Fuel Additive Reducing Soot Formation via Iron Oxide and Nitrates

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing fuel additives for solid fuel combustion often contain harmful substances like chlorine compounds, copper, and sulfur, leading to environmental pollution, excessive corrosion, and health risks due to increased emissions of toxic pollutants and reduced combustion efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A solid fuel additive composed of 30-60% triiron tetroxide (Fe3O4), 10-30% nitrates (such as potassium nitrate), 5-30% sodium percarbonate, and 10% anti-caking agents like powdered burnt clay, which reduces soot production and enhances combustion efficiency while being environmentally friendly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If fuel additives contain chlorine compounds and copper, then combustion effectiveness is improved, but environmental pollution and toxic emissions increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion effectivenessVSAvoidenvironmental pollution
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the fuel additive by replacing harmful chlorine and copper compounds with environmentally friendly iron oxide and nitrate compounds, maintaining combustion effectiveness while eliminating toxic emissions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention extracts and removes harmful substances (chlorine compounds, copper) from the fuel additive composition, retaining only the essential catalytic components that promote combustion without environmental damage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Productivity

If fuel additives contain chloride and sulphur compounds, then combustion efficiency is enhanced, but corrosion of boiler components increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecombustion efficiencyVSAvoidcorrosion resistance
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical composition by substituting corrosive chloride and sulphur compounds with non-corrosive iron oxide and nitrate compounds, maintaining combustion efficiency while protecting boiler components from corrosion

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Object-affected harmful factors

If fuel additives use iron oxide, then environmental safety is improved, but combustion effectiveness may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenvironmental safetyVSAvoidcombustion effectiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention creates a composite fuel additive material combining iron oxide with nitrate compounds and other auxiliary substances, where the synergistic interaction of components enhances combustion effectiveness while maintaining environmental safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The invention optimizes the particle size, concentration, and physical-chemical parameters of iron oxide to maximize its catalytic activity for combustion while maintaining environmental compatibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Stability of the object's composition

If active ingredients are diluted with SiO2 or Al2O3, then additive stability is improved, but transport of catalytic components to boiler walls is hindered

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadditive stabilityVSAvoidfuel combustion efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the physical parameters of the additive by using fine particle sizes and optimizing the ratio of active ingredients to extenders, ensuring both stability and effective transport of catalytic components to combustion zones

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 additive significantly decreases carbon black production, making it less toxic and more biodegradable, improving combustion efficiency, reducing chimney heat losses, and lowering emissions of nitrogen oxides, with carbon black produced being less harmful and easier to remove from heat exchangers.

Implementation Method 1

The soot combustion catalysts containing copper sulphate, sodium chloride and ammonium chloride are known from PL 207482 and PL 165406 patent description

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Implementation Method 2

The fuel additive is decomposable in 485°C, forming a coating on the heat exchanger surface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDecomposition: Decomposition (biological)

Implementation Method 3

The fuel additive revealed in this invention decreases the fuel ignition temperature by 3-15°C, enhancing the combustion effectiveness

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCombustion: Combustion

Implementation Method 4

making it less toxic and more biodegradable, improving combustion efficiency

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Data Source

PatentEP3325581B1Ecological solid fuel additive, reducing soot formation
Publication Date: 2020.01.29 JAGIELLONIAN UNIVERSITY
  • EP3325581B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3325581B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3325581B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention concerns the ecological fuel additive, composed of triferric tetroxide, nitrates containing 30-60% in weight of triiron tetroxide (Fe3O4), 10-30% in weight of potassium nitrate(V) (KNO3), sodium nitrate (V) (NaNO3), ammonium nitrate(V) (NH4NO3), or mixture of the abovementioned nitrates(V), 5-30% in weight of sodium percarbonate (Na2CO3⋅1.5H2O2) and 10% in weight of anti-caking agent. Advantageously, the anti-caking agent is powdered burnt clay and Fe3O4 used for production of fuel additive is free from FeSO4. The solid fuel additive according to the invention is ecological thanks to this that the production of carbon black and toxic compounds present in carbon black is reduced.