BRPI0707266A2 - biodiesel fuel additive - Google Patents

Abstract

FUEL ADDITIVE BIODIESEL The present invention relates in general to a composition and method for reducing combustion emissions from fuel containing biodiesel, where the composition contains at least one ignition accelerator and at least one plant extract or similar synthetic component to a portion of a plant extract. The ignition accelerator is preferably a peroxide, for example, di-tert-butyl peroxide. The composition may optionally contain oil from the grassland or jojoba oil. The composition can also increase the lubricity of the fuel containing biodiesel.

Description

Patent Descriptive Report for "BIODIESEL FUEL ADDITIVE".

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a composition and method for reducing combustion emissions from die-sel fuel containing at least some biodiesel as a component.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Interest in improving fuel efficiency becomes paramount as our natural resources decrease and fuel costs continue to rise. Fuel efficiency can be improved by adding a fuel additive. Several existing additives are known to increase fuel efficiency, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,274,835, 5,826,369 and 6,193,766 describe combustion enhancing fuel additives. Despite the success of these inventions, there remains a need for fuel additives that enhance combustion.

Hydrocarbon fuels typically contain a complex mixture of hydrocarbons - molecules containing various configurations of hydrogen and carbon atoms. They may also contain various additives including detergents, antifreeze agents, emulsifiers, corrosion inhibitors, dyes, depot modifiers and nonhydrocarbons such as oxygenates.

When such hydrocarbon fuels are combusted, a variety of pollutants are generated. These combustion products include ozone, particulates, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2, and N2O, collectively known as NOx), sulfur dioxide, and lead. Both the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Re-sources Board (CARB) have adopted ambient air quality standards targeting these pollutants. Both agencies also adopted specifications for lower emission gasolines. Phase2 California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG2) regulations began to apply on 19 March 1996. Governor Davis signed Executive Order D-5-99 on March 25, 1999, which orders the gradual withdrawal of tertiary methyl butyl ether ( MTBE) on California gasoline as of December 31, 2002. Phase 3 California Reformulated Gasoline (CaRFG3) regulations were approved on August 3, 2000, and began to apply on September 2, 2000.

Diesel engines run under poor fuel conditions. As a result, hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions are usually low. However, diesel exhaust contains relatively high levels of nitrogen oxides and particles. Emission standards have been adopted in the United States and Europe to decrease nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions. The states of Texas and California have enacted their own strict limits on diesel emissions.

Biodiesel is a vegetable oil or animal fat based fuel where native free fatty acids are converted to monoalkyl esters, usually methyl esters. Biodiesel can usually be blended with petroleum-based diesel to create the ultimate fuel. The most common blend is 20% biodiesel, 80% petroleum-based diesel, commonly referred to as B20, where the number after B refers to the percentage of biodiesel in the blend. Pure Biodiesel is B100. Biodiesel can be blended with petroleum-based diesel at any level, for example, but not limited to 5%, 10%, 15%, etc.

Combustion emissions from pure biodiesel and biodie-sel mixtures are generally lower than petroleum-based diesel combustion. See, for example, the EPA report entitled "A Comprehensive Analysisof Biodiesel Impacts on Exhaust Emissions", available at www.epa .gov / otaa / modeIs / biodsl / htm. Decreases in regulated combustion emissions from biodiesel compared to conventional diesel ranged from a 12% decline in particulate matter for B20 to a 67% decline in total unburned hydrocarbons for B100. NOx emissions for B100 combustion were 10% higher than for conventional diesel combustion. NOx emissions for B20 combustion were 2% higher than for conventional diesel combustion. More recent data suggest that the increase in NOx emissions for B20 may be even larger, 2.4-3% higher than for conventional diesel combustion.

Government regulations on diesel fuel emissions are likely to become more stringent in the future. Also, NOx emissions from vehicles that are fueled with biodiesel and biodie-sel mixtures are slightly higher than for vehicles that are fueled with conventional diesel fuels. There is a need for additives that can be blended with diesel fuels containing biodiesel to reduce emissions, particularly NOx emissions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention involves a fuel additive for reducing the pollutant emission produced during fuel combustion comprising biodiesel. In one embodiment, there is a biodiesel fuel fuel additive, the fuel additive comprising: a first component comprising an ignition accelerator; and a second component selected from the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic form of plant extract and a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the ignition accelerator comprises a peroxide. In some embodiments, peroxide is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, benzoyl peroxide, di-tert-butyl peroxide, cumene hydroperoxide, di-oleal peroxide, hydroperoxide, di-ethyl peroxide and any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the peroxide comprises di-tert-butyl peroxide. In some embodiments, the fuel additive further comprises a third component, the third component comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of long chain fatty acids, long chain acid ester esters and any combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the fuel additive comprises a synthetic long chain fatty acid, a synthetic long chain fatty acid ester or both a synthetic long chain fatty acid and a synthetic long chain fatty acid ester. In some embodiments, the third component further comprises an oil selected from the group consisting of meadow plant oil, jojoba oil and a combination thereof. In some embodiments, the fuel additive further comprises a solvent. In some embodiments, the solvent comprises an aromatic solvent. In some embodiments, the fuel additive further comprises an alkyl nitrate.

In some embodiments comprising an alkyl nitrate, dealkyl nitrate comprises 2-ethylexyl nitrate. In some embodiments, the plant extract comprises a green extract from a plant. In some embodiments comprising a green extract, the green extract is chlorophyll. In some embodiments, the plant extract comprises an extract from a planted Leguminosae family. In some embodiments, the second component is selected from the group consisting of beta carotene, alpha carotene, a ca-rotenoid, a chlorophyll, a colored body, isomixten and any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the plant extract comprises one or more chlorophylls. In some embodiments, the fuel additive has a chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b ratio of from about 0.1 to about 80. In some embodiments, the second component comprises chlorophyll and carotenoid. In some embodiments, the fuel additive has a chlorophyll to carotenoid ratio of approximately 0.1 to approximately 100. In some embodiments, the fuel additive further comprises a stabilizing component. In some embodiments having a stabilizing compound, the stabilizing component comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: 2,2,4-trimethyl-6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline; ethoxyquinoline; 2-tert-butylphenol; 2,6-di-tert-butylphenyl; 2-tert-butyl-4-n-butylphenol; 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-n-butylphenol; 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol; 2,6-di-t-butylphenol; 2,2'-methylene-bis (6-t-butyl-4-methylphenol); n-octadecyl 3- (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate; 1,1,3-tris (3-t-butyl-6-methyl) -4-hydroxyphenyl) butane; pentaerythrityltetracis [3- (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate]; di-n-octadecyl (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) phosphonate; 2,4,6-tris (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) mesitylene; tris (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) isocyanurate; N, N'-diphenylphenylenediamine; p-octyldiphenylamine; ρ, ρ-dioctyldiphenylamine; N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine; N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine; N- (p-dodecyl) phenyl-2-naphthylamine; di-1-naphthylamine; and di-2-naphthylamine; phenothiazines; N-alkylphenothiazines; imino (bisbenzyl); 6- (t-butyl) phenol; 2,6-di (t-butyl) phenol; 4-methyl-2,6-di- (t-butyl) phenol; 4,4'-methylenebis (2,6-di- (t-butyl) phenol); a diphenylamine; a dinaftilamine; a phenylnaphthylamine.

In another aspect of the present invention there is a fuel composition comprising: about 0.32 to about 799 g of ignition accelerator; about 0.001 g to about 60 g of a plant extract or synthetic form of a plant extract, or mixtures per gallon of fuel comprising biodiesel. In some embodiments, the fuel composition further comprises 2-ethylhexyl nitrate. In some embodiments comprising 2-ethylhexyl nitrate, the level of 2-ethylhexyl nitrate is about 1 pp to about 5000 ppm.

In another aspect of the present invention there is a method of reducing pollutant emissions in combustion of biodiesel fuel comprising combustion of a fuel comprising: combining the biodiesel fuel with a fuel additive, the combustible additive comprising: a first component comprising ignition accelerator; and a second component selected from the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic form of a plant extract and mixtures thereof.

In another aspect of the present invention there is a method of increasing the lubricity of a fuel comprising biodiesel comprising: adding an additive to said fuel comprising biodiesel, said additive comprising: a first component comprising an ignition accelerator; a second selected component of the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic form of a plant extract and mixtures thereof; and at least one oil selected from the group consisting of meadow plant oil, jojoba oil and mixtures thereof.

The foregoing has broadly shown the characteristics and technical advantages of the present invention so that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described below which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be understood that the disclosed design and specific embodiment may readily be used as a basis for modifying or designing other structures to accomplish the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be understood that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the invention as shown in the appended claims. The novel features that are believed to be features of the invention, both as its organization and methods of operation, along with additional objectives and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It should be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for illustration and description purposes only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Introduction

The following description and examples illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail. Those skilled in the art will recognize that there are various variations and modifications of the present invention that are encompassed by its scope. Accordingly, the description of preferred embodiments should not be considered to limit the scope of the present invention.

