Fuel composition

Abstract

The present invention provides a fuel composition comprising a fuel and a film-forming additive wherein the fuel comprises diesel and a fuel alcohol and wherein the film-forming additive is present in the fuel composition in an amount of less than 0.1 wt %.

1 . A fuel composition comprising: 
 (i) a fuel; and    (ii) a film-forming additive;    wherein the fuel comprises diesel and a fuel alcohol; and    wherein the film-forming additive is present in the fuel composition in an amount of less than 0.1 wt %.    
   
   
       2 . A fuel composition according to  claim 1  wherein the film-forming additive is present in the fuel composition in an amount of less than 0.01 wt %.  
   
   
       3 . A fuel composition according to  claim 1  wherein the fuel alcohol is present in the fuel in an amount of 1 to 30% by volume.  
   
   
       4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . A fuel composition according to  claim 1  wherein the fuel further comprises a co-solvent.  
   
   
       6 . The invention according to  claim 5  wherein the co-solvent is an alcohol.  
   
   
       7 . A fuel composition according to  claim 6  wherein the co-solvent has the formula R 1 O(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H, wherein n is a number from 0 to 10 and R 1  is a C 1-30  hydrocarbyl group.  
   
   
       8 . A fuel composition according to  claim 7  wherein the co-solvent is selected from: 
 (i) R 1 O(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein n is 0 and R 1  is ethylhexyl; and    (ii) R 1 O(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein n is from 2 to 3 and R 1  is a C 5  to C 15  alkyl.    
   
   
       9 . A fuel composition according to  claim 1  wherein the fuel further comprises a surfactant.  
   
   
       10 . A fuel composition according to  claim 9  wherein the surfactant has the formula R 2 (CO) m —N(CH 2 CH 2 OH) 2  wherein m is 0 or 1 and R 2  is a C 1-30  hydrocarbyl group.  
   
   
       11 . A fuel composition according to  claim 10  wherein R 2  is a C 8-22  hydrocarbon group.  
   
   
       12 . A fuel composition according to  claim 10  wherein the surfactant is selected from: 
 (i) R 2 (CO) m —N(CH 2 CH 2 OH) 2  wherein R 2  is a C 18  alkenyl and m is 0; and    (ii) R 2 (CO) m —N(CH 2 CH 2 OH) 2  wherein R 2  is a saturated or unsaturated C 17  hydrocarbon and m is 1.    
   
   
       13 . A fuel composition according to  claim 9  claims wherein the fuel further comprises a co-solvent of formula R 1 O(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein n is 0 and R 1  is ethylhexyl; and a surfactant of formula R 2 (CO) m —N(CH 2 CH 2 OH) 2  wherein R 2  is a C 18  alkenyl and m is 0.  
   
   
       14 . A fuel composition according to  claim 12  wherein the fuel further comprises a co-solvent of formula R 1 O(CH 2 CH 2 O) n H wherein n is from 2 to 3 and R 1  is a C 5  to C 15  alkyl; and a surfactant of formula R 2 (CO) m —N(CH 2 CH 2 OH) 2  wherein R 2 is a saturated or unsaturated C 17  hydrocarbon and m is 1.  
   
   
       15 . A fuel composition according to  claim 1  wherein the film-forming additive comprises a functional group selected from the group consisting of a carboxylic acid, a carboxylic ester, an alcohol, an amide and an amine.  
   
   
       16 . A fuel composition according to  claim 15  wherein the film-forming additive is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group;    (b) the reaction product of a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group or comprising at least one carboxylic anhydride group with 
 (i) a reactive alcohol; and/or  
 (ii) an amine; and/or  
 (iii) an alcohol-amine; and/or  
 (iv) an amino acid;  
   (c) a polymeric hydrocarbyl substituted with a hydroxy group and/or substituted with a group comprising a nitrogen; and    (d) an aromatic ring system substituted with a hydroxy group and/or substituted with a group comprising an amine and optionally substituted with a hydrocarbon group.    
   
   
       17 . A fuel composition according to  claim 16  wherein the C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl is aliphatic.  
   
   
       18 . A fuel composition according to  claim 17  wherein the C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl is a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbon.  
   
   
       19 . A fuel composition according to  claim 18  wherein the C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl is a C 5 -C 100  alkyl or alkenyl.  
   
   
       20 . A fuel composition according to  claim 19  wherein the film-forming additive is (a) a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group having a terminal carboxylic acid group.  
   
   
       21 . A fuel composition according to  claim 20  wherein the C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group is linear.  
   
   
       22 . A fuel composition according to  claim 21  wherein the C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group is selected from the group consisting of lauric, myristic, myristoleic, palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, elaidic, oleic and linoleic acid.  
   
   
       23 . A fuel composition according to  claim 16  wherein the film-forming additive is (a) a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group and wherein the C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group is substituted with at least two carboxylic acid groups.  
   
   
       24 . A fuel composition according to  claim 23  wherein the C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least two carboxylic acid groups is a dimer-acid.  
   
   
       25 . A fuel composition according to  claim 23  wherein the C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least two carboxylic acid groups is derived from maleic acid, maleic anhydride, succinic acid or succinic anhydride.  
   
   
       26 . A fuel composition according to  claim 23  wherein the film-forming additive is the reaction product of a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group or comprising at least one carboxylic anhydride group with a reactive alcohol.  
   
   
       27 . A fuel composition according to  claim 26  wherein the reactive alcohol is a diol, a triol or a polyol.  
   
   
       28 . A fuel composition according to  claim 27  wherein the reactive alcohol is selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, glycerol, pentaerythritol and oligomers thereof.  
   
