Renewable engine fuel

Abstract

The present invention provides fully renewable engine fuels derived completely from biomass sources. The fully renewable engine fuel is comprised of one or more low carbon number esters, one or more pentosan-derivable furans, one or more aromatic hydrocarbon, one or more C 4 -C 10 straight chain alkanes derivable from polysaccharides, and one or more bio-oils. In addition, the fuel may contain triethanolamine. Such a lower octane renewable fuel may be utilized, for example, in automobile fuel, 100 LL aviation fuel applications, and turbine engine applications. These ethanol-based, fully renewable fuels may be formulated to have a wide range of octane values and energy, and may effectively be used to replace 100LL aviation fuel (known as AvGas), as well as high octane, rocket, diesel, and turbine engine fuels.

1 . A renewable fuel comprised of:
 (a) one or more low carbon esters derivable from ethanol;   (b) one or more pentosan derivable furans;   (c) one or more aromatic hydrocarbons derived from acetone or propyne;   (d) one or more C 4 -C 10  straight chain alkanes derivable from polysaccharides; and   (e) one or more bio-oils derived from plant germ.   
     
     
         2 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) greater than 0 to 20 wt % of the low carbon esters derivable from ethanol;   (b) greater than 0 to 20 wt % of the pentosan derivable furans;   (c) greater than 0 to 60 wt % of the aromatic hydrocarbon derived from acetone or propyne;   (d) greater than 0 to 65 wt % of one or more C 4 -C 10  straight chain alkanes derivable from polysaccharides; and   (e) from 2-40 wt % of the bio-oils derived from plant germ.   
     
     
         3 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the low carbon esters derived from ethanol are esters having a carbon number of C 1  to C 4 . 
     
     
         4 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the low carbon ester derived from ethanol is ethyl acetate. 
     
     
         5 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the pentosan derivable furans are substituted furans. 
     
     
         6 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the pentosan derivable furan is 2-methyl furan. 
     
     
         7 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon is mesitylene. 
     
     
         8 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more C 4 -C 10  straight chain alkanes derivable from polysaccharides are one or more selected from the group consisting of n-butane through n-decane. 
     
     
         9 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more C 4 -C 10  straight chain alkanes derivable from polysaccharides are n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, and n-nonane. 
     
     
         10 . In a tenth embodiment of the present invention, the renewable fuel of the first embodiment above is provided, wherein the C 4 -C 10  straight chain alkanes are n-heptane. 
     
     
         11 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the C 4 -C 10  straight chain alkanes are comprised of an equal molar volume mixture of n-hexane and n-octane. 
     
     
         12 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the bio-oils derived from plant germ are one or more selected from the group consisting of soybean oil, rapeseed oil, canola oil, palm oil and corn oil. 
     
     
         13 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the bio-oil derived from plant germ is corn oil. 
     
     
         14 . The renewable fuel of  claim 1 , further comprising triethanolamine. 
     
     
         15 . The renewable fuel of  claim 14 , wherein the fuel comprises from about greater than 0 to about 10 wt % of triethanolamine.