Modulation of combustion rates in fuels

Abstract

There is disclosed a fuel additive composition including at least one of: i) a particle(s) or nanoparticle(s) of oxide(s), hydroxide(s), hydrate(s), and/or carbonate(s) selected from the group consisting of: Al, Sb, Mg, Fe, Mo, Zn, Sn, B, Bi, Ca, Li, Na, K, Ba, Mn, Si, Cu, Cd, Co, Ni, Cr, Ti, Ce, and V; and ii) an alloy(s) or nanoalloy(s) containing two or more metals selected from the group consisting of Al, Sb, Mg, Fe, Mo, Zn, Sn, B, Bi, Ca, Li, Na, K, Ba, Mn, Si, Cu, Cd, Co, Ni, Cr, Ti, Ce, and V; wherein at least one of the i) particles or nanoparticles and ii) alloys or nanoalloys can be capped with at least one iii) flame retardant material. The fuel additive composition can modulate fuel combustion.

1 . A fuel additive comprising at least one of:
 i) a particle(s) or nanoparticle(s) of oxide(s), hydroxide(s), hydrate(s), and/or carbonate(s) selected from the group consisting of: Al, Sb, Mg, Fe, Mo, Zn, Sn, B, Bi, Ca, Li, Na, K, Ba, Mn, Si, Cu, Cd, Co, Ni, Cr, Ti, Ce, and V; and   ii) an alloy(s) or nanoalloy(s) containing two or more metals selected from the group consisting of Al, Sb, Mg, Fe, Mo, Zn, Sn, B, Bi, Ca, Li, Na, K, Ba, Mn, Si, Cu, Cd, Co, Ni, Cr, Ti, Ce, and V;   wherein at least one of the i) particles or nanoparticles and ii) alloys or nanoalloys can be capped with at least one iii) flame retardant material.   
   
   
       2 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the average size of the particle or alloy is from about 1 to about 100 nanometers. 
   
   
       3 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the average size of the particle or alloy is from about 5 to about 75 nanometers. 
   
   
       4 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the flame retardant material can be selected from the group consisting of polyhalogenated alkyl halides, polyhalogenated aryl halides, alkyl phosphorus-derived oxides, aryl-phosphorus-derived oxides, ammonia, alkyl amines, and aryl amines. 
   
   
       5 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the i) hydroxide is Mg(OH) 2  or Ti(OH) 2 . 
   
   
       6 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the i) metal oxide is selected from the group consisting of Sb 2 O 3 , SnO 2 , ZnO, MoO 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , CoO, and (NH 4 ) 4 Mo 8 O 26 . 
   
   
       7 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the i) hydrate is Al 2 O 3 .3H 2 O or Al(OH) 3 (H 2 O) x . 
   
   
       8 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the i) carbonate is CaCO 3  or MgCO 3 . 
   
   
       9 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy is selected from the group consisting of Al/Sb, Na/B, Zn/B, Na/Sb, Fe/Mn, Ba(BO 2 ) 2 , LiB 3 O 5 , 2ZnO.3H 2 BO 3 .3.5H 2 O, Na 2 B 4 O 7 .10H 2 O, Na 3 SbO 4 , LnSbO 4 , SiSbO 4 , FeSbO 4 , TiSbO 4 , CeSbO 4 , VSbO 4 , VMoSbO 4 , MnVSbO 6 , CaMnSb 4 O 14 , BaSbO 5 , Ca 2 O.SbO 5 , and Co 2 O.Sb 2 O 5 , Mg 2 O.Sb 2 O 4 . 
   
   
       10 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the alloy can be represented by the following generic formula (Aa)n(Bb)n(Cc)n(Dd)n(Ee)n( . . . )n; wherein each capital letter and ( . . . ) is a metal described hereinabove; wherein each n is independently greater than or equal to zero; and wherein the alloy comprises at least two different metals. 
   
   
       11 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel additive is further capped with an organic capping ligand with a polar heteroatom-derived functionality. 
   
   
       12 . A fuel composition comprising a fuel and a fuel additive of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       13 . The fuel composition of  claim 12 , wherein a treat rate of the fuel additive is from about 5 ppm to about 25,000 ppm of fuel. 
   
   
       14 . The fuel composition of  claim 12 , wherein a treat rate of the fuel additive is from about 5ppm to about 500 ppm. 
   
   
       15 . The fuel composition of  claim 12 , wherein a treat rate of the fuel additive is from about 100 ppm to about 500 ppm of solid fuel. 
   
   
       16 . A method of modulating fuel combustion by producing fuel dilution by generation of non-combustible gases selected from the group consisting of N 2 , H 2 O, CO 2 , HX, and SO 3  said method comprising:
 a) combining a fuel and a fuel additive of  claim 1  to form a mixture, wherein the additive comprises a material capable of generating, when heated, a non-combustible gas selected from the group consisting of N 2 , H 2 O, CO 2 , HX, and SO 3 ;   b) combusting the mixture, thereby generating said non-combustible gas, whereby the fuel in said mixture is diluted.   
   
   
       17 . A method of modulating fuel combustion by producing cooling endothermic reactions, the method comprising:
 combusting a mixture of fuel and fuel additive of  claim 1 ,   whereby the fuel additive when heated enters an endothermic reaction, whereby cooling of the fuel combustion occurs.   
   
   
       18 . A method of modulating fuel combustion by forming a protective layer on a solid fuel, said method comprising:
 a) combining a solid fuel and a fuel additive of  claim 1  to form a mixture,   b) heating the mixture to a temperature at least sufficient to cause the additive to form a protective glassy layer on the mixture, whereby the fuel combustion is modulated.   
   
   
       19 . A method of modulating fuel combustion by condensed phase activity, said method comprising:
 combusting a mixture of fuel and fuel additive of  claim 1 , whereby the fuel additive when heated induces phase activity, whereby the fuel combustion is modulated.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the activity comprises one or more of the actions selected from the group consisting of charring and cross-linking. 
   
   
       21 . A method of smoke suppression by condensed phase activity, said method comprising:
 combusting a mixture of fuel and fuel additive of  claim 1 , whereby the fuel additive when heated induces phase activity whereby generation of smoke from said combustion is suppressed.   
   
   
       22 . A method of modulating fuel combustion by vapor or gas phase activity, said method comprising:
 combusting a mixture of fuel and fuel additive of  claim 1 , whereby the fuel additive when heated induces phase activity, whereby the fuel combustion is modulated.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the gas in the gas phase is selected from the group consisting of HX, HX/Sb, and P, wherein X is a halogen. 
   
   
       24 . A combustion system comprising a system for combusting fuel and a fuel additive of  claim 1 .