EP2664663A1 - Method for making a fuel additive - Google Patents

Abstract

Producing a fuel additive on the basis of a liquid hydrocarbon mixture, comprises (a) providing the liquid hydrocarbon mixture comprising at least one hydrocarbon component and an alcohol component, where the hydrocarbon component and the alcohol component are completely miscible, (b) treating the liquid hydrocarbon mixture with a solid mixture comprising at least one inorganic silicon compound and at least one mineral salt, and (c) separating the liquid hydrocarbon mixture from the solid mixture, where the liquid hydrocarbon mixture forms the fuel additive. Producing a fuel additive on the basis of a liquid hydrocarbon mixture, comprises (a) providing the liquid hydrocarbon mixture comprising at least one hydrocarbon component consisting of one or more aliphatic 2-18C-hydrocarbons comprising alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, hydroperoxides, ethers and/or esters, and an alcohol component composed of one or more 1-18C-monoalcohols, where the hydrocarbon component and the alcohol component are completely miscible, (b) treating the liquid hydrocarbon mixture with a solid mixture comprising at least one inorganic silicon compound and at least one mineral salt, and (c) separating the liquid hydrocarbon mixture from the solid mixture, where the liquid hydrocarbon mixture forms the fuel additive. Independent claims are included for: (1) the fuel additive produced by the method; (2) a fuel comprising the fuel additive; (3) reducing the fuel consumption and/or emissions of an internal combustion engine, comprising mixing the fuel additive with the fuel for the internal combustion engine and operating the internal combustion engine with the fuel thus obtained; (4) operating an internal combustion engine, comprising adding the fuel additive to the fuel of internal combustion engine; and (5) a Kit comprising the fuel additive and a guidance for mixing the fuel additive with the fuel.

Description

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a fuel additive, a fuel additive obtained by this process, a fuel containing a fuel additive prepared by the process, and kits and processes using such a fuel additive.

Fossil fuels in the form of liquid fossil fuels, especially in the form of hydrocarbon mixtures, are still one of the main pillars of the energy industry in developed countries at the present time. A large part of the goods and passenger transport, for example, still takes place using internal combustion engines based on gasoline or diesel fuels. Another application of such liquid fossil fuels is also the heat supply and, albeit to a lesser extent, supplying the population with electrical energy.

Despite intensive research development efforts, a replacement of means of transport based on internal combustion engines as well as a complete redundancy of the heat and energy supply, based on fossil fuels, by other energy sources is not to be expected in the medium term.

Against the background of the scarcity of such fossil energy resources and the associated rising costs as well as the increasing political tensions, which result from the conflict of a rising degree of development and thus an increased demand for fossil fuels and a sinking supply, as well as the increasingly clear with the Using the described fossil fuels related environmental and in particular climate problems, it is currently of utmost interest to increase the efficiency of the use of such fossil fuels.

Besides the development of new generations of internal combustion engines, another strategy for reducing the consumption of fossil fuels is to optimize the fuel itself by adding additives.

With regard to this optimization of fuels, various approaches are known from the prior art. On the one hand, it is possible to reduce the friction occurring in the engine by improving the lubricants and the fuels themselves and thus to increase the efficiency of the engine. An example of such an approach can be found eg in the WO 2005/054314 , The disadvantage of this approach, however, is on the one hand, that the efficiency increases achieved with it have proved to be limited, and also that the necessary additives must be added in quite large quantities, so that the economy is questionable.

Another approach is to suppress the formation of deposits in engines or to reduce deposits formed in the engine by adding substances, in particular substances with detergent action. An example of substances that have been developed in this context can be found in the EP 0 626 994 B1 Find. However, this strategy again has, similar to the previously described, the disadvantage that on the one hand the achievable efficiency increases are limited and, secondly, that again larger amounts of substance must be added, which in turn can significantly affect the economics of such a process.

Another approach to improve the efficiency of internal combustion engines is to add additives to the fuels, which act in the combustion process itself catalytically and thus lead to a more complete implementation of the fuel to be burned in CO ₂ and water, which in turn increases the energy yield. Although this approach potentially has the greatest potential for improvement, there are potential drawbacks in that the type and amount of added catalytic substances must be precisely controlled so that operation does not interfere with modern high performance engines, and so on to the effect that the catalytic additives should not be toxic and in particular should not lead to toxic waste gases.

