Method of operating internal combustion engine by introducing detergent into combustion chamber

Abstract

In a method of operating an internal combustion engine, a nitrogen-containing detergent composition is introduced into a combustion chamber of the engine wherein the detergent composition can improve the performance of both a fuel composition and a lubricating oil of the engine. The detergent composition contains (A) a reaction product of a hydrocarbyl-substituted acylating agent and an amine, (B) a hydrocarbyl-substituted amine, (C) a Mannich reaction product, (D) a high molecular weight polyetheramine, or (E) a mixture thereof.

1 . A method of operating an internal combustion engine, comprising: introducing a nitrogen-containing detergent composition comprising 
 (A) a reaction product of a hydrocarbyl-substituted acylating agent and an amine;    (B) a hydrocarbyl-substituted amine;    (C) a Mannich reaction product of a hydrocarbyl-substituted hydroxy-containing aromatic compound, an aldehyde, and an amine;    (D) a high molecular weight polyetheramine prepared by reacting one unit of a hydroxy-containing hydrocarbyl compound with two or more units of butylene oxide to form a polyether intermediate, and aminating the polyether intermediate by reacting the polyether intermediate with an amine or with acrylonitrile and hydrogenating the reaction product of the polyether intermediate and acrylonitrile; or    (E) a mixture thereof into a combustion chamber of the engine during the operation of the engine wherein the detergent composition improves the performance of a lubricating oil of the engine.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the detergent composition is introduced into the combustion chamber by injection from a dosing system or as a component of a fuel composition.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the detergent composition is introduced into the combustion chamber as a component of the fuel composition wherein the detergent composition improves the performance of the fuel composition.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the detergent composition (A) is the reaction product of a polyisobutenylsuccinic acylating agent and a polyethylenepolyamine wherein the polyisobutenyl group has a number average molecular weight of 150 to 5000.  
   
   
       5 . The method of claim I wherein the detergent composition (B) is derived from a polyisobutylene having a number average molecular weight of 150 to 5000 and a polyamine.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the Mannich reaction product is prepared from phenol alkylated with a polyisobutylene having a number average molecular weight of 120 to 3000, formaldehyde, and a secondary monoamine.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the polyetheramine is represented by the formula R(OCH 2 CHR 1 ) x A wherein R is a C 6  to C 30  alkyl group or a C 6  to C 30  alkyl-substituted phenyl group; R 1 is ethyl; x is a number from 5 to 50; and A is —OCH 2 CH 2 CH 2 NH 2  or —NR 2 R 3  wherein R 2  and R 3  are independently hydrogen, a hydrocarbyl group, or —(R 4 NR 5 ) y R 6  wherein R 4  is an alkylene group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, R 5  and R 6  are independently hydrogen or a hydrocarbyl group, and y is a number from 1 to 7.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the detergent composition further comprises a fuel additive selected from the group comprising a nitrogen-containing detergent, an amine-containing polyether, a lubricity agent, a fluidizer, a metal-containing detergent, a rust inhibitor, a corrosion inhibitor, an antioxidant, a low temperature flow improver, a demulsifier, an antifoaming agent, a valve seat recession additive, a combustion improver, a metal deactivator, or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the detergent composition is a combination of a hydroxyalkyl-substituted fatty amine represented by the formula RN[(A 1 O) x H][(A 2 O) y H] wherein R is a hydrocarbyl group containing 4 to 30 carbon atoms, A 1  and A 2  are independently alkylene groups having 2 to 18 carbon atoms, and x and y are independently zero or an integer where the sum of x and y is at least one; and a partial ester of a fatty carboxylic acid and a polyol wherein the ester has at least one free hydroxyl group.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the engine is a compression-ignited engine or spark-ignited direct injection engine having an exhaust gas recirculation system.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the engine is a spark-ignited or a compression-ignited engine having an exhaust treatment device, and the lubricating oil has at least one of the properties selected from the group consisting of a phosphorus content below 0.1% by weight, a sulfur content below 0.5% by weight, and a sulfated ash content below 1.5% by weight.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the engine is a spark-ignited or a compression-ignited engine having an exhaust treatment device, and a fuel of the fuel composition has a sulfur content below 80 ppm by weight.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the engine is installed in a motor vehicle and has a recommended drain interval for the lubricating oil of the engine of greater than 6,000 miles.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the engine is a stationary engine having a recommended drain interval for the lubricating oil of the engine of greater than 150 operational hours.