Marine Fuel Base Using Renewable Esters for Viscosity Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current marine fuels face challenges in achieving low sulfur content, improved viscosity, and long-term storage stability while meeting the requirements of increasingly stringent regulations and consumer needs, with existing solutions often compromising on flash point or stability due to the use of renewable components.
Innovation Solution
A marine fuel base is formulated by mixing 10 to 70% fatty acid alkyl esters of renewable origin with 90 to 30% hydrocarbon residue, using a specific viscosity index calculation method to achieve a kinematic viscosity reduction, thereby acting as a fluxant and enhancing pour point stability, potentially reducing the need for petroleum-based fluxants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If FAME (fatty acid methyl esters) is added to improve pour point and viscosity, then pour point and viscosity are improved, but long-term storage stability deteriorates due to oxidation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameter of the renewable component from FAME (methyl esters) to FAE (ethyl esters) or higher chain length esters. This parameter change reduces oxidation susceptibility while maintaining pour point improvement benefits, as evidenced by the preference for C10-C22 chain lengths and ethyl/propyl/butyl esters over methyl esters
Solution Approach 2:
The patent accepts that FAME provides short-term benefits for pour point and viscosity improvement but acknowledges its limited long-term stability. The solution is to replace FAME with more stable alternatives (FAE, higher chain esters) that provide both short-term performance and long-term stability without oxidation issues
2Reliability
If renewable hydrotreated fuel is added to improve pour point and storage stability, then pour point and storage stability are improved, but the fuel composition becomes more complex and requires specific blending sequences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the beneficial properties (pour point depression, stability) from complex renewable hydrotreated fuels and isolates them into simpler FAE components. This extraction allows achieving the same stability improvements without the complexity of hydrotreatment processes and blending sequences
Solution Approach 2:
The patent simplifies the chemical composition parameters by using straight-chain or branched saturated/unsaturated esters with specific chain lengths (C10-C22) rather than complex hydrotreated fuel compositions. This parameter simplification reduces blending complexity while maintaining stability benefits
3Force
If viscosity reducers are added to improve flow properties, then viscosity is reduced, but flash point may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the molecular weight and chain length parameters of the viscosity modifying components. By using C10-C22 esters with specific chain lengths, the patent achieves adequate viscosity improvement while maintaining flash point above 60°C, unlike lighter viscosity reducers that would compromise flash point safety
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 effectively lowers kinematic viscosity by 15 to 75% at 50°C and 5 to 30% at 100°C, significantly improving pour point stability and reducing the need for petroleum-based fluxants, while maintaining a low sulfur content and suitable flash point, thus addressing the limitations of existing marine fuels.
Implementation Method 1
A marine fuel base is formulated by mixing 10 to 70% fatty acid alkyl esters of renewable origin with 90 to 30% hydrocarbon residue, using a specific viscosity index calculation method to achieve a kinematic viscosity reduction
Implementation Method 2
The addition of this component of renewable origin allows to improve the viscosity, the pour point and the stability of an oil residue
Data Source
AI summary
A marine fuel base comprising an alkyl ester component of renewable origin, derived from fatty acids of plant or animal origin, which improves the viscosity and stability of a petroleum residuum, especially a visbroken residuum.