A process for the preparation of a catalytic fuel additive is known from EP 478 828 A1 known. However, the method described in this document has the great disadvantage that there are used as starting materials natural and highly variable in their composition substances such as seawater and calcined animal bones, so that it is extremely difficult to long term a consistent product and thus a reproducible result to reach. Furthermore, as a result of the fact that seawater is used as the starting material here, it is also incomprehensible to a viewer which exact ingredients, in which concentration and in which combination exactly lead to the desired solution, so that in this respect the substances described there are neither comprehensible nor in any way could be reproduced or optimized. The use of seawater also has the problem that is not ensured by the differences in composition that the additive obtained according to this process can always meet all the requirements for fuel additives used in combination with modern engines.

In addition to the above-mentioned disadvantages in terms of reproducibility has from the EP 478 828 A1 known processes for the preparation of the fuel additive also has the great disadvantage that this is a rather complicated process in which solutions must be made both strongly acidified as well as strongly basic, with the problems associated with these technical measures, and that in particular due to the Use of seawater here large amounts of water must be evaporated, resulting in an undesirable high energy consumption.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to describe a process for the preparation of a fuel additive, with which a fuel additive can be produced, with which the efficiency of an engine can be significantly increased and at the same time the emission of unwanted exhaust gases can be reduced, this method both technically simple in the implementation is as well as in particular with regard to the final product provides a consistently reproducible result.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a fuel additive with which a uniform and reproducible increase in the efficiency of an engine as well as a reduction in exhaust emissions can be achieved.

Another object of the present invention is to provide methods and kits with which both the fuel consumption and the pollutant emissions of an internal combustion engine can be reduced uniformly and reproducibly.

According to the invention, the above object is achieved by a process for the preparation of a fuel additive based on a liquid hydrocarbon mixture with the following steps, namely: a.) Providing a liquid A hydrocarbon mixture comprising at least one hydrocarbon component consisting of one or more aliphatic C ₂ -C ₁₈ -hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of the alkanes, the alkenes, the alkynes, the alcohols, the aldehydes, the ketones, the hydroperoxides, the ethers, the esters and mixtures thereof, and an alcohol component consisting of one or more C ₁ -C ₈ monoalcohols, wherein the hydrocarbon component and the alcohol component are completely miscible, b.) treating the liquid hydrocarbon mixture with a solid mixture comprising at least one inorganic silicon compound and / or at least one mineral salt, and c.) separating the liquid hydrocarbon mixture from the solid mixture, wherein the liquid hydrocarbon mixture forms the fuel additive.

The object is further achieved by a fuel additive which can be prepared or produced by the abovementioned process.

The object is further achieved by a fuel comprising a fuel additive prepared by the method described above or the above-mentioned fuel additive.

It has now surprisingly been found that by treating a liquid hydrocarbon mixture as described above with a solid mixture comprising at least one inorganic silicon compound and / or at least one mineral salt, a fuel additive of consistent and reproducible quality can be prepared, this fuel additive in each batch has substantially the same concentration of metal ions and thus on the one hand always leads to the same catalytic, that is, fuel-saving effect. Furthermore, it can also be ensured by the method that it can not lead to a fluctuation of the ion concentration in the production of the fuel additive, which can lead to damage of an internal combustion engine when a limit value is exceeded in extreme cases.

In the context of the invention, treating the hydrocarbon mixture with the solid mixture means that the hydrocarbon mixture is intensively mixed with the solid mixture over a given period of time and at a given temperature. The solid mixture is used according to the invention in such an amount that it does not come to a complete, preferably not to a significant resolution. In some respects, treating the hydrocarbon mixture with the solid mixture may also be understood to a limited extent as a leaching of the solid mixture with the hydrocarbon mixture.

