Environmentally-Friendly Fuel Compositions

Abstract

Fuel additive packages and fuel compositions having environmentally compatible characteristics as defined by European Council Directive 67/548/EEC is disclosed. Such additive packages and compositions may include components selected from non-persistent materials, non-bioaccumulative materials, or non-toxic materials.

1 . An environmentally compatible fuel additive composition comprising four or more functional components, wherein each component is selected from the group consisting of a non-persistent material, a non-bioaccumulative material, and a non-toxic material, and the additive composition is devoid of components that are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. 
   
   
       2 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the functional components comprise materials selected from the group consisting of: an antifoam agent, an anti-icing additive, an antiknock additive, an antioxidant, an antistatic additive, an anti-valve-seat recession additive, an antiwear agent, a biocide, a carrier fluid, a cetane improver, a combustion improver, a compatibilizer, a conductivity improver, a corrosion inhibitor, a dehazer, a demulsifier, a detergent, a dispersant, a drag reducing agent, a dye, an emulsifier, a foam inhibitor, a friction modifier, a fuel stabilizer, an injector deposit control additive, a lubricity additive, a marker or customer-specific “tag”, a metal deactivator, an octane improver, a pour point depressant, a reodorant, a seal swell additive, a surfactant, and a wax anti-settling additive (a “WASA”). 
   
   
       3 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the non-persistent material is determined by a biodegradation test selected from the group consisting of a dissolved organic carbon die-away test, a modified OECD screening dissolved organic carbon die-away test, a carbon dioxide evolution test, a manometric respirometry test, a closed bottle test, a MITI test, a Zahn-Wellens test, an activated sludge simulation test, an activated sludge respiration inhibition test, and a modified SCAS test. 
   
   
       4 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the non-bioaccumulative material is determined by a bioconcentration factor test comprising a flow-through fish test. 
   
   
       5 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the non-bioaccumulative material has bioconcentration factor test result below 2000. 
   
   
       6 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the non-toxic material is determined by a toxicity test selected from the group consisting of an acute toxicity for fish test, an acute toxicity for Daphnia test, and an algal inhibition test. 
   
   
       7 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the non-toxic material is devoid of a toxic effect at an aqueous concentration below 0.01 mg/L on a toxicity test. 
   
   
       8 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein a non-persistent material is a material having an acceptable score on a biodegradation test selected from at least one of the following:
 a) a half-life in marine water is less than 60 days;   b) a half-life in fresh or estuarine water is less than 40 days;   c) a half-life in marine sediment is less than 180 days;   d) a half-life in fresh or estuarine water sediment less than 120 days; or   e) a half-life in soil less than 120 days.   
   
   
       9 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components is selected from the group consisting of: a sulfurized neopentyl glycol phosphate, a substituted succinimide, a reaction product of a C 16  alkyl dicarboxylic acid and ammonia, a fatty amine ethoxylate, an oleamide, and a dodecyl succinic acid. 
   
   
       10 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises a pour point depressant. 
   
   
       11 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises a combustion improver. 
   
   
       12 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises a foam inhibitor. 
   
   
       13 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises a cetane number improver. 
   
   
       14 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises an adipate. 
   
   
       15 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises a sulfurized isobutylene. 
   
   
       16 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises an alkylthiadiazole. 
   
   
       17 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises an alkylpolymethacrylate comprising less than 0.3% weight of unreacted monomer. 
   
   
       18 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises an olefin copolymer or a multifunctional olefin copolymer viscosity index improver comprising less than 0.3% weight of unreacted monomer. 
   
   
       19 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the components comprises a polyalphaolefin. 
   
   
       20 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the additive is useful in gasoline compositions. 
   
   
       21 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the additive is useful in diesel fuel compositions. 
   
   
       22 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is transported to any site within Europe by a method selected from ship, air, rail, and truck. 
   
   
       23 . The fuel additive composition of  claim 1 , wherein said composition is manufactured in the USA or Canada. 
   
   
       24 . An environmentally compatible fuel composition, comprising:
 a) a major amount of a fuel: and   b) a minor amount of an additive composition, comprising four or more functional components, wherein each component comprises at least one of: an acceptable level of biodegradation as determined by a biodegradation test, a bioconcentration factor below 2000, or is devoid of a toxic effect at an aqueous concentration below 0.01 mg/L on a toxicity test.   
   
   
       25 . The fuel composition of  claim 24 , wherein the functional components comprise materials selected from the group consisting of: an antifoam agent, an anti-icing additive, an antiknock additive, an antioxidant, an antistatic additive, an anti-valve-seat recession additive, an antiwear agent, a biocide, a carrier fluid, a cetane improver, a combustion improver, a compatibilizer, a conductivity improver, a corrosion inhibitor, a dehazer, a demulsifier, a detergent, a dispersant, a drag reducing agent, a dye, an emulsifier, a foam inhibitor, a friction modifier, a fuel stabilizer, an injector deposit control additive, a lubricity additive, a marker or customer-specific “tag”, a metal deactivator, an octane improver, a pour point depressant, a reodorant, a seal swell additive, a surfactant, and a wax anti-settling additive (a “WASA”). 
   
