Amide Fuel Additives for Engine Deposit Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional friction modifiers used in gasoline fuels to reduce engine friction tend to form deposits and exhibit metal leaching, leading to unstable fuel additive formulations and formulability issues, which negatively impact fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The development of gasoline fuels containing amides of formula (I), which act as fuel economy additives rather than classical friction modifiers, reducing wear and improving fuel efficiency without the disadvantages of traditional friction modifiers, such as those derived from isononanoic acid and polyalkene-substituted amines, which are synthesized through specific reaction processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional friction modifiers (fatty acids, fatty acid amides or esters) are used to reduce engine friction, then fuel efficiency is improved, but deposits are formed in the engine and metal leaching occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the friction modifier by using specific amide compounds with defined molecular structures (formula I) and carbon atom ranges. This parameter change allows the additive to reduce friction without forming deposits or causing metal leaching, thus improving fuel efficiency while eliminating harmful effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite additive packages containing multiple components including the novel amide compound, deposit control agents, and other fuel additives. This composite approach synergistically combines friction reduction with deposit prevention and metal protection, resolving the contradiction between fuel efficiency improvement and harmful factor generation.
2Loss of energy
If conventional friction modifiers are used to reduce wear, then fuel economy is improved, but the formulation becomes unstable and formulability issues arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for the amide compound including carbon atom numbers (R1: 8-22, R2: 2-20, R3: 2-20) and molecular weight ranges. These parameter changes ensure compatibility with other fuel additives, maintaining formulation stability while achieving fuel economy improvements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces specific functional groups and molecular structures with localized properties that provide both friction modification and formulation stability. The amide group combined with specific hydrocarbon chains creates local chemical characteristics that prevent instability issues while maintaining fuel economy benefits.
3Temperature
If hyper-branched fatty acid amides are used as friction modifiers, then low temperature compatibility is improved, but they still form deposits and do not reduce fuel consumption effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the molecular structure into specific components with defined functions: the amide group provides low temperature compatibility, while the specific hydrocarbon chains (R1, R2, R3 with defined carbon ranges) prevent deposit formation and enable fuel consumption reduction. This segmentation allows each part to contribute positively without the drawbacks of conventional hyper-branched structures.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention describes amides of formula (I) R1-(C=O)-(NR2)-R3 wherein R1 is a linear or branched, preferably linear C7 - to C29 -alkyl, or C7 - to C29 -alkenyl, preferably C7 - to C23 -alkyl or C7 - to C23 -alkenyl R2 is hydrogen or C1 - to C4 -alkyl, and R3 is a hydrocarbyl residue comprising 12 to 200 carbon atoms obtainable from polymerisation of an olefin. The amides may be used in fuel additive packages or fuels, especially gasoline fuel, as additives for improving the fuel efficiency and/or the fuel economy, for reducing or removing deposits on the intake valves and/or for reducing or removing the fouling of injector nozzles, especially in direct injection spark ignition engines.