Although described in the context of an additive and a method for reducing combustion emissions from diesel fuels which may comprise biodiesel, the additive and method according to embodiments of the present invention may also be applied to other hydrocarbon fuels, for example diesel fuels which are derived oil or alternative fuels that may not include biodiesel. The additive and method may also have application to gasoline fuels, waste fuels and other hydrocarbon fuels. The application of fuel comprising biodiesel is a preferred embodiment.

Diesel fuels

Petroleum-derived diesel fuels include that portion of crude oil that distills within the temperature range of approximately 150 ° C to 370 ° C (698 ° F), which is larger than the gasoline boiling range. Diesel fuels may also be obtained from synthetic fuels such as shale oil, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis gas derivatives, coal liquefaction products, etc. Any source of diesel fuel could potentially be suitable as a base fuel for blending with biodiesel.

Diesel fuel is ignited in an internal-combustion engine cylinder by heating air under high compression - in contrast to gasoline engine, which is ignited by an electric spark.

Because of the ignition mode, a high cetane number is usually preferred in a good diesel fuel. Diesel fuel is close in boiling range and composition to lighter heating oils. There are generally two grades of diesel fuel established by ASTM: Diesel 1 and Diesel 2. Diesel 1 is a lighter, more volatile and cleaner burning fuel than Diesel 2. Diesel 1 is used in engine where there are frequent changes in speed and load. Diesel 2 is used in industrial and heavy mobile service.

Suitable diesel fuels may include both high and low sulfur fuels. Low sulfur fuels generally include those containing 500 ppm (on a weight basis) or less sulfur, and may contain at least 100, 95, 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60.55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 20 or 5 ppm or less of sulfur, or even 0 ppm sulfur, for example in the case of synthetic diesel fuels. High sulfur diesel fuels typically include those containing more than 500 ppm sulfur, for example as much as 1, 2,3, 4 or 5% sulfur or more. Diesel fuels containing low sulfur levels may provide a lower degree of lubricity than diesel fuels containing higher sulfur levels.

Boiling fuels in the approximate range of 150 ° C to 330 ° C can work best on diesel engines because they are completely consumed during combustion, with no fuel waste or excess emissions. Paraffins, which offer the best cetane rate, are generally preferred for diesel blending. The higher the paraffin content of a fuel, the more easily it burns, providing faster heat and complete combustion. Heavier boiling components in higher ranges, although less desirable, may also be used. Naphthenes are the next lighter components and aromatics are the heaviest fractions found in diesel. Use of these heavier components helps minimize the waxiness of diesel fuel. At low temperatures, asparafins tend to solidify, clogging fuel filters.

Biodiesel

As described, for example, on the National Biodie-sel Board website (www.biodiesel.org), biodiesel is a product that can comprise long chain fatty acid monoalkyl esters derived from vegetable oils and animal fats. Biodiesel can be produced by acid or base catalyzed transesterification of the oil with an alcohol. Although ethanol is generally used as alcohol, other alcohols may also be suitable.

Some older diesel engines may be able to burn vegetable oils or animal fats that are not esterified. The term bio-diesel as used in this application includes both biodiesel (esterified oils or fat) and non-esterified oils and fats. The term biodiesel as used herein generally encompasses both esterified and non-esterified oils and fats and is broader than the conventional term.

Where the term biodiesel has to be limited to the conventional meaning that includes only esterified oils and fats, the term "conventional biodiesel" or "esterified biodiesel" may be used.

Both conventional biodiesel and non-esterified biodiesel can be blended with petroleum diesel for use in motor vehicles. Blends are generally described with "BXX", where XX is the percentage of biodiesel in the blend. B20, for example, is 20% biodiesel, 80% conventional die-sel. B100 is 100% biodiesel. The term biodiesel is technically the pure fuel produced by the transesterification process, where biodiesel is conventional biodiesel. The mixtures are more aptly described as BXX. Although B20 is generally described as "biodiesel", the term B20 may be preferred to distinguish from pure biodiesel, B100.

Conventional esterified biodiesel fuel can be used in mixed or unmixed diesel vehicles. B100, for example, is an acceptable fuel for most conventional diesel vehicles. The viscosity of non-esterified biodiesel may generally be too high to be used without mixing. Mixture of non-esterified diesel fuel can reduce viscosity. Mixture of non-esterified diesel fuel is generally preferred. Biodiesel can be blended with petroleum-based diesel at any level, for example, but not limited to 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70% , 80%, 90%, 99%, etc.

Table 1 below shows emission data for both conventional (B100) and conventional B20 compared to conventional diesel. Data were reported on the National Biodiesel Board Website, www.biodiesel.org ·, based on the EPA report entitled "A Comprehensive Analysis of Biodiesel Impacts on Exhaust Emissions." Data on unesterified bio-diesel were not reported.

TABLE 1

Average Biodiesel Emissions Compared with Conventional Diesel

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Hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide and particulate matter emissions from biodiesel combustion (B100) and B20 were significantly lower than the corresponding emissions from conventional diesel fuel combustion. Although NOx emissions for biodiesel and biodiesel blends may be slightly higher than for conventional diesel, NOx emissions may vary, depending on engine family and test procedure.

As shown in the Examples below, combustion emissions from fuels comprising biodiesel and the additive according to the embodiments of the present invention may be lower than the combustion emissions from fuels comprising the same fuel and not comprising the additive according to the embodiments of the present invention. invention.

The last column in Table 1, "B20 With Additive" shows emission data from Example 1 for B20 comprising a commodity additive according to the present invention. Emissions for all emission types in Table 1 for B20 comprising the commodity agreement additive of the present invention were lower than emissions for B20 alone.

Emission reductions for B20 comprising the additive according to the embodiments of the present invention compared with B20 alone range from a 6% decrease in particulate matter emissions to a 13% decrease in hydrocarbon emissions. The additive according to embodiments of the present invention was effective in decreasing all four of the emission types compared to B20 alone. Emission reductions compared to conventional diesel were between 5 and 37%.

NOx emissions for B20 were 2% higher than NOx e-missions for conventional diesel. NOx emissions for B20 which comprise the additive according to the modalities of this invention were 5% lower than conventional diesel fuel NOx emissions and 7% lower than B20 NOx emissions.

The additive according to the embodiments of the present invention is effective in reducing emissions for diesel fuels comprising biodiesel compared to both conventional and B20 diesel.

Additive

The additive according to embodiments of the present invention may comprise a first component comprising at least one ignition accelerator and at least one second component comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic form. of a plant extract and mixtures thereof. A synthetic form of a plant extract, as the term is used herein, refers to one or more synthetically produced compositions which naturally occur in plant extracts. Synthetic compositions may include, for example, carotenoids, xanthophylls, chlorophylls or colored bodies.

The additive may further comprise additional components such as, but not limited to, long chain fatty acid acids or esters and / or a solvent. As used herein, the term "long chain" refers to a molecule with a carbon chain of about 16 carbon atoms or more. Tarpaulin esters or fatty acids may comprise, for example, grassland oil, jojoba oil or mixtures thereof. Other oils which may comprise long chain acidic acid esters or esters may also be suitable. Synthetic long chain fatty acid acids or esters may also be suitable. Other components such as cetane enhancers, stabilizing compounds or other components may be added as additional components.

Long chain fatty acid or esters and solvents are optional components of the additive according to embodiments of the present invention. Additives which may comprise long chain fatty acid acids or esters in addition to the first component and the second component are preferred embodiments.

Lanyard Accelerators

The additive according to embodiments of the present invention may comprise at least one ignition accelerator as a first component. The ignition accelerator may be nitrate or organic peroxide. Peroxides are generally preferred as nomadic ignition accelerators according to embodiments of the present invention. Organic Nitrate Spacer Accelerators

If the ignition accelerator is an organic nitrate, preferred organic nitrates are substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or cycloalkyl nitrates having up to about 10 carbon atoms, preferably from 2 to 10 carbon atoms. The alkyl group may be either straight or branched. Specific examples of nitrate compounds suitable for use in preferred embodiments include, but are not limited to, the following: methyl nitrate, ethyl nitrate, n-propyl nitrate, isopropyl nitrate, allyl nitrate, n-butyl, isobutyl nitrate, sec-butyl nitrate, tert-butyl nitrate, n-amyl nitrate, isoamyl nitrate, 2-amyl nitrate, 3-amyl nitrate, tert-amyl nitrate, n-hexyl, 2-ethylhexyl nitrate, n-heptyl nitrate, sec-heptyl nitrate, n-octyl nitrate, sec-octyl nitrate, n-nonyl nitrate, n-decyl nitrate, n-nitrate -dodecyl, cyclopentylnitrate, cyclohexyl nitrate, nitratol methylcyclohexyl, isopropylcyclohexyl nitrate and the esters of substituted alkoxy aliphatic alcohols such as 1-methoxypropyl-2-nitrate, 1-ethoxypropyl-2-nitrate, 1-isopropoxy nitrate 1-ethoxybutyl nitrate and the like. Preferred alkyl nitrates are deethyl nitrate, propyl nitrate, amyl nitrates and hexyl nitrates. Other preferred alkyl nitrates are mixtures of primary amyl nitrates and primary hexyl nitrates. By primary is meant that the nitrate functional group is bonded to one carbon atom that is bonded to two hydrogen atoms. Examples of primary hexyl nitrates include n-hexyl nitrate, 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (2-EHN), 4-methyl-n-pentyl nitrate and the like. Preparation of nitrate esters may be carried out by any of the generally used methods: such as, for example, esterification of the appropriate alcohol or reaction of suitable alkyl halide with silver nitrate.

