Glycerol Ether Fuel Additives for Vapor Pressure and Emission Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gasoline/ethanol and diesel/ethanol blends face issues such as low energy content, high vapor pressure, and increased particulate emissions, while jet fuel derivatives like JP-8 induce dermal immunotoxicity, necessitating the development of alternative fuel compositions that improve performance and reduce emissions.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating glycerol ethers into fuel blends with conventional fuels like gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel to enhance energy content, reduce vapor pressure, and decrease particulate emissions, while replacing toxic additives with safer, renewable alternatives.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If ethanol is blended with gasoline or diesel fuel, then renewable fuel content is increased, but vapor pressure increases and energy content decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite fuel system combining ethanol (renewable component) with a hydrocarbon fuel (gasoline or diesel) to create a blended fuel that leverages the renewable benefits of ethanol while maintaining the energy density of hydrocarbons. This composite approach resolves the contradiction by integrating two different fuel types with complementary properties.
2Quantity of substance
If ethanol is blended with gasoline or diesel fuel, then renewable fuel content is increased, but vapor pressure increases causing starting problems in winter
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the composition parameters of the fuel blend by controlling the ratio of ethanol to hydrocarbon fuel, and by selecting hydrocarbons with appropriate volatility characteristics. This parameter optimization reduces the overall vapor pressure of the blend while maintaining renewable content, thereby resolving the starting problem in cold weather.
3Productivity
If marine diesel oil is used, then fuel efficiency is improved, but particulate emissions increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition of marine diesel fuel by incorporating specific hydrocarbon components and additives that target the reduction of particulate matter formation. This localized chemical modification allows the fuel to maintain its energy density and combustion efficiency while specifically addressing the harmful particulate emissions through compositional adjustments.
4Reliability
If JP-8 jet fuel with diethylene glycol monomethyl ether is used, then anti-icing performance is improved, but dermal immunotoxicity is induced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the toxic diethylene glycol monomethyl ether component from the JP-8 jet fuel formulation while retaining the essential anti-icing functionality. This extraction of the harmful substance eliminates dermal immunotoxicity while the patent maintains anti-icing performance through alternative means such as adjusted hydrocarbon composition or safer additive packages.
Data Source
AI summary
Alternative gasoline, diesel fuel, marine diesel fuel, jet fuel, and flexible fuel compositions are disclosed. The compositions include an alcohol and/or a glycerol ether or mixture of glycerol ethers, which can be derived from renewable resources. When combined with gasoline/ethanol blends, glycerol ethers can reduce the vapor pressure of ethanol and increase fuel economy. Added to diesel fuel/alcohol blends, glycerol ethers improve the cetane value of the blends. In jet fuel, glycerol ethers can replace all or part of conventional deicing additives, lowering skin toxicity, and glycerol ethers ability to reduce particulate emissions can lower the appearance of contrails. Used in marine diesel, the reduction in particulate emissions can be environmentally significant. In another embodiment, the alternative compositions comprise gasoline, ethanol, and n-butanol, and in one aspect, the ethanol and/or n-butanol can be derived from renewable resources. Fuel additive compositions, including glycerol ethers and hydrocarbons and/or alcohols, are also disclosed.