Diesel Fuel Additive Package Stability With Low-Solvent Formulation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing diesel fuel additive packages comprising deposit control additives and wax anti-settling flow improvers suffer from instability, leading to issues such as turbidity, precipitation, or solidification, necessitating high solvent use to maintain solubility.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating quaternary ammonium compounds, specific wax anti-settling flow improvers, and saturated or unsaturated C8 to C18 carboxylic acids into diesel fuel additive packages to enhance stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If quaternary ammonium salts are used as deposit control additives, then deposit removal effectiveness is improved, but formulation stability deteriorates due to polar moiety in nonpolar environment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeposit removal effectivenessVSAvoidformulation stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses nonionic surfactants as intermediary substances that bridge the polar quaternary ammonium salts and nonpolar diesel fuel environment. The surfactant molecules have both polar and nonpolar characteristics, allowing them to solubilize the polar deposit control additives in the nonpolar fuel medium, thereby maintaining both deposit removal effectiveness and formulation stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the concentration parameters of quaternary ammonium salts and nonionic surfactants within specific ranges to achieve stable formulations. By carefully controlling the ratio and concentration of these components, the formulation maintains stability while preserving deposit control effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If wax anti-settling flow improvers are added to prevent paraffin crystallization, then cold flow properties are improved, but additive package stability deteriorates leading to precipitation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecold flow propertiesVSAvoidadditive package stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a composite additive package that combines wax anti-settling flow improvers with specifically selected nonionic surfactants and deposit control additives. This composite formulation ensures compatibility between components, preventing precipitation while maintaining cold flow improvement capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

Nonionic surfactants serve as intermediary agents that ensure compatibility between wax anti-settling flow improvers and other additive package components. The surfactants prevent phase separation and precipitation, maintaining package stability while allowing cold flow modifiers to function effectively.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Stability of the object's composition

If solvent content is increased to maintain solubility of unstable additive packages, then formulation stability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveformulation stabilityVSAvoidsolvent content

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the need for large amounts of stabilizing solvents with small, targeted quantities of specifically selected nonionic surfactants and additive combinations. This approach achieves stability without requiring high solvent content, simplifying the formulation and reducing costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution increases the stability of diesel fuel additive packages, reducing the need for solvent content while maintaining effective performance.

Implementation Method 1

suitable additives can modify the crystal growth of the heavier n-paraffins in middle distillate fuels that precipitate out first, upon cooling

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCrystal growth modification: Crystallisation

Implementation Method 2

cold flow improvers in order to slow or prevent the agglomeration and settling of solid paraffins at the fuel's cloud point

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPrevention of settling: Sedimentation

Implementation Method 3

Incorporating quaternary ammonium compounds, specific wax anti-settling flow improvers, and saturated or unsaturated C8 to C18 carboxylic acids into diesel fuel additive packages to enhance stability

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectStabilization of formulation:

Data Source

PatentEP4682227A1Novel diesel fuel additive packages

Publication Date: 2026.01.21 BASF SE

AI summary

The present invention concerns stabilised Diesel fuel additive packages, Diesel fuels comprising such Diesel fuel additive packages, and a method for stabilising Diesel fuel additive packages.