The Organic Nitrate Ignition Accelerator 2-ethylexyl nitrate is an exemplary organic nitrate ignition accelerator. Although other levels are useful and within the scope of the present invention, organic nitrate de-ignition accelerators are preferably used at final concentrations of 1-5000 ppm in fuel compositions. Conventional Spacer Accelerators

In a preferred embodiment, conventional ignition accelerators may be used as the first component ignition accelerator in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Conventional ignition accelerators may include, but are not limited to, hydrogen peroxide, benzoyl peroxide, di-tert-butyl peroxide (DTBP), cumene hydroperoxide, dioleal peroxide, dehydrates hydroperoxide and diethyl. Other organic peroxides and hydroperoxides may also be suitable. DTBP is an exemplary ignition accelerator.

In one embodiment, the additive according to embodiments of the present invention may comprise a nitrateorganic ignition accelerator in addition to a conventional ignition accelerator. In one embodiment, the additive according to embodiments of the present invention may comprise both di-tert-butyl peroxide (DTBP) and 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (2-EHN). 2-EHN may alternatively be added to diesel fuel separately from the additive.

Plant Extracts Second Component

The second component of the additive according to embodiments of the present invention may comprise at least material selected from the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic composition which is similar to a portion of a plant extract and mixtures thereof. The plant extract or synthetic composition that is similar to a plant extract may comprise at least one carotenoid and / or at least one chlorophyll component. The second component may comprise synthetic carotenoids or chlorophylls as well as natural carotenoids and chlorophylls.

Carotenoids are fat-soluble pigments that are derived from a 40-carbon polyene chain. The chain may be ring terminated and may also contain oxygen containing groups. Carotenoids and hydrocarbons are known as carotenes, while the oxygenated derivatives of carotenoids are known as xanthophylls.

Beta carotene is a natural carotenoid that is present in various fruits and vegetables such as carrots, spinach, peaches, apricots and sweet potatoes.

"Iso-Mixtene", a product of DSM Chemicals (formerly Roche Vi-tamins, Inc.) is an intermediate in the synthesis of pure trans beta-carotene. Iso-Mixtene is a mixture of approximately 89-98% trans-β-carotene and approximately 1.4 to approximately 11% isomeric forms of β-carotene. Iso-Mixtene may be suitable as a second component in the additive according to embodiments of the present invention.

Carotenoids can be biological antioxidants, protecting cells and tissues from free radicals.

Plant Extract

The term "plant extract" or "plant oil extract", as used herein, is a broad term and is used in its ordinary sense, including without limitation those components present in the plant material. which are extractable in n-hexane, another suitable non-polar solvent, or a polar solvent. The term "extractable" is a broader term than "soluble". Some plant materials may be extractable in a solvent, even if the components cannot be solvent soluble.

Plant extracts may, for example, contain colored bodies or components of colored bodies. A colored body is an assembly of molecules that gives color to a system. In a botanical sense the classic colorized body is chloroplast (literally translated as colored body), a cellular organism that contains chlorophyll, proteins, and other pigments and structures necessary for the photosynthetic process. The entire organelle can be transported as an entity.

The plant extract may preferably comprise an extract of the green portion of a plant. Extracts from non-green plant portions may be less desirable plant extracts than are plant extracts from the green portions of the plant. Extracts of, for example, bark or other non-green plant portions may be less suitable for use as plant extracts in the additive according to embodiments of the present invention than are extracts of the green portion of the plant.

Chlorophyll may be used as a substituent for, or in addition to, all or a portion of the plant extract. Plant extract may comprise chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants that performs photosynthesis, the process where carbon dioxide and water combine to form glucose and oxygen. Plant extract typically also contains many other compounds, including, but not limited to, organometallic, antioxidants, oils, thermal lipid stabilizers or the materials departed for these types of products, and approximately 300 other compounds mainly comprising molecular weight antioxidants. down to high.

In a preferred embodiment, the second component may comprise a plant extract of, for example, peas, hops, barley or alfalfa. Although pea plant extract is preferred in many embodiments, in other embodiments it may be desirable to replace, in whole or in part, other plant extract, including, but not limited to, alfalfa, hop extract, fescue extract, extract barley extract, green clover extract, wheat extract, green grain extract, green food extract, green fences or green leaves or green grass extract, any flowers containing green portions, the green or leafy portion of a any member of the vegetable family, chlorophyll or chlorophyll-containing extracts, or combinations or mixtures thereof. Suitable vegetables include vegetables selected from the group consisting of lima beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, red beans, soybeans, great northern beans, lentils, white beans, black beans, peas, garbanzo beans, and beans. Suitable grains include fescue, clover, wheat, oats, barley, rye, sor-go, hemp, triticale, rice, maize, red wheat, millet, amaranth, phagopiro, quinoa, kamute cereal teff.

Especially preferred plant extracts are those derived from plants that are members of the Fabacea (Legumino-sae) plant family, commonly referred to as the pulse family, and also as the kidney or legume family. The Leguminosae family includes over 700 genera and 17,000 species, including shrubs, trees and herbs. The family is divided into three subfamilies: Mimosoideae, which are mainly trees and shrubs. Caesalpinioideae, which includes tropical and subtropical shrubs; ePapilioniodeae which includes peas and beans. A common feature of most members of the Leguminosae family is the presence of rash nodules containing nitrogen-fixing Rhizobium bacteria. Many members of the Leguminosae family also accumulate high levels of vegetable oils in their seeds. The Leguminosae family includes lead plants, wild peanuts, wild beans, Astralagus Canadensis, indigo, soybeans, pale vetc-hling, marsh vetchling, veiny peas, American perennial lupins, thunder (hob οίονβή , white sweet clover (white sweet οίονβή, yellow sweet clover (yellow sweet οίονβή, white prairie clover (white prairie οίονβή, purple prairie clover, common locust bean, small wild bean, red clover, white clover, vet) narrow leaf, hairy vetch, garden grass, chickpeas, green beans, kidney beans, mung beans, lima beans, fava beans, lentils, peanuts and french fries to mention a few.

Plant extract can be obtained using extraction methods well known to those skilled in the art. Methods of solvent extraction are generally preferred. Any suitable extraction solvent that is capable of separating oil and oil-soluble fractions from the plant material may be used. Polar and nonpolar solvents may be used. Nonpolar extraction solvents may be used more frequently conventionally. Polar solvents may be used in an alternative embodiment. The solvent may include a single solvent, or a mixture of two or more solvents. Plant extract may be extractable in a solvent even if the plant extract is not soluble in the solvent.

Suitable nonpolar solvents include, but are not limited to, straight chain and branched chain cyclic alkanes containing from about 5 or less to 12 or more carbon atoms. Specific examples of acyclic alkane extractors include pentane, hexane, heptan, octane, nonane, decane, mixed hexanes, mixed heptanes, octanosmysts, isooctane and the like. Examples of cycloalkane extractors include cyclopentane, cyclohexane, cycloheptane, cyclooctane, methylcycloexane and the like. Alkenes such as hexenes, heptenes, ocenes, nonenes and decenes are also suitable for use, as are aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene and xylene. Halogenated hydrocarbons such as chlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene, trichlorobenzene, methylene chloride, chloroform, carbon tetra chloride, perchlorethylene, trichlorethylene, trichloroethane and trichlorotrifluorethane may also be used. In general preferred non-polar solvents are C6 to C12 alkanes, particularly n-hexane.

Suitable polar solvents may include, but are not limited to, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, other ketones, methanol, ethanol, other alcohols, tetrahydrofuran, methylene chloride, chloroform or any other suitable polar solvent.

Hexane extraction is the most commonly used technique for seed oil extraction. It is a highly efficient extraction method that extracts virtually all oil-soluble fractions in plant material. In a typical hexane extraction, the plant material is comminuted. Grass and leafy plants can be shredded into small pieces. Seeds are typically ground or fragmented. The plant material is typically exposed to hexane at an elevated temperature. Hexa-o is a volatile, colorless, highly flammable solvent that extracts the extractable portions of the plant material and dissolves the oil, typically leaving a little weight percentage of the oil in the residual plant material. The plant extract / solvent mixture may be heated, for example, with a steam bath or other suitable heating means to vaporize hexane. Alternatively, hexane may be removed by evaporation under reduced pressure with or without heating. The resulting extract may be suitable for use in preferred embodiment formulations.