The treating of the hydrocarbon mixture with the solid mixture is preferably carried out according to the process of the present invention in that the solid mixture is in the form of a fixed bed and the hydrocarbon mixture is pumped generally in the form of a cycle through the fixed bed. Another possibility is to simply treat the hydrocarbon mixture in a stirred reactor with the fixed bed. In both cases, it should be pointed out once again that during the treatment with the amount of solid mixture used, preferably no appreciable dissolution of the solid in the hydrocarbon mixture occurs, so that the solid mixture is available for further treatment after separation of the hydrocarbon mixture. Usually, the solids mixture is used based on the hydrocarbon mixture in an amount corresponding to a mass ratio of 0.5: 1 to 5: 1, preferably 1: 1 to 3: 1 and in particular from 1.5: 1 to 2: 1. Usually, the solid mixture is used in excess, based on the mass of the hydrocarbon mixture.

The separation of the liquid hydrocarbon mixture from the solid mixture is carried out according to the invention by mechanical separation methods, usually by filtration, sedimentation or a combination of the two methods, wherein the sedimentation can be accelerated, for example by centrifugation. The separation of the liquid hydrocarbon mixture from the solid mixture can take place both in one or in several steps, for example by combined sedimentation and filtration or multiple filtration.

The differences between the present process and the processes known from the prior art are therefore, inter alia, that in the present process, instead of a more or less undefined inorganic powder, a defined mixture of solids can be used and, secondly, that this solid mixture is only mixed with the hydrocarbon mixture over a given period of time. Although the Applicant does not wish to be bound by any theory, it is believed that treatment of the hydrocarbon mixture with the solid mixture results in a reproducible washout process in the solid mixture. This reproducible washout process in combination with a defined solid mixture results in that with the method of the invention, a reproducible effective fuel additive can be obtained with consistent quality.

The term "comprising" or "comprising" in the context of the present invention denotes an open enumeration and does not exclude other constituents or steps in addition to the explicitly stated constituents or steps.

In the context of the present invention, the expression "consist of" or "consisting of" denotes a closed enumeration and, in addition to the expressly stated components or steps, excludes any other constituents or steps beyond technically unavoidable traces or impurities.

The expression "consisting essentially of" or "consisting essentially of" in the context of the present invention denotes a partially closed list and denotes processes, mixtures or preparations which, in addition to the constituents or steps mentioned, only those further constituents or steps which do not materially alter the character of the preparation, of the mixture or of the process according to the invention or which are present in amounts which do not materially alter the inventive character of the preparation, of the mixture or of the process.

If in the context of the present invention a preparation, a mixture or a process is described using the term "comprising", this expressly includes preparations, mixtures or processes which consist of the stated constituents or steps or substantially consist of the named components or steps.

A fuel in the context of the present invention is generally a liquid hydrocarbon consisting of hydrocarbons or at least predominantly of hydrocarbons, it being possible for further additives, such as are known to the person skilled in the art, or possibly also water, to be present in the fuel. Preferably, the fuel is selected from the group consisting of gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, light oil and heavy oil.

An internal combustion engine of the present invention is any engine in which a fuel for generating energy is burned. This includes both internal combustion engines of all types and types, as well as jet engines and gas turbines, but also e.g. burners operated with liquid hydrocarbons, e.g. in heating systems or power plants.

According to the present invention, the liquid hydrocarbon mixture used in the process comprises at least one hydrocarbon component consisting of one or more aliphatic C ₂ -C ₁₈ -hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of the alkanes, the alkenes, the alkynes, Alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, hydroperoxides, ethers, esters, and mixtures thereof. The aliphatic hydrocarbons used in the process may be saturated or partially unsaturated. The cited aliphatic C ₂ -C ₁₈ hydrocarbons which form, either alone or in combination, a hydrocarbon component of the hydrocarbon mixture used in the process according to the invention, are known per se to the person skilled in the art and can be used by the person skilled in the art with regard to the later desired properties of the fuel additive, eg in terms of boiling point, viscosity or solubility in the various fuels to be used.

Examples of aliphatic hydrocarbons which may form the at least one hydrocarbon component in the process according to the present invention include, but are not limited to, products and by-products of refining and processing fossil and renewable fuels, especially distillates from the lignite coal tar treatment or the so-called Slop fraction from mineral oil storage. Distillatively processed mineral oil fractions from light liquid separators can also be used purposefully and successfully. Also usable are products and by-products from the production of organic bulk and fine chemicals.

