Environmentally benign anti-icing or deicing fluids employing industrial streams comprising hydroxycarboxylic acid salts and/or other effective deicing/anti-icing agents

Abstract

The present invention provides methods for use of novel deicing and anti-icing compositions based on by-produce of off-specification materials from biodegradable and renewable sources and which also can be used in a variety of other services.

1 - 64 . (canceled) 
   
   
       65 . A method for preventing or inhibiting crystallization formation within a non-aqueous fluid to maintain said non-aqueous fluid in an unfrozen or mobile state by adding to said non-aqueous fluid an effective crystallization inhibiting or preventing amount of a composition, said composition containing:
 (i) a stream comprising soluble organic acid salts and/or esters of acids selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid and mixtures thereof including acids selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, glycolic acid, citric acid, gluconic acid, succinic acid, hydroxycarboxylic acid, and mixtures thereof produced by fermentation of sugars and/or starches, and fermentation processes yielding cornsteep water or cheese whey, said salts being formed by a reaction with said acids, wherein said reaction comprises neutralization with an alkali selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and mixtures thereof, and/or said reaction comprises esterification by alcoholysis or ester exchange;   (ii) a liquid stream comprising biodegradable organic acid salts and/or esters produced from monomers, intermediates and/or polymers contained in or derived from waste streams derived from polymerization processes selected from the group consisting of processes for production of polylactates, polysuccinates, PTT, polycaprolactone, lignin-based biodegradable polymers, soy and other protein based polymers, polymers based on synthetic genes and biodegradable polymers from soy beans;   (iii) a liquid stream comprising polyhydroxy compounds selected from the group consisting of streams from corn syrup conversion, processes for production of diols including those produced during the course of a fermentation and/or enzyme catalyzed reaction process; or   (iv) mixtures of two or more of i, ii and iii.   
   
   
       66 . A method as defined in  claim 65  wherein said non-aqueous fluid is selected from the group consisting of jet fuel, diesel fuel, vegetable oils, methyl esters of vegetable oils, fatty acids, salts of fatty acids, fatty acid esters, biodiesel, crude oil, straight chain hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       67 . A method as defined in  claim 65  wherein said composition is combined with at least one pour point depressant. 
   
   
       68 . A method as defined in  claim 65  further comprising a carrier fluid. 
   
   
       69 . A method as defined in  claim 68  wherein said carrier fluid is selected from the group consisting of esters of hydrocarboxylic acid, common aromatic solvents, and agricultural solvents and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       70 . A method as defined in  claim 65  wherein said composition is combined with an effective freezing point reducing amount of an organic component selected from the group ethyl lactate, tributyl citrate, glycerol or glycol lactate, ethyl glycinate, ethyl levulinate, ethylenecarbonate, glycerin carbonate, pipecolic acid and its esters, tetrahydrofurfuryl acetate, tetrahydrofurfuryl acetate, tetrahydrofurfuryl tetrahydrofuroate, glucose glutamate; acetals and ketals of glycerol. 
   
   
       71 . A method for preventing crystals of water and/or wax in a non-aqueous fluid, said method comprising adding to said non-aqueous fluid an effective crystal preventing and/or wax forming amount of the composition in  claim 65 . 
   
   
       72 . A method as defined in  claim 71  wherein said composition is combined with at least one pour point depressant. 
   
   
       73 . A method as defined in  claim 71  wherein said composition further comprising a carrier fluid. 
   
   
       74 . A method as in  claim 73  wherein said carrier fluid is selected from the group consisting of glucosides, carbonates, hydrocarbyl aldosides, aromatic solvents and agricultural solvents. 
   
   
       75 . A method for lowering the pour point of vegetable oil esters and maintaining said vegetable oil esters in an unfrozen or mobile state, said method comprising preventing or reducing crystallization of fatty acids, esters or alkaline salts of fatty acids in the vegetable oil product by adding a compound that inhibits crystallization said compound being selected from the group consisting of esters of hydroxycarboxylic acids with or without an esterified polymer or unconverted biodegradable polymer, tributyl citrate, glycerol, glycol lactate, ethyl glycinate, ethyl levulinate, ethylenecarbonate, glycerin carbonate, pipecolic acid, tetrahydrofurfuryl acetate, tetrahydrofurfuryl tetrahydrofuroate, glucose glutamate, and 2,2-dimethyl 1,3-dioxolane 4-methanol. 
   
   
       76 . A method as defined in  claim 70  wherein said ketal of glycerol is at least one selected from the group consisting of 2,2-dimethyl, and 1,3-dioxolane 4-methanol. 
   
   
       77 . A method for lowering the pour point of biodiesel, said method comprising preventing or inhibiting crystallization of fatty acids, esters or alkaline salts of fatty acids in the biodiesel product by adding to said biodiesel an effective crystallization inhibiting or preventing amount of a composition of  claim 65 . 
   
   
       78 . A method as defined in  claim 67  wherein said at least one pour point depressant is selected from the group consisting of methylmethacrylate, copolymers of ethylene and copolymers of propylene. 
   
   
       79 . A method as defined in  claim 69  wherein the carrier fluid is at least one selected from the group consisting of turpentine, limonene, and pinene. 
   
   
       80 . The method as defined in  claim 71  wherein the non-aqueous fluid is jet fuel and/or diesel fuel. 
   
   
       81 . A method as defined in  claim 74  wherein the carrier fluid is at least one selected from the group consisting of turpentine, limonene, and pinene.