Plant oil extracts for use in edible and cosmetic products typically undergo additional processing steps to remove impurities that may affect appearance, shelf life, taste and similarity to give a refined oil. Such impurities may include phospholipids, mucilaginous gums, free fatty acids, colored pigments and fine plant particles. Different methods are used to remove these by-products including precipitation in water or precipitation with aqueous solutions of organic acids. Colored compounds are typically removed by bleaching, where oil is typically passed through an adsorbent such as diatomaceous clay. Deodorization may also be conducted, typically by steam distillation. Such additional processing steps are generally unnecessary. However, oils subjected to such treatments may be suitable for use as plant extracts in the additives according to preferred embodiments.

Other preferred extraction processes include, but are not limited to, extraction with supercritical fluid, typically decarbon dioxide. Other gases, such as helium, argon, xenon and nitrogen may also be suitable for use as solvents in supercritical fluid extraction methods.

Any other suitable method may be used to obtain desired plant extract fractions, including, but not limited to, mechanical pressure. Mechanical pressure, also known as expelling pressure, removes oil through the use of continuously driven screws that grind the seed or other oil-containing material into a pulp from which the oil is expressed. Friction created in the process may generate temperatures between about 50 ° C and 90 ° C, or external heat may be applied. Cold press generally refers to mechanical pressing conducted at a temperature of 40 ° C or less, with no external heat applied.

The yield of plant extract or plant oil extract that can be obtained from a plant material may depend on a number of factors, but mainly on the oil content of the plant material. For example, a typical vet oil content (hexane extraction, dry base) is about 4 to 5%, while for barley it is about 6 to 7.5% and that for alfalfa is about 2 to 4.2%. .

The most preferred form of solvent extracted material comprises a material having a paste or sludge-like consistency after extraction, namely a solid or semi-solid rather than a liquid after extraction. Such pastes typically contain a higher concentration ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b in the extract. The color of such material is generally a dark green black with some degree of fluorescence in the material. Such material can be recovered from many or all of the plant sources listed for the Leguminosae family. While such a form is generally preferred for most embodiments, in certain other embodiments a liquid or some other form may be preferred.

There are several forms of chlorophyll. All photosynthetic plants, algae and cyanobacteria contain chlorophyll a. Chlorophyll B occurs only in algae and green plants. Chlorophyll c is found only in photosynthetic members of Chromista and in dinoflagellates. Chlorophyll differs from other chlorophylls because it is unsaturated at positions 17 and 18. Also, chlorophyll c has a free acid at position 17. Most chlorophylls have an ester group at position 17.

Chlorophylls a and b differ from each other in having different lateral chains. The side chain at position 7 in chlorophyll a is -CH 3, while the side chain in chlorophyll b is -CHO. The absorption spectra of chlorophylla and b complement each other in light absorption at different wavelengths. Very little light is absorbed by any chlorophyll between 500-600 nm in the green region. This is the reason why plants are green.

Higher plants generally have a / b chlorophyll ratios of about 1.3-1.4, while LHC II green algae have a / b chlorophyll ratios of between 0.7 and 2.7. Prochlorococcus marinus is a photosynthetic prokaryote which contains divinyl derivatives of chlorophyll a and b (DV-Chls a and b). The MED4 strain has a DV-CHI a / b ratio ranging from 11.4 to 15.0, while the SS120 line has a DV / Chl a / b ratio ranging from 1.1 to 2.2 (F. Par- tensky, J. La Roche, K. Wyman, and PG Falkowski, Photosynthesis Research51, 109 (1997) The chlorophyll a / b ratio may then vary within a considerable range, particularly for the chlorophyll divinyl derivatives contained in Chlorococcus marinus. .

The chlorophyll a / b ratio and the chlorophyll to expensive tenoid species ratio may vary in a single plant species when the plant is subjected to stress. Chlorophyll concentrations in plant leaves may decrease in response to stress such as dehydration, flooding, freezing, ozone, herbicides, competition, disease, insects and ectomi-corrizal deficiency (GA Carter and AK Knapp, Am. J. of Botany 88 , 677 (2001).

For example, concentrations of chlorophyll and chlorophyll a and b may vary depending on the light intensity the plant undergoes. Generally, chlorophyll concentrations may be lower in plants that are exposed to the sun. The concentration of total chlorophyll (chlorophyll a and b) in mahogany plants that are exposed to the sun was about 1.78 pmol.g "1, while the concentration of total chlorophyll in mahogany plants that were exposed to shade was 3.15 pmoLg" 1 ( JF de Carvalho Gonçalves, RA Marenco eG.Vieira, R. Bras Fisioi Veg. 13, 149 (2001) The chlorophyll concentration in the mahogany plants that were in the shade was approximately 75% higher than the chlorophyll concentration in the plants. mahogany that were exposed to the sun.The corresponding concentrations for Tonka defect plants that were exposed to the sun and shade, respectively, were 2.45 and 3.93 pmol.g'1, a difference of 60%.

The chlorophyll a / b ratios for mahogany plants in the sun and shade were 1.87 and 1.62, respectively. The corresponding ratios of Tonka bean plants that grew in the sun and shaded 2.6 and 2.85.

The chlorophyll / carotenoid ratio also varies with plants growing in the sun and shade. Sun-grown mahogany plants had a chlorophyll / carotenoid ratio of 2.06, while mahogany plants grown in the shade had a chlorophyll / carotenoid ratio of389. The chlorophyll / carotenoid ratios for Tonka bean plants that grew in the sun and shade were 2.97 and 3.25, respectively (from Carva-lho Gonçalves et al.). According to Gonvales et al, synthesis of ouchlorophyll or carotenoid may increase to accentuate acclimatization to greater irradiation. The change in chlorophyll / carotenoid ratio in mahogany was greater than in Tonka bean plants. Gonvales and others have suggested that the Tonka bean plant has a different strategy than the sun acclimatization strategy. Tonka bean plants have thick, thick leaves, in contrast to thinner, more delicate mahogany leaves.

It is believed that the efficiency of plant extracts in reducing diesel fuel emissions comprising biodiesel will depend on the total chlorophyll concentration and / or the chlorophyll a / b ratio. Plant extracts from plants that are grown under stress conditions are believed to provide improved emission reduction.

Plant extracts having chlorophyll a / b ratios at a range of approximately 0.7 to about 15 may be suitable as plant extracts in the additive according to embodiments of the present invention, where chlorophyll a / b ratios include ratios for vinyl derivatives of chlorophyll a and b as well as chlorophyll a and b.

The chlorophyll a / b ratio may more preferably be in the range from about 0.1 to about 80, more preferably in a range of from 0.7 to about 5, and more preferably in a ratio of about 1.3 to about 5. about 3.

The chlorophyll / carotenoid ratio may be in the range of about 0.1 to about 100, more preferably in a range of about 0.5 to about 50, and most preferably in a range of about 2 to about 100. 20

Synthetic portions of plant extracts, for example synthetic carotenoids, chlorophylls or xanthophylls, may be used instead of or in addition to natural plant extracts.β-carotene

β-carotene may be added to the additive as an optionally separated component or may be present or occurring naturally in one of the other base components, such as, for example, one of the components of plant extract, β-carotene is an altopeso antioxidant. molecular. In plants, it acts as an oxygen radical scavenger and protects chlorophyll from oxidation. Although not wishing to be limited to any particular mechanism, it is believed that β-carotene in formulations of preferred embodiments may sequester oxygen radicals from the combustion process or may act as an oxygen solubilizer or oxygen absorber for available oxygen. which is present in the air / fuel combustion stream.

Β-carotene may be natural or synthetic. In a preferred embodiment, β-carotene is provided in a vitamin equivalent form. Having a purity of 1.6 million units of vitamin A activity. Avitamin A of lower purity may also be suitable for use as long as the amount used is adjusted. to give equivalent activity. For example, if the purity is 800,000 units of vitamin A activity, the amount used is doubled to give the desired activity.

β-carotene may be present as a ketone enhancer in preferred embodiments. Β-carotene may be added to the fuel formulation as an isolated component or may be present or naturally occurring in another component such as, for example, a plant oil extract. Β-Carotene may be the only cetane perfecting additive for the fuel, or may be present as part of a fuel additive package. Β-carotene is a high pesomolecular antioxidant. In plants, it works as an oxygen radical scavenger and protects chlorophyll from oxidation. Β-carotene may also be present in the fuel additive according to embodiments of the present invention as a second component.

Β-carotene may be natural or synthetic. In a preferred embodiment, $ -carotene is provided in a vitamin equivalent form. Having a purity of 1.6 million units of vitamin A activity. Lower purity avitamin A may also be suitable for use as long as the amount used is adjusted. to give equivalent activity. For example, if the purity is 800,000 units of vitamin A activity, the amount used is doubled to give the desired activity.

Precursors or derivatives of β-carotene, for example vitamin A, may be suitable for use in preferred embodiments. While not wishing to be limited to any particular mechanism, it is believed that β-carotene, or a precursor or derivative of a carotene or carotenoid, in preferred embodiments may sequester oxygen radicals in the combustion process or may act as a solubilizer. oxygen or oxygen absorber for available oxygen that is present in the combustion air / fuel stream.