In this case, it is particularly advantageous for the hydrocarbon component if, as hydrocarbon component, substances are used which are already present, for example. in the refining of hydrocarbons or e.g. incurred as a by-product in the production of biodiesel. Examples of this are u.a. Fatty acid esters which are obtained in the transesterification of vegetable and animal oils or fats, fatty acid methyl esters in particular (fatty methyl ester acid FAME) are used, since these are often available on economically favorable terms.

Further examples of the above-mentioned by-products are residual distillates from the petroleum refinery and hydrofluoric scrapers from the lube oil treatment, which are also favorably available because of their by-product status, if not waste

The alcohol component used in the process according to the invention consists of one or more C ₁ -C ₈ monoalcohols. Such C ₁ -C ₈ monoalcohols are known per se to a person skilled in the art and this can be both the amount and the type of monoalcohol (s) (monoalcohols), based on the desired properties of the fuel additive to be prepared, in particular with regard, for example, to boiling point and solubility , choose.

Examples of the C ₁ -C ₈ monoalcohols according to the invention include, in particular, methanol, ethanol, n- propanol, i -propanol, n- butanol, i -butanol, sec-butanol, t -butanol, pentanol, hexanol, cyclohexanol, Heptanol and octanol. Again, it is advantageous from an economic point of view if by-products or waste products from other large-scale processes are used as the alcohol component according to the invention. An exemplary and preferred source of the alcohol component is alcohols obtained from the dehydrating workup of fusel alcohols from the bioalcohol distillation.

The inorganic silicon compounds that can be used in a solid mixture according to the method of the invention may be any inorganic silicon compound known to those skilled in the art. In particular, these are SiO ₂ and its modifications and silicic acids and their derivatives. Also included in the inorganic silicon compounds are inorganic mixed compounds containing silicon, such as aluminosilicates, eg in the form of zeolites. With regard to both the implementation of the method as well as in view of the fact that in the combustion of the present fuel additive, the formation of toxic exhaust gases should be avoided as far as possible, it is particularly advantageous if the inorganic silicon compounds no other toxic components and in particular no toxic metal components such as heavy metal components. With regard to use in automotive engines equipped with catalytic converters, the silicon compounds should be as lead-free as possible.

By a mineral salt, as may be used in the process of the invention, is meant any ionic salt-like inorganic compound known to those skilled in the art. These salts may be metal salts, but also other salts, such as ammonium salts. The term mineral salts also includes mixed salts and optionally Solvatformen, such as. Hydrate forms, and salt mixtures.

Preferably, again as a mineral salt according to the method of the present invention, a salt is used, which does not lead to an increase in the Exhaust gases contained pollutants. Preferably, the mineral salt used in the process of the present invention is free of heavy metals, and more preferably, as mentioned above, for use in engines equipped with exhaust gas catalyst, preferably free of lead.

In one embodiment of the invention, after or during step b.) The process comprises a further step d.) Of treating the liquid hydrocarbon mixture with an oxidizing agent, wherein the oxidizing agent is preferably selected from the group consisting of ozone, oxygen, air, hydrogen peroxide, the organic and the inorganic peroxides, preferably from the group consisting of oxygen, air, hydrogen, the alkali metal peroxides, in particular lithium, sodium, potassium peroxide, the alkaline earth metal peroxides, the persulphates, in particular ammonium, sodium, potassium persulphate, the organic peracids, in particular MCPBA and dibenzoyl peroxide.

It has been shown that the treatment of the fuel additive with an oxidizing agent, the effectiveness of the fuel additive can be significantly increased again.

Step d.) According to the invention, both during the treatment of the hydrocarbon mixture with the solid mixture as well as thereafter, possibly also after separation of the solid mixture, take place. In terms of process technology, in particular in order not to excessively prolong the treatment time, it is preferred if step d.) Takes place at least during part of the treatment of step b.).

