Fuels for compression-ignition engines

Abstract

A fuel composition containing a major amount of a fuel suitable for use in a compression-ignition engine, which fuel contains one or more hydrocarbon components boiling within the diesel boiling range, at least one of which hydrocarbon components has been treated with a metal adsorbing or absorbing material in a different physical phase from the hydrocarbon component(s), preferably to reduce the level of at least one metal, more preferably the level of at least one heavier metal, most preferably the level of zinc, in said at least one hydrocarbon component, said treatment including physical separation of the hydrocarbon component from the metal adsorbing or absorbing phase, is used to operate a compression-ignition engine, and/or a vehicle which is driven by a compression-ignition engine, for the purpose of reducing subsequent formation of deposits, preferably combustion related deposits, during engine operation in the compression-ignition engine into which the fuel composition is introduced and/or of removing from the engine previously incurred deposits.

1 . A method of preparing a fuel composition comprising: (a) providing a major amount of a fuel suitable for use in a compression-ignition engine, which fuel comprises one or more hydrocarbon components boiling within the diesel boiling range; (b) treating at least one hydrocarbon component with a metal adsorbing or absorbing material which is in a different physical phase from the hydrocarbon component, thereby reducing the level of at least one metal in said at least one hydrocarbon component; and (c) physically separating the thus-treated hydrocarbon component from the metal adsorbing or absorbing material.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metal adsorbing or absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of fibrous clay minerals, diatomaceous earths, graphite, charcoal, polymeric adsorbents or absorbents, ion-exchange resins, and complexing or chelating agents.  
   
   
       3 . A method of operating a compression-ignition engine, and/or a vehicle which is driven by a compression-ignition engine, said compression-ignition engine having a combustion chamber, which method comprising introducing into the combustion chamber a fuel composition comprising a major amount of a fuel suitable for use in a compression-ignition engine, said fuel comprising one or more hydrocarbon components boiling within the diesel boiling range, at least one of which hydrocarbon components has been treated with a metal adsorbing or absorbing material effective to reduce the level of at least one metal in said at least one hydrocarbon component, said metal adsorbing or absorbing material being in a different physical phase from the hydrocarbon component(s), said treatment including physical separation of the hydrocarbon component from the metal adsorbing or absorbing material, thereby reducing subsequent formation of deposits during engine operation in the compression-ignition engine and/or of removing from the engine previously incurred deposits.  
   
   
       4 . A method of reducing subsequent formation of deposits during engine operation during engine operation in a compression-ignition engine into which a fuel composition is introduced and/or of removing from the engine previously incurred deposits, which method comprising: providing into the combustion chambers of such engine a fuel composition comprising a major amount of a fuel suitable for use in a compression-ignition engine, said fuel comprising one or more hydrocarbon components boiling within the diesel boiling range, at least one of which hydrocarbon components has been treated with a metal adsorbing or absorbing material effective to reduce the level of at least one metal in said at least one hydrocarbon component, said metal adsorbing or absorbing material being in a different physical phase from the hydrocarbon component(s), said treatment including physical separation of the hydrocarbon component from the metal adsorbing or absorbing material.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein reducing subsequent formation of deposits in the compression-ignition engine and/or removing from the engine previously incurred deposits has the effect of reducing any power loss in the engine or improving the power generated by the engine.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the metal adsorbing or absorbing material is selected from the group consisting of fibrous clay minerals, diatomaceous earths, graphite and charcoal.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the metal adsorbing or absorbing material is selected from polymeric adsorbents or absorbents and ion-exchange resins.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the metal adsorbing or absorbing material is selected from complexing or chelating agents.