Although β-carotene is preferred in many embodiments, in other embodiments it may be desirable to replace β-carotene with another carotene or carotenoid, or precursor or derivative of another carotene or carotenoid, for example by α-carotene or carotenoids as described. below, down, beneath, underneath, downwards, downhill. Alternatively, another component may supplement β-carotene, including, but not limited to, α-carotene, or additional algasxeaxabthin, cryptotoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, broccoli concentration, Brussels sprout concentrate and phospholipids, green tea extract, milky thistle extract, curcumin extract, quercetin, bromelain, blackberry and blackberry powder extract, pineapple extract, pineapple leaf extract, rosemary extract, grape seed extract, ginkgo biloba, polyphenols, flavonoids, ginger root extract, prickly berry extract, bilberry extract, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), marigold oil extract, any and all extracts of carrots, fruits, vegetables, flowers, ca-pins, natural grains, tree leaves, hedgerow leaves, fodder, any living tree or plant and their combinations or mixtures.

Vegetable carotenoids of guaranteed potency are particularly preferred, including those containing lycopene, lutein, α-carotene, other carrot or algal carotenoids, betatene and natural carrot extract.

In certain particularly preferred embodiments, a β-carotene substitute is present in an amount sufficient to give equivalent vitamin A activity as for a preferred amount of β-carotene. However, in other embodiments vitamin A activity may not be a preferred method for determining the amount of substitute, or the substitute may not have equivalent vitamin A activity.

In addition to the addition of β-carotene in a liquid form to a fuel formulation, β-carotene (or another carotene or carotenoid, or a precursor or derivative of a carotene or carotenoid) may also be added in solid form, for example. , in dehydrated form, or in the form of a liquid or solid-encapsulated. Preservation and storage of solutions or suspensions of β-carotene or other plant-based materials have great benefits, such as reduced weight and storage space, and increased stability and oxidation resistance. Dehydrated form can be prepared by methods including freeze drying, vacuum or air drying, lyophilization, spray drying, fluid bed drying and other preservation and dehydration methods as known in the art, dehydrated β-carotene can be added to fuel in dehydrated form, or may be added as a reconstituted liquid in a suitable solvent. In a preferred embodiment, a solid containing β-carotene is added to the fuel to be added. Suitable solid forms include, but are not limited to tablets, granules, powders, encapsulated solids and / or encapsulated liquids, and the like. Additional components may also be present in solid form. Any suitable encapsulating material may be used, preferably a polymeric or other material that is soluble in the fuel to be added. The encapsulating material dissolves in the fuel, releasing the encapsulated material. The tablet preferably dissolves in the fuel or diluent over an acceptable period of time. Dissolving aids may be included in the tablet, for example, granules or small particles of active ingredient may be present in a matrix with high fuel solubility. A combination of solid and liquid dosage methods may be used, and the solid may be added to the fuel or a diluent at any preferred time.

The following components may be used in combination with β-carotene in cetane enhancers of preferred embodiments: butylated hydroxytoluene, lycopene, lutein, all types of carotenoids, carrot oil extract, beets, hops, grapes, marigold, fruit, vegetables, palm oil, palm seed oil, palm tree oil, chili, cottonseed oil, rice husk oil, any plant that is naturally orange, red, purple or yellow color that is growing in nature, or any other material that has a natural oxygen scavenger but remains organic in nature. In certain embodiments, it may be preferred to replace β-carotene entirely or in part with one or more of these components.

The oil extracted from the following products may also be used in combination with β-carotene: α-carotene, and additional carotenoids from xeaxabthin algae, cryptotoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, broccoli concentrate, spinach concentrate, tomato concentrate, cabbage concentrate / ca / e, cabbage concentrate, Brussels sprouts concentrate and phosphatipids. Still, green tea extract oil extracts, milky decard extract, curcumin extract, quercetin, bromelain, blackberry and blackberry powder extract, pineapple extract, pineapple leaf extract, grape seed extract extract, blackberry extract biloba extract, polyphenols, flavonoids, ginger root extract, prickly berry extract, bilberry extract, butylated hydroxytoluene, marigold oil extract, dehops oil, jojoba oil extract, any and all oil extract of carrots / fruits, vegetables, flowers, grasses, natural grains, tree leaves, hedgerow leaves, fodder, ingredients for man 'animal, and weeds, the oil extract of any living plant, or the oil extract of any freshwater or saltwater fish such as shark, including, but not limited to, squalene, squalane, all water and saltwater fish oils, and fish oil extracts, or the extract of oil, such as b alley.

In certain embodiments, the ketone enhancing carotene or carotenoid, or a precursor or derivative of a carotene or carbenoid, is present in combination with one or more conventional decethane enhancers, for example an alkyl nitrate. When a cetane enhancer additive is present, 2-ethylhexyl nitrate is especially preferred. However, it should be understood that while pure 2-ethylhexyl nitrate is desired, other alkyl nitrates or other degrees of 2-ethylhexyl nitrate are also suitable. Further, one skilled in the art will understand that other alkyl nitrates or conventional cetane enhancers or ignition accelerators, as described above, perform similarly to 2-ethylhexyl nitrate and may then be substituted. Notably, many different ketane enhancer formulations may be made, each having a different alkyl nitrate or more than one alkyl nitrate and / or its proportions to β-carotene. Stabilizing Compounds or Antioxidants

Plant extract, carotene, carotenoids, Iso-Mixteno, chlorine-queue, diesel, biodiesel or other diesel fuel components comprising biodiesel may be susceptible to oxidation. Oxidation can degrade fuel performance.

At least one stabilizing compound or antioxidant may be added to the diesel fuel comprising biodiesel to stabilize the components against oxidation. U.S. Patent 6,630,324, for example, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, discloses the dissolution or otherwise preparation of β-carotene in a solvent under an inert atmosphere such as nitrogen, helium or argon. Dissolved or otherwise prepared β-carotene under an inert atmosphere is referred to as "unoxygenated β-carotene". The inert atmosphere may protect β-carotene and / or other components from oxidation. See also co-pending PCT publication No. W001 / 79398 filed April 12, 2001, US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 084,602 filed February 26, 2002, US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 084,603 filed February 26, 2001. February 2002, US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 084,237 filed February 26, 2002, US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 084,835 filed February 26, 2002, US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 084,835 084,601 filed February 26, 2002, US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 084,836 filed February 26, 2002, US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 084,579 filed February 26, 2002, US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 084,243 filed February 26, 2002, US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 084,833 filed February 26, 2002, US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 084,236 filed February 26, 2002, US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 084,831 deposited filed on February 26, 2002, PCT Application No. US02 / 06137 filed February 26, 2002 and Canadian Application No. 2,273,327 filed February 26, 2002, all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

In a preferred embodiment, a ketotene enhancer comprising carotene may be formulated by the following method. Under an inert atmosphere (eg nitrogen, helium or argon) three grams of β-carotene (1.6 million International Units of vitamin A activity). per gram) are dissolved in 200 ml of a liquid hydrocarbon carrier comprising toluene. It is preferred to dissolve β-carotene with heating and stirring, dissolved β-carotene or otherwise prepared under an inert atmosphere is referred to as "unoxygenated β-carotene". Β-carotene substitutes or supplements, including other carotenes or carotenoids or precursors or derivatives of carotenes or cardoenoids, are referred to as "carotenes or carotenoids or derived precursors of carotenes or non-oxygenated carotenoids". Then, approximately 946 milliliters of a 100% solution of 2-ethylhexyl nitrate are added to the mixture and toluene is added to obtain a total volume of 3,785 liters.

In a broad sense, the inert atmosphere can be considered to be a stabilizing or antioxidant compound that stabilizes the oxidation components. Other more conventional stabilizing compounds are described below.

Other stabilizing compounds or antioxidants are disclosed, for example, in US Publication No. 2005/0160662 A1, US Patent Application No. 10 / 517,901 filed June 10, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference. reference in its entirety. In a preferred embodiment, the stabilizing compound of application '901 contains a quinoline moiety, preferably 2,2,4-trimethyl-6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline, generally referred to as ethoxyquin. The compound is marketed under the trademark SANTOQUIN® by Solutia Inc. of St. Louis, MO. SANTOQUIN® is widely used as an antioxidant for animal feed and fodder.

Other stabilizing compounds suitable for β-carotene, carotenes, carotenoids, diesel, biodiesel or other diesel fuel components comprising biodiesel in accordance with embodiments of the present invention include, but are not limited to, butylated hydroxyanisol, butylated hydroxytoluene, gallates such as as octyl gallate, dodecyl gallate and propylgaate; fatty acid esters including, but not limited to, methyl esters such as methyl iinoleate, methyl oleate, methyl stearate and other ester esters such as ascorbic palmitate, disulfur, tocopherols such as gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol and alpha tocopherol and derivatives and tocopherol precursors, rosemary deodorized extract, propionate esters and thiopropionate esters such as lauryl thiodipropionate or dilauryl thiodipropionate, beta-lactoglobulin; ascorbic acid, amino acids such as phenylalanine, cysteine, tryptophan, methionine, glutamic acid, glutamine, arginine, leucine, tyrosine, lysine, serine, histidine, threonine, asparagine, glycine, aspartic acid, isoline, valine and alanine; 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidinooxy, also referred to asotanane; 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-hydroxypiperidin-1-oxyl, also referred to as ethanol; dimethyl-p-phenylaminophenoxyasilane; di-p-anisiloxides, 2,2,4-trimethyl-6-ethoxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline; diidrosantoquin; santoquin; p-hydroxydiphenylamine and its carbonates, phthalates and adipates, and diludin, a derivative of 1,4-dihydropyridine.