While not wishing to be bound by any theory, Applicant believes that by treating the fuel additive with an oxidizing agent, additional oxygen, whether physically dissolved or chemically bound to compounds present in the fuel additive, is introduced, which in turn a more complete combustion leads. In view of this, treatment with an oxidizing agent is particularly effective especially when the hydrocarbon component has one or more compounds containing one or more Having carbon-carbon double or triple bonds. The Applicant believes that this is due to the fact that during the treatment with an oxidizing agent, oxidates, such as peroxides, or optionally, depending on the oxidizing agent, also form ozonides on these multiple bonds, which in turn support combustion.

In a further embodiment, the process after step c.) Or optionally after step d.) Comprises a further step e.) Of adding a solubility improver, wherein the solubility enhancer is preferably selected from the fatty acid alkyl esters, in particular from the fatty acid methyl esters, in particular from the methyl esters of vegetable oils and animal fats.

It has been found that even with a specific selection of the hydrocarbon component and the alcohol component after the process has been carried out, a product can be obtained whose solubility in the desired fuel is only limited. The latter can occur in particular if the method still has the step of treating the hydrocarbon mixture with an oxidizing agent, since this frequently changes the polarity of the substances present in the mixture significantly. By adding a Löslichkeitsverbesserers, in particular the solubility enhancers mentioned explicitly, this problem can be compensated again and the solubility of the additive can be adapted to the desired fuel.

In a further embodiment, the at least one inorganic silicon compound is selected from zeolites, polysilicic acids, silicates, in particular sodium and potassium silicates, silicon dioxide, silica gel and water glasses.

In further embodiments, the at least one mineral salt is selected from the alkali metal salts, the alkaline earth metal salts, the ammonium salts, and mixtures thereof.

In a further embodiment of the invention, the at least one mineral salt is selected from the carbonates, the hydrogencarbonates, the sulfates, the hydrogen sulfates, the phosphates, the hydrogen phosphates, the dihydrogen phosphates, the halides and mixtures thereof.

A halide in the sense of the invention denotes a fluoride, chloride, bromide or iodide.

It has been found that the above ingredients result in an effective fuel additive, but at the same time are generally available at competitive prices on the market. The abovementioned constituents furthermore generally have the advantage that they have low toxicity and ease of handling and also do not lead to toxic exhaust gases during combustion. In order to improve the handling, the solid mixture preferably has neither strongly acidic nor strongly alkaline properties.

In a further embodiment, the molar ratio of the cationic component of the at least one mineral salt to the bound silicon in the at least one inorganic silicon compound is from 2: 1 to 10: 1, preferably from 4: 1 to 5: 1.

In particular, it has been found that the use of a mixture of a mineral salt and an inorganic silicon compound in which the cationic component of the mineral salt is in excess, and in particular a mixture in a mixing ratio in the above-mentioned framework results in a particularly effective fuel additive.

In a further embodiment, the alcohol component constitutes from 5 to 95% by volume, preferably from 70 to 95% by volume, of the liquid hydrocarbon.

It has been found that when using the alcohol component in the abovementioned amounts, on the one hand, an effective fuel additive is produced, on the other hand, however, also a sufficient solubility of the additive is ensured in most conventionally used fuels.

In a further embodiment, the liquid hydrocarbon mixture is substantially free of aromatic hydrocarbons.

Aromatic hydrocarbons often have the disadvantage that they exert a toxic effect on the human and animal organism, so that they are already in view of the handling by the end user less desirable. Further, the emission of aromatic hydrocarbons e.g. is strictly monitored and regulated by motor vehicles, so that it is also preferred with regard to the achievement of any existing environmental standards if the fuel additive according to the invention has no aromatic hydrocarbons. Aromatic hydrocarbons are also responsible due to the unfavorable carbon-to-hydrogen ratio for increased soot formation, which is also undesirable.

In one embodiment, the treatment in step d.) Is carried out for 5 to 200, preferably for 48 to 120 hours.

On the one hand, treatment within the limits mentioned above results in the production of an effective fuel additive, but the treatment is not so long that it is no longer economical.

In a further embodiment, the process is carried out at temperatures of 10 to 60 ° C, preferably from 20 to 55 ° C.