   
       29 . A fuel composition according to  claim 23  wherein the film-forming additive is a compound of formula  
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     wherein PIB is a polyisobutene group having an average molecular weight of from 200 to 300 and R 3  and R 4  are independently selected from —CH 2 CH 2 OH, —CH(CH 3 ) 2 , and H with the proviso that R 3  and R 4  are not both H.  
   
   
       30 . A fuel composition according to  claim 29  either R 3  and R 4  are both —CH 2 CH 2 OH or one of R 3  and R 4  is —CH 2 CH 2 OH and the other is —CH(CH 3 ) 2 .  
   
   
       31 . A fuel composition according to  claim 16  wherein the film-forming additive is (c) a polymeric hydrocarbyl and the polymeric hydrocarbyl is a polymer of C 2 -C 10  hydrocarbon monomers.  
   
   
       32 . A fuel composition according to  claim 31  wherein the polymeric hydrocarbyl is a polymer of C 2 -C 4  hydrocarbon monomers.  
   
   
       33 . A fuel composition according to  claim 31  wherein the polymeric hydrocarbyl is a primary alcohol.  
   
   
       34 . A fuel composition according to  claim 31  wherein the polymeric hydrocarbyl is substituted with a group comprising an amide group.  
   
   
       35 . A fuel composition according to  claim 16  wherein the film-forming additive is (d) a substituted aromatic ring system which is the product of a Mannich reaction.  
   
   
       36 . A fuel composition according to  claim 1  wherein the fuel alcohol is an aliphatic alcohol.  
   
   
       37 . A fuel composition according to  claim 36  wherein the fuel alcohol is an alkanol comprising an alkyl group and a hydroxy group.  
   
   
       38 . A fuel composition according to  claim 37  wherein the alkyl group is linear.  
   
   
       39 . A fuel composition according to  claim 1  wherein the fuel alcohol is a C 1 -C 10  alcohol.  
   
   
       40 . A fuel composition according to  claim 39  wherein the fuel alcohol is a C 1 -C 5  alcohol.  
   
   
       41 . A fuel composition according to  claim 40  wherein the fuel alcohol is selected from methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       42 . A fuel composition according to  claim 41  wherein the fuel alcohol is ethanol.  
   
   
       43 . A process for supplying a fuel composition to a combustion engine wherein the process comprises 
 (i) pumping the fuel composition with a rotary pump to supply the fuel composition to the combustion engine    wherein the fuel composition comprises diesel, a fuel alcohol and a film-forming additive.    
   
   
       44 . A process according to  claim 43  wherein the pumping step supplies the fuel composition to the combustion engine at a rate which under normal design operating conditions would result in cavitation of the pump if operated with a fuel comprising diesel and the fuel alcohol in the absence of the film-forming additive.  
   
   
       45 . A process according to  claim 43  wherein the fuel composition comprises: 
 (i) a fuel comprising diesel, a fuel alcohol optionally a co-solvent and optionally a surfactant; and    (ii) less than 0.1 wt % of a film-fonming additive.    
   
   
       46 . (canceled)  
   
   
       47 . (canceled)  
   
   
       48 . (canceled)  
   
   
       49 . A fuel composition according to  claim 13  wherein the film-forming additive is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group;    (b) the reaction product of a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group or comprising at least one carboxylic anhydride group with 
 (i) a reactive alcohol; and/or  
 (ii) an amine; and/or  
 (iii) an alcohol-amine; and/or  
 (iv) an amino acid;  
   (c) a polymeric hydrocarbyl substituted with a hydroxy group and/or substituted with a group comprising a nitrogen; and    (d) an aromatic ring system substituted with a hydroxy group and/or substituted with a group comprising an amine and optionally substituted with a hydrocarbon group.    
   
   
       50 . A fuel composition according to  claim 42  wherein the film-forming additive is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group;    (b) the reaction product of a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group or comprising at least one carboxylic anhydride group with 
 (i) a reactive alcohol; and/or  
 (ii) an amine; and/or  
 (iii) an alcohol-amine; and/or  
 (iv) an amino acid;  
   (c) a polymeric hydrocarbyl substituted with a hydroxy group and/or substituted with a group comprising a nitrogen; and    (d) an aromatic ring system substituted with a hydroxy group and/or substituted with a group comprising an amine and optionally substituted with a hydrocarbon group.    
   
   
       51 . A process according to  claim 43  wherein the film-forming additive is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group;    (b) the reaction product of a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group or comprising at least one carboxylic anhydride group with 
 (i) a reactive alcohol; and/or  
 (ii) an amine; and/or  
 (iii) an alcohol-amine; and/or  
 (iv) an amino acid;  
   (c) a polymeric hydrocarbyl substituted with a hydroxy group and/or substituted with a group comprising a nitrogen; and    (d) an aromatic ring system substituted with a hydroxy group and/or substituted with a group comprising an amine and optionally substituted with a hydrocarbon group.    
   
   
       52 . A process for inhibiting and/or preventing cavitation in a fuel and/or reducing the effects of cavitation in a fuel, wherein the fuel comprises diesel and a fuel alcohol, comprising the step of mixing the fuel with less than 0.1 wt % of a film-forming additive.  
   
   
       53 . A process according to  claim 52  wherein the film-forming additive is one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of: 
 (a) a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group;    (b) the reaction product of a C 5 -C 100  hydrocarbyl substituted with at least one carboxylic acid group or comprising at least one carboxylic anhydride group with 
 (i) a reactive alcohol; and/or  
 (ii) an amine; and/or  
 (iii) an alcohol-amine; and/or  
 (iv) an amino acid;  
   (c) a polymeric hydrocarbyl substituted with a hydroxy group and/or substituted with a group comprising a nitrogen; and    (d) an aromatic ring system substituted with a hydroxy group and/or substituted with a group comprising an amine and optionally substituted with a hydrocarbon group.