Protecting fuel delivery systems in engines combusting ethanol-containing fuels

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the use of fuel additives in duel delivery systems contacting or combusting fuels containing ethanol, such as E85. The additives improve the properties of the resulting fuel, minimize the impact of the fuel on the components of the fuel delivery system, improve the protection of the engine and the fuel delivery system, and also enhance the benefits to the consumer and to the environment of utilizing varying amounts of ethanol as a fuel in combustion engines.

1 . A method to improve protection of a fuel delivery system in an internal combustion engine, said method comprising delivering to or combusting in said engine a fuel composition comprising gasoline, ethanol and at least one fuel additive, said additive being selected from the group consisting succinimide dispersants, succinamide dispersants, amides, Mannich base dispersants, and polyetheramine dispersants. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel composition comprises at lease one second fuel additive, said additive being selected from the group consisting of phenolics, hindered phenolics, aryl amines, and diphenyl amines. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel composition comprises at lease one second fuel additive, said additive being selected from the group consisting of monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, p-phenylenediamine and dicyclohexylamme. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel composition comprises at lease one second fuel additive, said additive being selected from the group consisting of oxylated alkylphenolic resins, and formaldehyde polymer with 4-( 1,1 -dimethylethyl)phenol, methyloxirane and oxirane. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel composition comprises at lease one second fuel additive, said additive being selected from the group consisting of methyl cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, azides, tetraethyl lead, peroxides and alkyl nitrates. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel composition comprises at lease one second fuel additive, said additive being selected from the group consisting of monoesters, diesters, ethers, ketones, diethers, polyethers, glymes and glycols. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel composition comprises at lease one second fuel additive, said additive being selected from the group consisting of monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, and polycarboxylic acids. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel composition comprises at lease one second fuel additive, said additive being selected from the group consisting of phenates, salicylates, sulfonates, nonylphenol ethoxylates, fuel-soluble alkali detergents and aikaline earth metal-containing detergents. 
     
     
         9 . A fuel composition comprising gasoline, ethanol and at least one fuel delivery system protecting agent, said agent being selected from the group consisting of succinimide dispersants, succinamide dispersants, amides, Mannich base dispersants, polyetheramine dispersants, phenolics, hindered phenolics, aryl amines, diphenyl amines, monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, polycarboxylic acids, p-phenylenediamine, dicyclohexylamine, oxylated alkylphenolic resins, formaidehyde polymer with 4-( 1,1 -dimethylethyl)phenol, methyloxirane and oxirane, methyl cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, azides, tetraethyl lead, peroxides, alkyl nitrates, monoesters, diesters, ethers, dieters, ketones, polyethers, glycols, glymes, oxiranes, C1-C8 aliphatic hydrocarbons, butylene oxide, propylene oxide, ethylene oxide, epoxides, butane, pentane, xylene, nitrous oxide, nitromethane, phenates, salicylates, sulfonates, nonyiphenol ethoxylates, fuel-soluble alkali detergents and an alkaline earth metal-containing detergents. 
     
     
         10 . A fuel composition consisting essentially of gasoline, ethanol and at least one fuel delivery system protecting agent, said agent being selected from the group consisting of succinimide dispersants, succinamide dispersants, amides, Mannich base dispersants, polyetheramine dispersants, phenolics, hindered phenolics, aryl amines, diphenyl amines, monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, polycarboxylic acids, p-phenylenedianiine and dicyclohexylamine, oxylated alkylphenolic resins, formaldehyde polymer with 4-( 1,1 - dimethylethyl)phenol, methyloxirane and oxirane, methyl cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, azides, tetraethyl lead, peroxides, alkyl nitrates, monoesters, diesters, ethers, dieters, polyethers, glycols, glymes, oxiranes, C1-C8 aliphatic hydrocarbons, butylene oxide, propylene oxide, ethylene oxide, epoxides, butane, pentane, xylene, nitrous oxide, nitromethane, phenates, salicylates, sulfonates, nonyiphenol ethoxylates, fuel-soluble alkali detergents and alkaline earth metal-containing detergents. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the ethanol content of the fuel composition is from about 74% to about 85%. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 9 , wherein the ethanol content of the fuel composition is from about 50% to about 74%. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the ethanol content of the fuel composition is from about 74% to about 85%. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the ethanol content of the fuel composition is from about 50% to about 74%. 
     
     
         15 . A method of improving the protection of an engine combusting a fuel composition containing gasoline and ethanol, said method consisting essentially of combining the fuel and an additive selected from the group consisting of monoesters, diesters, ethers, ketones, diethers, polyethers, glymes and glycols, wherein the protection of said engine is improved relative to the protection of the engine combusting a gasoline fuel without ethanol. 
     
     
         16 . A method of improving the protection of an engine combusting a fuel composition containing gasoline and ethanol, said method comprising combining the fuel and an additive selected from the group consisting of succinimide dispersants, succinamide dispersants, amides, Mannich base dispersants, polycteramine dispersants, phenolics, hindered phenolics, aryl amines, diphenyl amines, monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids, polycarboxylic acids, p- phenylenediamine and dicyclohexylamine, oxylated alkylphenolic resins, formaldehyde polymer with 4-( 1,1 -dimethylethyl)phenol, methyloxirane and oxirane, methyl cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, cyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl, azides, tetraethyl lead, peroxides, alkyl nitrates, monoesters, diesters, ethers, ketones, diethers, polyethers, glycols, glymes, oxiranes, C1-C8 aliphatic hydrocarbons, butylene oxide, propylene oxide, ethylene oxide, epoxides, butane, pentane, xylene, nitrous oxide, nitromethane, phenates, salicylates, sulfonates, nonyiphenol ethoxylates, thel-soluble alkali detergents and alkaline earth metal- containing detergents, wherein the protection of said engine is improved relative to the protection of the engine combusting a gasoline fuel without ethanol. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the monocarboxylic acid is a tall oil fatty acid. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the dicarboxylic acid is dodecenyl succinic acid. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the monocarboxylic acid is a tall oil fatty acid. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the dicarboxylic acid is dodecenyl succinic acid. 
     
     
         21 . A fuel delivery system protecting agent concentrate for gasoline engines combusting an ethanol-containing fuel, said concentrate comprising one or more fuel delivery system protecting agents and a diluent selected from the group consisting of an oil, a fuel, gasoline, ethanol, solvent, carrier fluid, and other liquid materials combustible in a gasoline engine.