In one embodiment of the above invention, the process is carried out at pressures of 0.5 to 6 bar, preferably 1 to 2 bar.

It has been found that, on the one hand, an effective fuel additive is produced at the abovementioned temperature and pressure conditions, and, on the other hand, the flow conditions in the treatment of the hydrocarbon mixture with the solid mixture so that the process is carried out with technically and economically reasonable effort.

It has now been found that, according to the method of the invention, a fuel additive can be obtained which can be used both in petrol and diesel engines of motor vehicles, and, for example, in load dies, which are e.g. used for power generation, leading to a reduction in fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. In particular, with regard to internal combustion engines, which are operated with diesel oil or biodiesel, it should also be noted here that there is also a significant reduction in the emission of soot.

Accordingly, the present invention also relates to the use of a fuel additive prepared by the process according to the invention or of a fuel additive according to the invention for the production of a fuel.

Furthermore, the present invention also relates to the use of a fuel additive according to the invention or a fuel additive prepared by the process according to the invention for reducing the fuel consumption and / or emissions of an internal combustion engine.

The invention further relates to a method for reducing the fuel consumption and / or the emissions of an internal combustion engine, comprising mixing a fuel additive of the invention or a fuel additive prepared by the process according to the invention with a fuel for the internal combustion engine and operating the internal combustion engine with such a fuel.

The invention further relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine, wherein the fuel of the internal combustion engine, a fuel additive according to the invention or a fuel additive prepared by the process according to the invention is added.

The invention further relates to a kit comprising a fuel additive according to the invention or a fuel additive prepared by the process according to the invention and a guide for mixing the fuel additive with a fuel.

It is understood that the features mentioned above and those yet to be explained below can be used not only in the particular combination given, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The invention will be described and explained in more detail below with reference to a few selected exemplary embodiments. The exemplary embodiments are here merely illustrative and in no way to be understood as restricting the scope of protection of the invention.

Embodiment 1

In a small-scale experimental design, a mixture of 2-ethylhexanol, methyl ethyl ketone and dragonhead oil methyl ester in a molar ratio 1: 0.1: 0.1 mixed and treated by means of a circulating pump to a fixed in a column fixed bed, which consists of a homogenized mixture of Technical grade ammonium hydrogencarbonate and aluminosilicate ZSM5 in the form of spherical spheres. The molar ratio of zeolite bound silicon to ammonium (NH ₄ +) is 0.012. The total mass of the fixed bed corresponds to twice the mass of all liquid components used. The temperature of the system is thermostated to 60 ° C via an intercooler. The pressure loss over the fixed bed is 0.17 bar. After 50 h, the treatment is interrupted, the fixed bed is added 0.005% of its total mass of sodium peroxide and the treatment continued for another 5h. The liquid phase is then removed, withdrawn and pressed through a filter device for the separation of mechanical residues. The substance mixture thus obtained can be used directly as an additive to the fuel. The fixed bed remaining in the system will be recovered for the next batch used, only the peroxide must be re-dosed. The process generates no waste apart from the slight filter residue.

The mixture of active substances obtained by the method described above is subjected to a test on the test engine. For this purpose, a equipped with direct injection diesel engine is operated without catalytic exhaust aftertreatment in medium load. The injection system works according to the common rail principle. Charging takes place by means of turbocharger and charge air cooling. Comparatively low-sulfur diesel fuel according to standard EN 590 with and without addition of the active substance mixture is tested for identical operating modes of the engine. 80 ppm of the active ingredient mixture are added to the diesel sample to be added, and the entire mixture is then intensively homogenized by internal circulation at ambient temperature.

The gravimetric principle is used to determine the fuel consumption. The analysis of the exhaust gas is carried out using a commercially available exhaust gas measuring system BEA 850 from Bosch and computer-aided evaluation. The evaluation of the particle output is based on the measurement of the blackening of an exhaust filter used. The test was started for both fuel samples after running the engine to steady-state operating temperature and carried out over 14 h.

