DMMn Oligomer Chain Length Control for Fuel Cetane and Fungibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dimethoxymethane oligomer blends in distillate fuels reduce fungibility while improving cetane content, leading to undesirable effects on combustion engine pollution control equipment and fuel properties.
Innovation Solution
A composition comprising distillate fuels with specific amounts and chain lengths of dimethoxymethane oligomers (DMMn) and a stabilizer, such as alcohols, to enhance fungibility and maintain desirable fuel properties like cetane, cloud, and flash points, while minimizing the negative impact on pour point and water phase volume increase.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dimethoxymethane oligomers are added to distillate fuels to increase cetane content, then cetane number is improved, but fungibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the chain length distribution (n values) of dimethoxymethane oligomers and their concentration in the fuel blend. By optimizing these parameters, the invention achieves improved cetane number while minimizing negative impacts on fungibility and other fuel properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite fuel composition by blending distillate fuel with specific dimethoxymethane oligomers having controlled chain lengths. This composite approach allows the fuel to benefit from the high cetane number of DMMn while maintaining acceptable fungibility through proper compositional design.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If dimethoxymethane oligomers are blended with distillate fuels to reduce emissions, then harmful exhaust emissions are reduced, but fuel stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses fuel stability by controlling the chain length distribution of DMMn oligomers and optimizing their concentration in the blend. By adjusting these parameters, the invention reduces emissions while maintaining fuel stability and preventing excessive water phase separation.
3Reliability
If higher volumes of dimethoxymethane oligomers are used to maximize cetane improvement, then cetane number increases, but water phase volume increase deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by using optimized concentrations of dimethoxymethane oligomers rather than maximum possible amounts. This approach achieves sufficient cetane number improvement while minimizing water phase volume increase and maintaining acceptable fungibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A composition comprising a distillate fuel, an oligomer portion comprising at least one dimethoxymethane oligomer, and a stabilizer comprising one or more alcohols. A composition comprising a distillate fuel, and an oligomer portion comprising at least one dimethoxymethane oligomer, DMMn, wherein n is less than 3 and/or greater than 4. A composition comprising a distillate fuel, and less than 10 volume percent of an oligomer portion, wherein the oligomer portion comprises at least one dimethoxymethane oligomer. A method comprising separating, from a mixture of DMMn oligomers, one or more DMMn fractions comprising oligomers of a desired chain length n, and combining a desired amount of one or more of the separated DMMn fractions with a distillate fuel to provide a fuel composition. A composition comprising a distillate fuel that includes renewable distillate fuel, DMMn and/or alcohol.