] Example 5 As in Examples 3 and 4, it was found that adding the lipase solution of the present invention to heavy oil used on ships made it possible to reduce fuel consumption by 8 to 11%.

[0069] Example 6 A fuel additive was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that 10 L of kerosene was used instead of 100 L of kerosene in Example 1. 90 L of palm oil was added to this fuel additive to prepare the fuel additive of Example 6.

[0070] The fuel additive of Example 6 was subjected to the same experiments as in Examples 3 and 4, and the same effects were confirmed. Thus, it can be used as a product with low flammability.

[0071] The fuel additive of the first invention, which contains a high concentration of lipase in hydrocarbon oil, can be added to fuel oil and, when used, improves combustion efficiency and suppresses the generation of greenhouse gases while suppressing the generation of harmful components in exhaust gases without adversely affecting the combustion engine. Furthermore, since the fuel additive of the first invention is substantially moisture-free, there is no problem of rust on the bottom of the fuel tank due to moisture.

[0072] In other words, by improving combustion efficiency, the output per unit of consumption increases. For example, when used as fuel for vehicles, fuel efficiency improves and the amount of fuel used can be reduced. This reduction in CO ２ This will lead to a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases, such as CO. In addition, for example, the amount of electricity generated by using the fuel additive of the first invention will increase. ２ This will lead to a reduction in the amount of greenhouse gases emitted, such as:

[0073] Furthermore, the lipase solution of the present invention contains lipase dissolved in an organic solvent that is miscible with various fuels, such as gasoline, kerosene, light oil including jet fuel, heavy oil, and biodiesel fuel, and can be added to various fuels for use, thereby making it possible to provide various fuels containing dissolved lipase that produce reduced greenhouse gases.

Claims

1. A fuel additive comprising lipase dissolved in a hydrocarbon oil, the fuel additive being obtained by the following steps: adding 5 g to 200 g of a raw enzyme containing lipase to 1 L of purified water that has been modified to break the hydrogen bonds of water, and stirring to prepare an enzyme water; leaving the prepared enzyme solution at room temperature for 1 to 30 days with intermittent stirring to mature the enzyme; adding a porous material to the enzyme water containing the matured enzyme to support the enzyme in the porous material; allowing the water to dry naturally to obtain an enzyme support; adding 5 g to 500 g of the enzyme support per 100 L of hydrocarbon oil on a dry basis, stirring while aerating; and leaving the hydrocarbon oil with the enzyme support added for at least 24 hours.

2. The fuel additive of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon oil is gasoline, kerosene, light oil including jet fuel, heavy oil or biodiesel fuel.

3. A fuel additive obtained by diluting the fuel additive according to claim 1 or 2 10 to 100 times with vegetable oil having a flash point of more than 250°C.

4. A fuel oil having improved properties and exhaust gas characteristics, which is obtained by adding 1 / 1000 to 1 / 100,000 part by volume of the fuel additive according to any one of claims 1 to 3 to 1 part by volume of fuel.

5. The fuel according to claim 3, which is kerosene, diesel or biodiesel, a fuel obtained by oilification and having a boiling point of 170 to 350°C, or a mixture thereof, to which at least one of the following functions has been imparted: an increased cetane number, an increased flash point, and improved fluidity, in addition to the properties and exhaust gas characteristic functions of the fuel.

6. Fuel according to claim 3, characterized in that the fuel is a gasoline having an increased octane number in addition to its properties and exhaust gas characteristics.

7. A method for producing a fuel additive comprising dissolving lipase in a hydrocarbon oil, comprising the steps of: adding 5 g to 200 g of a raw enzyme containing lipase to 1 L of purified water that has been modified to break the hydrogen bonds of water, and stirring to prepare an enzyme water; leaving the prepared enzyme solution at room temperature for 1 to 30 days with intermittent stirring to mature the enzyme; adding a porous material to the enzyme water containing the matured enzyme to support the enzyme in the porous material; allowing the water to dry naturally to obtain an enzyme support; adding 10 g to 1,000 g of the enzyme support on a dry basis to a hydrocarbon oil and stirring while aerating; and leaving the hydrocarbon oil with the enzyme support added for at least 24 hours to produce a fuel additive.

8. An enzyme-supported carrier carrying an enzyme containing lipase, comprising the steps of: adding 5 g to 200 g of a raw enzyme containing lipase to 1 L of purified water and stirring to prepare an enzyme solution; leaving the prepared enzyme solution at room temperature for 1 to 30 days with intermittent stirring to mature the enzyme; introducing a porous material into the enzyme water containing the matured enzyme to support the enzyme in the porous material; and naturally drying the water to obtain an enzyme-supported carrier.

9. A method for reducing carbon dioxide emissions that reduces the amount of carbon dioxide emitted by combustion in a combustion engine that uses organic fuel, comprising the steps of: adding a fuel additive according to any one of claims 1 to 3 to the fuel to be used; and introducing the fuel to which the fuel additive has been added into the combustion engine.

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