The averaged measurement results of the fuel pattern provided with the additive according to the invention can be seen in the table below in comparison with the diesel which has not been added. parameter Deviation from the untreated fuel pattern in% KW -38 soot -45 NOx -27 CO -66 gravimetr. fuel consumption -4.1

Embodiment 2

A fatty acid methyl ester mixture, obtained by transesterification from refined elderberry oil and conforming to the biodiesel standard EN 14214, is mixed with tertiary butyl ethyl ether (ETBE) in a molar ratio of 25: 1 in a sufficiently large reservoir with stirring. This mixture is brought into contact with a fixed bed at 2 bar for 3 hours and the treatment isothermal at 35 ° C. The fixed bed is composed of molecular sieve 5A, extruded in strand form and sodium carbonate of commercial quality, wherein the molar ratio of carbonate: silicon is about 4. After 24 hours of treatment, the process is stopped first. The system is now metered volumetrically 2-propanol so much that a tenfold dilution results. The procedure is then continued for another 10 hours. The liquid mixture is withdrawn after the end of the treatment and pressed after cooling to room temperature over a fuel filter. After that it can be used directly.

The mixture of active substances produced in this way is comparatively tested and examined on a test bench petrol engine. The additivierten test pattern was added to 150 vppm of the drug mixture described above, the interference in the fuel was carried out by recirculation for several hours via a centrifugal pump.

In addition to the engine data oil temperature, cylinder pressure indexing, speed and torque, the fuel consumption was determined gravimetrically at two load points, each corresponding to a constant speed of 60 km / h (load point 1) or 100 km / h (load point 2). Attention was paid to the constancy of the oil temperature in order to avoid distortions due to changing oil viscosity.

The determined consumption values for both load points are summarized in the following table. additives load point spec. Consumption (g / kWh) percentage deviation in consumption without 1 353 0 2 298 0 with 160 vppm 1 338 -4.7 2 294 -1.6

Embodiment 3

In a temperature-controlled stirred tank, equipped with a slow-running blade stirrer and a suction tube reaching to the bottom of the vessel, isobutanol and a petrochemically produced, olefins and alkynes containing mixture (boiling cut) the average molecular weight distribution 190 to 250 daltons and an iodine value of 147 g J / 100g in a volume ratio of 95: 5 and mixed.

To the mixture in a mass ratio of 1: 1.5, a mixture consisting of sodium hydrogen sulfate and saline-boiling salt in the ratio 8: 2 is added with stirring. After the addition, 10% of the mass of the salt is added to sodium silicate. This solid suspension is slowly circulated at 50 ° C for 5 h. For a further 5 h, 100 l / h of air are introduced from a compressed gas cylinder via the gassing stirrer. After the stirrer has been switched off, the system remains in the container for a further 30 h for sedimentation. About the suction pipe, which is provided with suction basket and filter, then the liquid cooled to room temperature liquid mixture is sucked off and again subjected to a fine filtration. The filtrate is used as fuel additive without further treatment or purification.

The active compound concentrate produced in this way is used as fuel additive in diesel-powered electricity generators. A long-term double-blind study on four generator modules over a trial period of four months (consumption determination volumetrically via calibrated fuel storage tanks, consumption calculation normalized to generated electric energy per each Time unit) compared to non-additized base fuel used as biodiesel mineral diesel blend (B30 with 30% sojamethyl ester content in mineral diesel) gives the following results: additives measured exhaust gas component average emissions in vol% percentage deviation in consumption without particle 0,006 0 NOx 0.058 KW 0,007 CO 0.023 with 450 vppm particle 0.003 / - 50% -3.1 NOx 0.032 / - 45% KW 0.006 / -14% CO 0.021 / - 9%

The generators were operated at a constant speed of (network fluctuations statistically averaged) 1500 rpm.

By isokinetic Abgasabeprobung before the aftertreatment catalyst the tabulated in column 3, averaged over all experiments pollutant concentrations were determined.