   
       26 . The fuel composition of  claim 24 , wherein the biodegradation test is selected from the group consisting of a dissolved organic carbon die-away test, a modified OECD screening dissolved organic carbon die-away test, a carbon dioxide evolution test, a manometric respirometry test, a closed bottle test, a MITI test, a Zahn-Wellens test, an activated sludge simulation test, an activated sludge respiration inhibition test, and a modified SCAS test. 
   
   
       27 . The fuel composition of  claim 24 , wherein the bioconcentration factor test comprises a flow-through fish test. 
   
   
       28 . The fuel composition of  claim 24 , wherein the toxicity test is selected from the group consisting of an acute toxicity for fish test, an acute toxicity for Daphnia test, and an algal inhibition test. 
   
   
       29 . The fuel composition of  claim 24 , wherein the acceptable score on a biodegradation test comprises at least one of the following:
 a) a half-life in marine water is less than 60 days;   b) a half-life in fresh or estuarine water is less than 40 days;   c) a half-life in marine sediment is less than 180 days;   d) a half-life in fresh or estuarine water sediment less than 120 days; or   e) a half-life in soil less than 120 days.   
   
   
       30 . The fuel composition of  claim 24 , wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of one or more of gasoline, diesel fuel, middle distillate fuel, biodiesel fuel, an alcohol, such as but not limited to an ethanol, bioethanol, a biobutanol, an aviation fuel, jet fuel, marine fuel, bunker fuel, burner fuel, home heating oil, a gas-to-liquid (GTL) base oil, a Group I base oil, a Group II base oil, a Group III base oil, a Group IV base oil, an ester, a vegetable oil, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       31 . A method of making an environmentally compatible fuel composition, comprising combining a major amount of a fuel and a minor amount of an additive composition, comprising four or more functional components, wherein each component is selected from: a material having an acceptable level of biodegradation, a material having a bioconcentration factor below 2000, and a material that is devoid of a toxic effect at an aqueous concentration below 0.01 mg/L on a toxicity test, wherein the fuel composition complies with European Council Directive 67/548/EEC. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the functional component further comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: an antifoam agent, an anti-icing additive, an antiknock additive, an antioxidant, an antistatic additive, an anti-valve-seat recession additive, an antiwear agent, a biocide, a carrier fluid, a cetane improver, a combustion improver, a compatibilizer, a conductivity improver, a corrosion inhibitor, a dehazer, a demulsifier, a detergent, a dispersant, a drag reducing agent, a dye, an emulsifier, a foam inhibitor, a friction modifier, a fuel stabilizer, an injector deposit control additive, a lubricity additive, a marker or customer-specific “tag”, a metal deactivator, an octane improver, a pour point depressant, a reodorant, a seal swell additive, a surfactant, and a wax anti-settling additive (a “WASA”). 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the biodegradation test is selected from the group consisting of a dissolved organic carbon die-away test, a modified OECD screening dissolved organic carbon die-away test, a carbon dioxide evolution test, a manometric respirometry test, a closed bottle test, a MITI test, a Zahn-Wellens test, an activated sludge simulation test, an activated sludge respiration inhibition test, and a modified SCAS test. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the bioconcentration factor test comprises a flow-through fish test. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the toxicity test is selected from the group consisting of an acute toxicity for fish test, an acute toxicity for Daphnia test, and an algal inhibition test. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the acceptable score on a biodegradation test comprises at least one of the following:
 a) a half-life in marine water is less than 60 days;   b) a half-life in fresh or estuarine water is less than 40 days;   c) a half-life in marine sediment is less than 180 days;   d) a half-life in fresh or estuarine water sediment less than 120 days; or   e) a half-life in soil less than 120 days.   
   
   
       37 . An environmentally compatible fuel composition comprising:
 a) a major amount of a fuel; and   b) a minor amount of an additive composition, comprising four or more functional components, wherein each component is selected from the group consisting of non-persistent materials, non-bioaccumulative materials and non-toxic materials, and the additive composition is devoid of components that are persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic.   
   
   
       38 . The fuel composition of  claim 37 , wherein the functional components comprise materials selected from the group consisting of: an antifoam agent, an anti-icing additive, an antiknock additive, an antioxidant, an antistatic additive, an anti-valve-seat recession additive, an antiwear agent, a biocide, a carrier fluid, a cetane improver, a combustion improver, a compatibilizer, a conductivity improver, a corrosion inhibitor, a dehazer, a demulsifier, a detergent, a dispersant, a drag reducing agent, a dye, an emulsifier, a foam inhibitor, a friction modifier, a fuel stabilizer, an injector deposit control additive, a lubricity additive, a marker or customer-specific “tag”, a metal deactivator, an octane improver, a pour point depressant, a reodorant, a seal swell additive, a surfactant, and a wax anti-settling additive (a “WASA”). 
   
   
       39 . A method of fueling an engine comprising supplying to an engine a fuel composition of  claim 37 . 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said engine is a spark-ignition engine. 
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said engine is a compression ignition engine. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said engine is selected from the group consisting of an internal combustion engine, a rotary engine, a gas turbine engine, a four-stroke engine, a two-stroke engine, and an outboard motor engine.