While not wishing to be limited to any particular mechanism or theory, it is believed that the stabilizing compound may act as a preservative or stabilizer by inhibiting oxidation of carotenoids, carotenoids, diesel, biodiesel, plant extract, deignition inhibitor or other components of the stabilizer. fuel comprising biodiesel and the additive according to embodiments of the present invention. When a stabilizing compound such as ethoxyquinine is present in combination with beta carotene, it may not be necessary to prepare the fuel additive which may comprise carotene under an inert atmosphere, as described, for example, in Application Serial No. 10 / 789,836 filed February 27, 2004. Also described in application '836, the combination of a stabilizing compound such as ethoxyquinine in combination with cetane enhancing compounds such as beta carotene may result in a synergistic increase in cetane number.

Other substances with antioxidant properties may also be suitable for use in formulations of preferred embodiments, or as substituents for β-carotene or additional components, including phenolic antioxidants, amine antioxidants, sulfurized phenolic compounds, organic phosphites, and the like as listed elsewhere. this request. Preferably the antioxidant is oil soluble. If the antioxidant is insoluble or only slightly soluble in aqueous solution, it may be desirable to use a surfactant to improve its solubility.

Suitable thermal stabilizers as known in the art include liquid mixtures of alkyl phenols, including 2-tert-butylphenol, 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, 2-tert-butyl-4-n-butylphenol, 2,4,6-tri- tert-butylphenol and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-n-butylphenol which are suitable for use as medium distilled fuel stabilizers (US 5,076,814 and US 5,024,775 for Han-Ion and others. Other phenolic antioxidants hindered Commercially available compounds which also exhibit a thermal stability effect include 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol; 2,6-di-t-butylphenol; 2,2-methylene-bis (6-t- n-octadecyl 3- (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate 1,1,3-tris (3-t-butyl-6-methyl-4) pentaerythrityltetracis [3- (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate] di-n-octadecyl (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) phosphonate; 4,6-tris (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) mesithene; etris (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) isocyanurate (US 4,007,157, US 3,920,661) . The term Thermal stabilizer may be a broader term than "stabilizer" or "antioxidant". Oxidation resistance may be a form of thermal stability.

Other thermal stabilizers include: pentaerythritol co-esters derived from pentaerythritol, (3-alkyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) alkanoic acid and alkylthioalkanoic acids or lower alkyl esters of such acids which are useful as stabilizers of organic material normally susceptible to deterioration. oxidative and / or thermal. (U.S. 4,806,675 and U.S. 4,734,519 to Dunski et al.); the malonic acid reaction product, dodecyl aldehyde eseboamine (U.S. 4,670,021 to Nelson et al.); hindered phenyl phosphites (U.S. 4,207,229 to Spivack); hindered piperidine carboxylic acids and their metal salts (U.S. 4,191,829 and U.S. 4,191,682 to Ramey et al.) acylated derivatives of 2,6-dihydroxy-9-azabicyclo [3.3.1] nonane (U.S.4,000,113 to Stephen); bicyclic hindered amines (U.S. 3,991,012 for Ramey and others); sulfur-containing dialkyl-4-hydroxyphenyltriazine derivatives (U.S. 3,941,745 to Dexter et al.); bicyclic hindered amino acids and metal salts thereof (U.S. 4,051,102 to Ramey et al.); substituted malonatostrialkyl hydroxybenzyl (U.S. 4,081,475 for Spivack); hindered piperidine carboxylic acids and their metal salts (U.S. 4,089,842 to Ramey et al.), pyrrolidine carboxylic acids and esters (U.S. 4,093,586 to Stephen); β-β-disubstituted β-alanine metal salts (U.S. 4,077,941 to Stephen et al); hydrocarbyl thioalkylene phosphites (U.S. 3,524,909); hydroxybenzyl thioalkylene phosphites (U.S. 3,655,833); It's similar.

Certain compounds are able to function as both antioxidants and as thermal stabilizers. Thus, in certain embodiments, it may be preferred to prepare formulations containing a hydrophobic plant oil extract in combination with a single compound providing both thermal stability and antioxidant effect, rather than two different compounds, one providing thermal stability and the other antioxidant activity. -you. Examples of compounds known in the art to provide some degree of both oxidation resistance and thermal stability include substituted or unsubstituted diphenylamines, dinaftilamines, and phenylnaphthylamines, for example β, Ν'-diphenylphenylenediamine, p-octyldiphenylamine, p, p dioctyldiphenylamine, N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine, N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine, N- (p-dodecyl) phenyl-2-naphthylamine, di-1-naphthylamine and di-2-naphthylamine; phenothiazines such as N-alkylphenothiazines; imino (bisbenzyl); and hindered phenols such as 6- (t-butyl) phenol, 2,6-di- (t-butyl) phenol, 4-methyl-2,6-di- (t-butyl) phenol; 4,4'-methylene-bis (2,6-di (t-butyl) phenol) and the like.

Certain lubricant base stocks are known in the art to exhibit high thermal stability. Such base stocks may be capable of providing thermal stability to formulations of preferred embodiments, and as such may be replaced, in part or in full, by jojoba oil. Suitable base stocks include polyalphaolefins, dibasic acid esters, polyol esters, alkylated aromatics, polyalkylene glycols and phosphate esters.

Antioxidants: Several compounds known for use as oxidation inhibitors may be used in fuel formulations of various modalities. These include phenolic antioxidants, amine antioxidants, sulfurized phenolic compounds and organic phosphites, among others. For best results, the antioxidant predominantly or wholly includes (1) a hindered phenol antioxidant such as 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, 4-methyl-2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, 2,4-dimethyl-6- butylphenol, 4,4'-methylenebis (2,6-di-tert-butylphenol) and mixed methylene bridged polyalkyl phenols or (2) an aromatic antioxidanteamine such as lower cycloalkyl-alkylamines, and phenylnediamines, or a combination of one or more such phenolic antioxidants with one or more such amine antioxidants. Particularly preferred are combinations of tertiary butyl phenols, such as 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol and o-tert-butylphenol. Also useful are β, β'-di-lower alkylphenyl diamines, such as β, β'-di-sec-butyl-p-phenylenediamine, and their analogs, as well as combinations of such phenylenediamines and such phenometriary butyls.

The 2,2,4-trimethyl-6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline compound, commonly referred to as ethoxyquinine, is a preferred embodiment of a thermal stabilizer, stabilizing compound or antioxidant. The compound is marketed under the trademark SANTOQUIN® by Solutia Inc. of St. Louis, MO.

The terms thermal stabilizer, antioxidant stabilizing compound are closely related. As used herein, the term "stabilizing compound" is intended to include thermal stabilizers, stabilizing compounds and antioxidants.

Optional Components of the Additive According to Modes of the InventionThe additive according to the embodiments of the present invention may comprise additional components in addition to at least one first component ignition accelerator and at least one second component selected from the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic composition which is similar to a plant extract and mixtures thereof.

For example, the additive may further comprise components comprising long chain fatty acids or their esters or mixtures, for example, but not limited to, meadows oil, jojoba oil or mixtures thereof. Synthetic long chain fatty acids or esters may also be used as optional components comprising long chain fatty acids or esters.

The additive may also further comprise a solvent as an additional component. Both the component comprising long chain fatty acids or esters and the component comprising a solvent are optional components. Both optional components are preferred components of the additive according to embodiments of the present invention.

The stabilizing compound is another optional component of the additive. The optional stabilizing compound may also be added to the fuel separately from the commodity fuel additive of the present invention.

Grassland Oil

Meadowgrass is an annual plant that is native to the northeastern United States. The botanical name of the plant is Limnanthes alba. Aplanta is called "Meadowgrass" because of the white flowering fields of the blooming plant resembling a meadow.

Grassland seeds can contain approximately 20-30% oil. The oil can be removed by grinding the seed and using a solvent extraction process. Grassland oil can comprise over 98 percent of long chain fatty acids. Long chain fatty acids have very high levels of monounsaturation and very low levels of polyunsaturation. Grassland oil is one of the most stable vegetable oils known. Meadowgrass is more similar to rapeseed oil with a lot of erucic acid (Dan Burden, Ag Marke-ting Resource Center, Iowa, State University, November 2003). Rapeseed oil is slightly more saturated than grassland oil (EA Oelke, ES Oplinger, CV Hanson, KA Kelling, Alternative Fi-Crops Manual, University of Wisconsin-Extension, COoperative Extensi-on , University of Minnesota, Center for ALternative Plant & Animal Productsand the Minnesota Extension Service).