Claims (23)

1. A process for the preparation of a fuel additive based on a liquid hydrocarbon mixture with the following steps, namely a.) providing a liquid hydrocarbon mixture comprising at least one hydrocarbon component consisting of one or more C ₂ -C ₁₈ aliphatic hydrocarbons selected from the group consisting of the alkanes, the alkenes, the alkynes, the alcohols, the aldehydes, the ketones, the hydroperoxides, the ethers, the esters and mixtures thereof, and an alcohol component consisting of one or more C ₁ -C ₈ monoalcohols, the hydrocarbon component and the alcohol component being completely miscible, b.) treating the liquid hydrocarbon mixture with a solid mixture comprising at least one inorganic silicon compound and / or at least one mineral salt, and c.) separating the liquid hydrocarbon mixture from the solid mixture, wherein the liquid hydrocarbon mixture forms the fuel additive. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method after or during step b.) A further step d.) treating the liquid hydrocarbon mixture with an oxidizing agent,
having. 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the oxidizing agent is selected from the group consisting of ozone, oxygen, air, hydrogen peroxide, the organic and the inorganic peroxides, preferably from the group consisting of oxygen, air, hydrogen peroxide, the alkali metal peroxides, in particular lithium, sodium and potassium peroxide, the alkaline earth metal peroxides, the persulphates, in particular ammonium, sodium and potassium persulphate, the organic peracids, especially MCPBA, and dibenzoyl peroxide. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the method after step c.), Or optionally after step d.) A further step e.) adding a solubility improver,
having. 5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the Löslichkeitsverbesserer is also selected the fatty acid alkyl esters, in particular from the fatty acid methyl esters and in particular from the methyl esters of vegetable oils and animal fats. 6. The method according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the Löslichkeitsverbesserer in an amount of up to 10 vol .-% based on the volume of the after step c.) Or optionally step d.) Obtained fuel additive is added. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the at least one inorganic silicon compound is selected from the zeolites, the polysilicic acids, the silicates, in particular the sodium and potassium silicates, silica, silica gel and water glasses. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the at least one mineral salt is selected from the alkali metal salts, the alkaline earth metal salts, the ammonium salts and mixtures thereof. 9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the at least one mineral salt is selected from the carbonates, the hydrogencarbonates, the sulfates, the hydrogen sulfates, the phosphates, the hydrogen phosphates, the dihydrogen phosphates, the halides, in particular the fluorides and Chlorides, and mixtures thereof. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the molar ratio of the cationic component of the at least one mineral salt to the bonded silicon in the at least one inorganic silicon compound at 2: 1 to 10: 1, preferably 4: 1 to 5 : 1 is. 11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the alcohol component constitutes 5 to 95 vol .-%, preferably 70 to 95 vol .-% of the liquid hydrocarbon mixture. 12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the liquid hydrocarbon mixture is substantially free of aromatic hydrocarbons. 13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the treatment in step b.) For 5 to 200h, preferably for 48 to 120 h takes place. 14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the process is carried out at temperatures of 10 to 60 ° C, preferably 20 to 55 ° C. 15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the process is carried out at pressures of 0.5 to 6 bar, preferably 1 to 2 bar. 16. Fuel additive, preparable by a process according to one of claims 1 to 15. 17. A fuel containing a fuel additive according to claim 16 or a fuel additive prepared by a process according to any one of claims 1 to 15. 18. Fuel according to claim 17, characterized in that the fuel is a fuel based on liquid hydrocarbons and in particular a fuel which is selected from the group consisting of gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, light oil and heavy oil. 18. Use of a fuel additive according to claim 16 or a fuel additive prepared by a process according to any one of claims 1 to 15 for the production of a fuel. 19. Use of a fuel additive according to claim 16 or a fuel additive prepared by a process according to any one of claims 1 to 15 for reducing the fuel consumption and / or the emissions of an internal combustion engine. 20. A method for reducing fuel consumption and / or emissions of an internal combustion engine, comprising mixing a fuel additive according to claim 16 or a fuel additive prepared by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 15 with a fuel for the internal combustion engine and the operation of the internal combustion engine with the having thus obtained fuel. 21. A method for operating an internal combustion engine, characterized in that the fuel of the internal combustion engine, a fuel additive according to claim 16 or a fuel additive prepared by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 15 is added. 22. A kit comprising a fuel additive according to claim 16 or a fuel additive prepared by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 15 and a guide for mixing the fuel additive with a fuel.