Biofuel Cold Flow Additive via Composite Polymer Mediation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel oils derived from vegetable or animal origin face challenges in achieving the required Cold Filter Plugging Point (CFPP) of -20°C or lower for winter diesel applications and suffer from sedimentation stability issues, leading to poor cold properties when stored below the cloud point.
Innovation Solution
A fuel oil composition comprising mineral and vegetable/animal origin oils, with additives including ethylene copolymers and comb polymers that improve cold flow properties, specifically ethylene copolymers with 8-21 mol% acrylic or vinyl esters and comb polymers with structural units from C8-C16 alkyl radicals, which are added to the mixture to enhance CFPP values and prevent sedimentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If vegetable or animal origin oils are used as fuel, then environmental harm is reduced and renewable energy is provided, but cold flow properties deteriorate and CFPP values are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a specific additive comprising ethylene copolymer and comb polymer as an intermediary substance to mediate between the biofuel component and the mineral distillate. This additive acts as a cold flow improver that prevents crystallization of saturated fatty acid esters at low temperatures, thereby resolving the contradiction between using environmentally friendly biofuels and maintaining reliable cold flow properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fuel oil composition by combining mineral middle distillates with vegetable or animal origin oils (biofuels) in specific proportions, and further composite this mixture with a specially formulated additive. This composite approach allows the final product to inherit the environmental benefits of biofuels while the mineral distillate base and additive ensure adequate cold flow properties.
2Productivity
If biofuel content is increased to replace more mineral fuel, then renewable energy usage improves, but CFPP values become insufficient for winter applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the fuel by adding specific polymers (ethylene copolymer with 8-21 mol% acrylic or vinyl esters and comb polymer with C8-C16 alkyl radicals) that change the physical behavior of the fuel at low temperatures. This parameter change allows higher biofuel content while maintaining CFPP values of -20°C or lower through the additive's interference with crystal formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The additive serves as an intermediary that enables higher renewable energy content by mediating the low-temperature behavior of saturated fatty acid esters in the biofuel, preventing them from crystallizing at winter temperatures and thus achieving both high renewable content and adequate CFPP values.
3Reliability
If existing additives are used to improve cold flow, then some CFPP improvement is achieved, but reliable CFPP values of -20°C or lower cannot be obtained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves precise control over CFPP values by using a specifically formulated additive with defined chemical parameters: ethylene copolymer with 8-21 mol% acrylic or vinyl esters and comb polymer with C8-C16 alkyl radicals. This precise parameter specification enables reliable achievement of CFPP values of -20°C or lower, overcoming the imprecision of existing additives.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a composite additive system combining two specific polymer types (ethylene copolymer and comb polymer) with defined characteristics. This composite additive approach provides synergistic effects that enable reliable and precise CFPP control at -20°C or lower, which single existing additives cannot achieve consistently.
4Measurement precision
If fuel oils are stored below cloud point, then cold flow testing is valid, but sedimentation occurs and stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The additive acts as an intermediary that prevents sedimentation during storage below cloud point by interfering with the crystallization and aggregation of saturated fatty acid esters. The ethylene copolymer and comb polymer molecules adsorb onto crystal surfaces and prevent their growth and settling, thus maintaining compositional stability while allowing valid cold flow testing.
Solution Approach 2:
The additive provides beforehand cushioning against sedimentation by pre-adhering to crystallizing components before they can aggregate and settle. This preventive action occurs during storage below cloud point, cushioning against the harmful effect of sedimentation and maintaining long-term stability for valid cold flow testing.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a fuel oil composition F) comprisingF1) a fuel oil of mineral origin andF2) a fuel oil of vegetable and/or animal origin, and, as a cold additive, the constituentsA) at least one copolymer composed of ethylene and 8-21 mol % of at least one acrylic or vinyl ester having a C1-C18-alkyl radical andB) at least one comb polymer containing structural units having C8-C16-alkyl radicals, the structural units being selected from C8-C16-alkyl (meth)acrylates, C8-C16-alkyl vinyl esters, C8-C16-alkyl vinyl ethers, C8-C16-alkyl(meth)acrylamides, C8-C16-alkyl allyl ethers and C8-C16-diketenes,where the sum RR=m1·∑iw1i·n1i+m2·∑jw2j·n2j+…+mg·∑pwgp·ngpof the molar averages of the carbon chain length distributions in the alkyl radicals of the monomers B) is from 11.0 to 14.0,wherem1, m2, . . . mg are the molar fractions of the abovementioned monomers B) in the polymer, and the sum of the molar fractions m1 to mg=1,w1i, w1j . . . w2i, w2j . . . wgp are the proportions by weight of the individual chain lengths i, j, p of the alkyl radicals of the different monomers B) 1 to g, andn1i, n1j . . . n2i, n2j . . . ngp are the chain lengths of the alkyl radicals i, j, . . . p of the monomers B) 1 to g.