Renewable Diesel Fuel Composition for Low-Temperature Filterability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The inclusion of renewable diesel in fuel compositions leads to increased low temperature precipitation issues due to its different chemical nature compared to mineral diesel, affecting filterability and pourability, as conventional additives for mineral diesel do not effectively improve the low temperature properties of renewable diesel.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of specific low temperature enhancing additives, such as copolymers comprising units of formula (I) and (II), and reaction products of polycarboxylic acids with amines, to enhance the low temperature properties of fuel compositions comprising renewable diesel.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If fossil fuels are burned to meet growing energy demands, then energy production increases, but carbon dioxide emissions increase causing global warming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion and converts this harmful byproduct into useful chemical feedstocks (formic acid, methyl formate, dimethyl ether) through catalytic hydrogenation. This transforms the waste product into valuable resources while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the chemical state of carbon dioxide by hydrogenating it under controlled conditions (temperature, pressure, catalyst presence) to produce different chemical compounds. By adjusting parameters like H2/CO2 ratio, temperature, and catalyst type, various products can be obtained from the same feedstock.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If carbon capture and storage is implemented, then carbon dioxide emissions are reduced, but the cost of energy production increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the carbon dioxide captured from combustion as a feedstock for producing fuel additives and chemical products. The process is self-sustaining in that it utilizes the own emissions of the system to create value, rather than requiring external resources for carbon management.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding carbon dioxide as waste or storing it underground, the invention recovers and utilizes it as a valuable chemical feedstock. This recovery approach generates economic value while avoiding the costs and energy requirements of traditional carbon storage methods.
3Quantity of substance
If carbon dioxide is hydrogenated to produce fuels, then carbon utilization improves, but selective catalysis becomes difficult due to competing reactions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the carbon dioxide hydrogenation process into multiple sequential or parallel reaction stages, each catalyzed by different catalysts to produce specific products. This segmentation allows better control over reaction pathways and product selectivity compared to attempting single-step conversion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses formic acid and methyl formate as intermediary compounds in the conversion of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons. These intermediaries serve as stable, isolable products that can be selectively formed and then further converted, simplifying the overall catalytic process control.
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 additives significantly depress the cloud point of renewable diesel compositions, improving their low temperature performance by enhancing filterability and pourability, with cloud point depression of at least 0.5°C and pour point depression of up to 2.6°C.
Implementation Method 1
carbon dioxide hydrogenation in the presence of a catalyst
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel composition comprising renewable diesel and one or more low temperature enhancing additives selected from: (a) a copolymer comprising units of formula (I): and units of formula (II): wherein R is an alkyl group and each of R1 and R2 is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 6 to 22 carbon atoms; (b) the reaction product of a polycarboxylic acid having at least one tertiary amino group and a primary or secondary amine; and (c) the reaction product of secondary amines and a copolymer of maleic anhydride and an α-olefin.