Low sulfur fuel compositions having improved lubricity

Abstract

The present invention relates to novel low sulfur fuel compositions having butanol and demonstrating improved lubricity.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A low sulfur gasoline composition comprising:
 (a) butanol; and   (b) a sulfur content less than about 25 ppm by weight;   
       wherein the low sulfur gasoline has a HFRR value of less than about 800 μm. 
     
     
         2 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1  comprising about 5 vol. % to about 55 vol. % of the butanol. 
     
     
         3 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1  comprising about 10 vol. % to about 30 vol. % of the butanol. 
     
     
         4 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1  comprising about 16 vol. % of the butanol. 
     
     
         5 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1  comprising about 24 vol. % of the butanol. 
     
     
         6 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1 , wherein the butanol consists essentially of isobutanol. 
     
     
         7 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfur content is less than about 20 ppm by weight. 
     
     
         8 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfur content is less than about 15 ppm by weight. 
     
     
         9 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1 , wherein the sulfur content is less than about 10 ppm by weight. 
     
     
         10 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1 , wherein the HFRR value is less than about 780 μm. 
     
     
         11 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1 , wherein the HFRR value is less than about 750 μm. 
     
     
         12 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1 , wherein the HFRR value is less than about 730 μm. 
     
     
         13 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1 , wherein the HFRR value is less than about 700 μm. 
     
     
         14 . A process for producing a low sulfur gasoline composition having improved lubricity, the process comprising blending about 10 vol. % to about 30 vol. % of isobutanol with a gasoline blend stock, wherein the low sulfur gasoline composition comprises a sulfur content less than about 25 ppm by weight, and a HFRR value of less than about 800 μm. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein the gasoline blend stock comprises a HFRR value greater than about 800 μm. 
     
     
         16 . A method of increasing the lubricity of a low sulfur gasoline composition, the method comprising blending about 10 vol. % to about 30 vol. % of isobutanol with a gasoline blend stock, wherein the gasoline blend stock comprises a HFRR value greater than about 800 μm, and wherein the low sulfur gasoline composition comprises:
 (a) a sulfur content less than about 25 ppm by weight; and 
 (b) a HFRR value of less than about 800 μm. 
 
     
     
         17 . A method of increasing the lubricity of a low sulfur gasoline composition, the method comprising blending about 10 vol. % to about 30 vol. % of isobutanol with a gasoline blend stock, wherein the HFRR value of the low sulfur gasoline composition is reduced by at least 5% versus the HFRR value of the gasoline blend stock. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the HFRR value of the low sulfur gasoline composition is reduced by at least 10% versus the HFRR value of the gasoline blend stock. 
     
     
         19 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1 , wherein the low sulfur gasoline is selected from diesel fuel, jet fuel, nonroad fuel, locomotive fuel, marine fuel, reformulated fuel, convention fuel, batch fuel, and blend stocks. 
     
     
         20 . The low sulfur gasoline composition of  claim 1 , further comprising detergents, dispersants, deposit control additives, carburetor detergents, intake valve deposit detergents, intake system detergents, combustion chamber deposit control additives, fuel injector detergents, fluidizing agents, carrier oils and polymers, corrosion inhibitors, antioxidants, metal surface deactivators, metal surface passivators, combustion enhancing additives, cold-starting aids, spark promoters, spark improvers, spark plug detergents, surfactants, viscosity improvers, viscosity modifying agents, friction modifiers, fuel injector spray modifiers, fuel injector spray enhancers, fuel droplet size modification agents, volatility agents, oxygenates, water demulsifiers, water-rejection agents, water-separation agents, deicers, or mixtures thereof.