The stability of grassland oil does not appear to be due to common antioxidants. A possible explanation for the oxidative stability of grassland oil may be its unusual acid-fatty acid composition. The main fatty acid of grassland oil is 5-eicosaenoic acid, which has been found to be nearly 5 times more stable to oxidation than the more common fatty acid, oleic acid, and 16 times more stable. than other monounsaturated fatty acids. See "Oxidative Stability Index of Vegetable Oils in Binary Mixtures with Meadowfoam Oil", Terry et al., United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, 1997.

The typical fatty acid composition of grassland oil is approximately 58-64% C20: 1 (Δ5), 3-6% C22: 1 (Δ5), 10-14% C22: 1 (Δ13) and 15 -21% C22: 2 (Δ5Δ13).

According to the Oil Stability Index (OSI) it is becoming the most widely used method for assessing the stability of lipid materials. OSI analysis involves exposure of the oil to an air stream at a specified temperature. The end result is reported as the number of hours required to overcome the oil resistance at the specified temperature.

The OSI value for grassland oil was higher than the OSI values for other oils. It was suggested on the meadowfoam.com website that the high stability of meadow seed oil was due to the presence of naturally occurring tocopherols (antioxidants) and the absence of polyunsaturated fatty acids that could be susceptible to oxidation. stabilizing compounds, stabilizing the oil of the meadowgrass with respect to oxidation.

Grassland oil can also be used to increase the stability of other oils by mixing grassland oil with the other oils.

Joioba Oil

In one embodiment, the additive according to embodiments of the present invention may comprise jojoba oil in addition to or instead of green plant oil as an optional long chain component. Jojoba oil is a liquid that has antioxidant characteristics and is able to withstand very high temperatures without losing its antioxidant abilities. Jojoba oil is a mixture of liquid wax ester extracted from ground or crushed seeds from native shrubs of Arizona, California, and Northern Mexico. The source of jojoba oil is the Simmondsiachinensis shrub, commonly called jojoba plant. It is a woody evergreen shrub with bluish, hard, thick green leaves and dark brown walnut fruit. Jojoba oil can be extracted from the fruit by conventional pressing or solvent extraction methods. The oil is clear and gold in color. Jojoba oil is composed almost entirely of straight chain, monounsaturated fatty acid wax esters and high molecular compound alcohols (C16-C26). Jojoba oil is typically defined as a liquid wax ester of the generic formula RCOOR "where RCO represents oleic acid (CIS), eicosanoic acid (C20) and / or erucic acid (C22), and where -OR" represents portions of alcohol. eicosenyl (C20), alcohololdocosenyl (C22) and / or tetrasenyl alcohol. Pure esters or esters mixing the formula RCOOR ", where R is a C20 -C11 alkyl (en) yl group and where R" is a C20 -C22 alkyl (en) yl group, may be suitable substitutes, in part or in whole, for oil from jojoba. Acids and alcohols including monounsaturated straight chain alkenyl groups are more preferred.

Although not wishing to be limited to any particular mechanism, it is believed that jojoba oil can act to prevent or retard pre-oxidation of plant oil extract and / or β-carotene components prior to combustion by providing thermal stability to the oil. formulation. Jojoba oil usually reduces cetane in fuels. In formulations where a higher cetane number is preferred, it may generally be preferable to reduce the jojoba oil content in the formulation.

Grassland oil or jojoba oil can be used in lubricants. In an embodiment according to an embodiment of the present invention, additives comprising grassland oil or jojoba oil may increase the diesel fuel's reliability. For example, additives comprising grassland oil and / or dejojoba oil may increase the life of engine components such as fuel pumps.

The Iubricity of additives comprising grassland oil may be important in light of the fact that low emission diesel fuel can generally have low sulfur levels. Low-sulfur diesel usually suffers from poor lubricity characteristics. Biodie-sel is a low sulfur diesel fuel. In one embodiment, the optional plantation oil in the additive in accordance with embodiments of the present invention may provide added lubricity to diesel fuel comprising biodiesel.

While grassland oil and jojoba oil are preferred optional components of the additive according to embodiments of the present invention, other oils comprising long chain fatty acids or esters may also be suitable. The optional component comprising long chain fatty acids or esters may be selected from the group consisting of grassland oil, jojoba oil, natural or synthetic long chain fatty acids, natural or synthetic long chain fatty acid esters and your mixtures. The long chain fatty acid acids and / or esters may be pure compounds or mixtures. Solvents: Suitable solvents for use in conjunction with formulations of preferred embodiments are miscible and compatible with one or more components of the formulation. Preferred solvents include Î ± -romatic solvents such as benzene, toluene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene and the like as well as non-polar solvents such as cyclohexanes, hexanes, heptanes, octanes, nonanes and the like. Suitable solvents may also include the base fuel, for example Diesel 1, Diesel 2, biodiesel and the like. Depending on the material to be solvated, other liquids may also be suitable for use as solvents, such as oxygenates, carrier fluids or even additives as enumerated herein. Aromatic solvents or carrier fluids may generally be preferred.

Aromatic 100 and Aromatic 150 are examples of suitable solvents, although other solvents may also be suitable. According to ExxonMobiI Chemical Sales Specification Ver 11 (03/01), Aromatic100 contains 98.0 volume% min. aromatic, has a PPI of 154 ° C and a max. From 213 ° C.

The examples of Aromatic 100 and Aromatic 150 as solvent are illustrative examples and are not intended to be limiting.

The amount of solvent may preferably be sufficient to keep the dissolved components in the fuel. The optimal amount of solvent may depend on the components, the fuel mixture and the solvent content. The solvent cost may be higher than other fuel components. Advantageously, the amount of solvent can be minimized in order to minimize the cost. The cost of the solvent may not be a factor when the solvent is diesel or biodiesel.

Present Invention

A diesel fuel combustion emission reducing additive comprising biodiesel may comprise a ignition accelerator and at least one material selected from the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic composition that is similar to a portion of a plant extract and mixtures thereof. . The ignition accelerator may preferably be an organic peroxide or an organic hydroperoxide. In one embodiment, organic nitrate ignition accelerators may also be used.

In one embodiment where the ignition accelerator is di-tert-butyl peroxide (DTBP), the additive may comprise approximately 0.32 to approximately 799 g of DTBP and approximately 0.001 to approximately 60 g of plant extract or synthetic composition similar to a plant per gallon extract of diesel fuel, where the volume of diesel fuel is the total volume of diesel fuel comprising both diesel fuel and biodiesel. More preferably, the additive may comprise approximately 0.32 to approximately 80 g of DTBP and approximately 0.001 to approximately 6 g of plant extract or synthetic composition similar to a plant extract per gallon of diesel fuel. More preferably, the additive may comprise approximately 9.5 to approximately 30 g of DTBP and approximately 0.002 to approximately 0.6 g of plant extract or synthetic composition similar to one gallon extract of diesel fuel.

If other ignition accelerators are used, the amounts in the additives may be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art. Quantities may be similar to DTBP quantities.

Grassland oil, jojoba oil and / or a solvent are optional components of the additive according to embodiments of the present invention. If grassland oil, jojoba oil or a mixture of grassland oil and jojoba oil are present in the additive according to the embodiments of the present invention, the additive may comprise approximately 0.001 to approximately 0.544 g. of meadows oil and / or jojoba oil per gallon of diesel fuel, most preferably about 0.001 to about 0.05 g of meadows and / or jojoba oil per gallon of diesel fuel more preferably from about 0.002 to about 0.03 g of meadow plant oil and / or jojoba oil per gallon of die-sel fuel.

If a solvent is present in the additive according to the present invention, the additive may comprise approximately 0.12 g and approximately 106 g of solvent per liter (gallon) of diesel fuel, more preferably approximately 0.12 g and approximately 10.6 g. of solvent per liter (gallon) of diesel fuel and more preferably about 0.23 to about 10.6 g of solvent per liter (gallon) of diesel fuel.

It should be understood that synthetic plant extracts may be replaced in whole or in part by plant extract in the additive. Acids or long chain fatty acid esters may be replaced in whole or in part by grassland oil and / or jojoba oil.

If the additive comprises 2-ethylhexyl nitrate (2-EHN), the additive may comprise approximately 0.025 to approximately 19 g of 2-EHN per liter (gallon) of diesel fuel, more preferably approximately 0.075 to approximately 15.2 g. of 2-EHN per liter (gallon) of diesel fuel and more preferably 0.12 to approximately 11.4 g of 2-EHN per gallon of diesel fuel.

In one embodiment, the additive may comprise 2-EHN sufficient to provide approximately 1 ppm to approximately 5000 ppm of 2-EHN in the biodiesel-comprising fuel, more preferably at about 2 ppm to approximately 4000 ppm of 2-EHN and more preferably. approximately 5 ppm to approximately 3000 ppm 2-EHN in the fuel comprising biodiesel.

In one embodiment, the optional 2-EHN may also be added to diesel fuel separately from the additive. Diesel Fuel Combustion Pollution Emission Reduction Method Comprising Biodiesel

A method of reducing pollutant emissions in biodiesel diesel fuel combustion comprises biodiesel diesel fuel combustion and the additive according to the present invention in a motor vehicle. The method may further comprise adding the additive to diesel fuel, where the additive is added to diesel fuel prior to combustion of diesel fuel.

Emissions from the diesel fuel burning motor vehicle comprising biodiesel and the additive according to embodiments of the present invention may be reduced compared to emissions from a motor vehicle burning the same fuel which does not comprise the additive according to embodiments. of the present invention as shown in the examples below.

The additive may comprise at least one ignition accelerator and at least a second component comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic composition that is similar to a portion of a plant extract and its mixtures.

A Method of Increasing Diesel Fuel Lubricity Comprising Biodiesel

A method of increasing diesel fuel health which comprises biodiesel is provided. Biodiesel fuel may have low sulfur levels. Diesel fuels having low sulfur levels may have low lubricity. The method comprises adding a diesel fuel additive, wherein the additive may comprise: at least one ignition accelerator; at least a second component comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic composition that is similar to a portion of a plant extract and mixtures thereof; and at least one oil selected from the group consisting of grassland oil, jojoba oil and mixtures thereof.

The ignition accelerator may comprise an organic nitrate or peroxide. The ignition accelerator is preferably a peroxide. In an exemplary embodiment, the ignition accelerator may comprise di-tert-butyl peroxide. Other organic peroxides may also be suitable.

Meadowgrass oil or jojoba oil in the additive may increase the diesel fuel's fairness.

The following examples illustrate embodiments of various aspects of the invention. The examples are not intended to be limiting to all claims.

A solution containing blue grass extract and grassland oil was formed by mixing 995 ml Aromatic 150, 5 ml grassland oil and 5.1 g fescue extract (extracted with hexane). The solution is referred to as "Additive 2" or "Fescue Extract Plantain Oil Stock Solution" or "Extract Additive" in the Examples below.

TABLE 2

Table 2 provides a list of treatment mixtures that have been prepared.

<table> table see original document page 41 </column> </row> <table>

Table 3 provides emission results for various pollutants using the treatments described above prepared with the gramazul / meadowfoam additive (Additive 2 or Extract Additive). A nonadditive Biodiesel baseline was measured on Day 1. This was used as a reference to determine emission reductions in the additive samples.

The weighted averages provided in Table 3 were calculated using weighting factors of 1/7 for cold start results and 6/7 for hot start results. The table provides data for total hydrocarbon (THC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon dioxide (CO2) and particulate matter (PM). The units are PPM except PM. The units for particulate matter are g / BHp-hr (grams per brakehorsepower-hour). TABLE 3

<table> table see original document page 42 </column> </row> <table> <table> table see original document page 43 </column> </row> <table>

Table 4 shows the change in emissions for the various treatments compared to the B20 baseline data. Changes are the differences between emissions for each treatment compared to the average emissions for B20 baseline activities. The first number in the emission change table (Table 4) is the difference (Δ) between emissions for each treatment and baseline emissions for average emissions for B20 base fuel. The second number is the percentage difference (% Δ) between emissions for each treatment and baseline B20 emissions.

TABLE 4

<table> table see original document page 44 </column> </row> <table> All treatments reduced emissions of all regulated pollutants. Although there were small increases in CO2 emissions over the base case of pure B20 carbon dioxide emissions and diesel exhaust are not currently subject to regulation.

Emission reductions with the additive according to embodiments of the present invention are shown in Treatments 4, 5 and 6. Total hydrocarbon emissions were reduced by 27-20% with the additive of the present invention, compared with line B20. of base. Emissions of CO were decreased by 6.01 -8.03%, NOx by 3.40-4.73% and particulate matter by 4.59-8.16%, compared to the base B20 which did not comprise additive according to embodiments of the present invention. The additive according to the embodiments of the present invention was effective in decreasing total hydrocarbon, carbon monoxide, NOx and particulate matter emissions compared to base fuel B20.

The above description describes various methods and materials of the present invention. The present invention is susceptible to modifications in methods and materials, such as the choice of base fuel, selected components for the base formulation, as well as changes in fuel formulation and additive mixtures. Such modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art from a consideration of this description or practice of the invention disclosed herein. Accordingly, it is not intended that the present invention be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but to cover all modifications and alternatives which are within the true spirit and scope of the invention as embodied in the appended claims. All references cited herein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Claims (27)

1. Fuel additive for biodiesel fuel, said fuel additive comprising: a first component comprising an ignition accelerator; and a second component selected from the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic form of a plant extract and a combination thereof. A fuel additive according to claim 1, wherein said ignition accelerator comprises a peroxide. A fuel additive according to claim 2, wherein said peroxide is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, benzoyl peroxide, di-tert-butyl peroxide, ridge hydroperoxide, dioleal peroxide. , soy hydroperoxide, diethyl peroxide and any combination thereof. A fuel additive according to claim 2, wherein said peroxide comprises di-tert-butyl peroxide. A fuel additive according to claim 1, further comprising a third component, said third component comprising a compound selected from the group consisting of long chain fatty acids, long chain fatty acid esters and any combination of them. A fuel additive according to claim 5 comprising a synthetic long chain fatty acid, a synthetic long chain fatty acid ester or both a synthetic long chain fatty acid and a synthetic long chain fatty acid ester. A fuel additive according to claim 5, wherein said third component further comprises an oil selected from the group consisting of grassland oil, jojoba oil and a combination thereof. A fuel additive according to claim 1, further comprising a solvent. A fuel additive according to claim 8, wherein said solvent comprises an aromatic solvent. A fuel additive according to claim 1, further comprising an alkyl nitrate. A fuel additive according to claim 10, wherein said alkyl nitrate comprises 2-ethylhexyl nitrate. A fuel additive according to claim 1, wherein said plant extract comprises a green extract of a plant. A fuel additive according to claim 12, wherein said green extract is chlorophyll. A fuel additive according to claim 1, wherein the plant extract comprises an extract of a plant of the family Le-guminosae. A fuel additive according to claim 1, wherein said second component is selected from the group consisting of beta carotene, alpha carotene, a carotenoid, a chlorophyll, a colored body, isomixten and any combination thereof. A fuel additive according to claim 1, wherein said plant extract comprises one or more chlorophylls. A fuel additive according to claim 16, wherein said fuel additive has a chlorophyll a to chlorophyll ratio of from about 0.1 to about 80. A fuel additive according to claim 1, wherein said second component comprises chlorophyll and carotenoid. A fuel additive according to claim 18, wherein said fuel additive has a chlorophyll to carotenoid ratio of from about 0.1 to about 100. A fuel additive according to claim 1, further comprising a stabilizing component. A fuel additive according to claim 19, wherein said stabilizing component comprises at least one compound selected from the group consisting of: 2,2,4-trimethyl-6-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline; ethoxyquinoline; 2-tert-butylphenol; 2,6-di-tert-butylphenyl; 2-tert-butyl-4-n-butylphenol; 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol, 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-n-butylphenol; 2,6-di-t-butyl-4-methylphenol; 2,6-di-t-butylphenol; 2,2'-methylene-bis (6-t-butyl-4-methylphenol); n-octadecyl 3- (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate; 1,1,3-tris (3-t-butyl-6-methyl) -4-hydroxyphenyl) butane; pentaerythrityltetracis [3- (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate]; di-n-octadecyl (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) phosphonate, -2,4,6-tris (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) mesitylene; tris (3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl) isocyanurate; Δ, Δ'-diphenylphenylenediamine; p-octyldiphenylamine ρ, ρ-dioctyldiphenylamine; N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine; N-phenyl-2-naphthylamine; N- (p-dodecyl) phenyl-2-naphthylamine; di-1-naphthylamine; and di-2-naphthylamine; phenothiazines; N-alkylphenothiazines; imino (bisbenzyl); 6- (t-butyl) phenol; 2,6-di (t-butyl) phenol; 4-methyl-2,6-di (t-butyl) phenol; 4,4,6-methylenebis (2,6-di (t-butyl) phenol); a diphenylamine; a dinaftilamine; and a phenylnaphthylamine. 22. [Claim missing on original document] 23. A fuel composition comprising: about 0.32 to about 799 g of ignition accelerator, about 0.001 g and about 60 g of plant extract or synthetic forms of a plant extract or mixture thereof per liter (gallon) of fuel comprising biodiesel. A fuel composition according to claim 22 further comprising 2-ethylexyl nitrate. The fuel composition of claim 23, wherein the level of said 2-ethylexyl nitrate is about 1 ppm to about 5000 26. A method of reducing pollutant emissions from biodiesel fuel combustion comprising combustion of a fuel comprising: combining said biodiesel fuel with a fuel additive, said fuel additive comprising: a first component comprising an ignition accelerator; and a second component selected from the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic form of a plant extract and its mixtures. A method of increasing the lubricity of a biodiesel-comprising fuel comprising: adding an additive to said biodiesel-comprising fuel, said additive comprising: a first component comprising an ignition accelerator; a second component selected from the group consisting of a plant extract, a synthetic form of a plant extract and its mixtures; and at least one oil selected from the group consisting of grassland oil, jojoba oil and mixtures thereof.