EP2954031A1

EP2954031A1 - Use of a composition in order to improve the spray from the injectors of a combustion engine

Info

Publication number: EP2954031A1
Application number: EP14706892.8A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alain Desaga; Antoine Vanlaer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-02-05
Filing date: 2014-02-05
Publication date: 2015-12-16
Also published as: FR3001734A1; US20160002548A1; CA2900083A1; WO2014122398A1; FR3001734B1

Abstract

The invention relates to the use of a composition in order to improve the spray from the injectors of a combustion engine, said composition comprising by weight percent in relation to the total weight of the composition: 60 to 95% of a mixture of at least a first fatty diamine and a second fatty diamine, said diamines being different; and 5 to 40 % solvent.

Description

USE OF A COMPOSITION FOR IMPROVING THE SPRAYING OF INJECTORS

OF A COMBUSTION ENGINE

The present invention relates to the use of a composition for improving the spraying of the injectors of a combustion engine, new or fouled, particularly equipping a land vehicle, an aircraft or a vehicle of maritime transport and fluvial or a generator.

Generally speaking, the formation of a combustion mixture consists of bringing the fuel (gasoline, diesel) and the oxidant (generally air drawn into the atmosphere) into contact with each other in forms suitable for initiation and the propagation of the combustion, as well as the evacuation of the products of the reaction. The ideal case is therefore the homogeneous mixture of the fuel and the oxidant in gaseous form with stirring movements at large and small scale under stoichiometric conditions. However, most often the fuel is in liquid form. A fundamental function of combustion engines is thus to transform liquid fuel into steam. This step is performed by an injection device.

In order to ensure correct combustion, the injection device must introduce into the combustion chamber of an engine, a quantity of fuel that must be oriented in the direction that promotes the best combustion, and this, to a certain pressure in order to obtain a good penetration (namely to obtain a homogeneous air / fuel mixture which can reach the places of the chamber furthest away from the injectors), but also a good spraying (passage from the liquid state to the state of fine droplets) and a good rate of introduction (quantity injected per unit of time or, per unit of crank angle), while sealing against the combustion chamber. The injection device comprises for this purpose an injector door and an injector. The injector port is used to channel the arrival and return of fuel and to support a calibration spring. It also has a system for adjusting the latter. The fuel can be fed into the injector via a solenoid valve whose opening and closing are controlled by a computer that manages all the functions of the engine. The injector itself comprises two parts: a needle and a nozzle, the nozzle having a calibrated orifice for spraying the fuel in the form of micro droplets. The orifice can have different configurations. There are indeed injectors with holes, nipple, swirl, injectors assisted air, impact jets, vibration or steam injectors.

For example, the hole injectors generally have from 2 to 12 holes of small diameter, of the order of 0.2 to 0.4 mm. This type of injector is used in particular on direct injection engines with high setting pressures (200 to 400 bar). Orifices of diameter less than 0.1 mm currently exist on injectors connected to a common rail and whose pressure is of the order of 2000 bar.

It is further desirable to treat the fuel to optimize the spray regardless of the type of injectors used.

In addition, the use of altered fuels (phase shift, presence of sludge, high water concentration), as well as the wear of the injectors lead to a combustion problem (poor atomization of the injectors). This is particularly the case for hole injectors. It has been calculated that a deposit of a few microns of soot, of the order of 5 microns, on an injector reduces its flow by about 25%. However, on a diesel motor vehicle, such deposition of soot on an injector can cause fouling of the turbo, clogging of the catalyst and the particulate filter, fouling of the EGR valve (exhaust gas recirculation) with Excess recycling and lack of air, and clogging of the manifold and intake valves, leading to engine asphyxiation.

Therefore, there is a need in the state of the art to provide a composition to prevent fouling of the injection device.

In the state of the art, document EP 2 305 780 describes an emulsifying composition intended to homogenize and re-emulsify a fuel based on mineral oil, vegetable oil and water. This composition comprises in particular, by weight, relative to its total weight: from 5 to 40% of N-oleyl-1-3-propylene diamine, from 50 to 95% of NN'N'-polyoxyethylene N-tallow propylene diamine and from 5 to 40% of a solvent. It is indicated in this document that the composition makes it possible to re-emulsify the various components of the fuel (mineral oil, water, vegetable oil, etc.) and thus improve the peptization and the rheology (the viscosity of the fuel will indeed be constant ), also leading to improved combustion (homogeneous combustion).

This document does not therefore refer to a composition capable of preventing the fouling of an injection device of a combustion engine.

The object of the present invention is to propose a new composition which at least partly avoids the aforementioned drawbacks.

The subject of the present invention is the use of a composition for improving the spraying of the injectors of a combustion heat engine, said composition comprising, by weight, with respect to the total weight of said composition, from 60 to 95% of a mixture of at least a first and a second fatty diamine, said diamines being different, and from 5 to 40% of a solvent. The applicant company has discovered that the use of a composition as described above not only makes it possible to restore the spray of new or fouled injectors, but also to eliminate the deposits in the combustion chambers of a machine (such as a generator) or a combustion vehicle such as a land vehicle, an aircraft or a maritime and river transport vehicle.

For example, when the composition is used to clean the motor of a motor vehicle, it not only allows the catalysts to be cleaned, but also to facilitate the regeneration of the particulate filters, to de-scale the turbos and thus to increase the engine performance without having to disassemble it.

Without wishing to be bound by any theory, the Applicant suggests that the various advantages of the present composition seem to be due to the chemical structure of the various compounds of the composition.

In addition, it appears from the document EP 2 305 780 that the composition described in this document has an action on the rheology of the fuel and improves the surface state. However, a person skilled in the art could not imagine from this teaching that this composition would also have an effect on the spraying of the injectors. For this, it was necessary that the composition described in this document has an action on the decrease of the diameter of the fuel droplets and / or an action on their fractionation. These effects are neither described nor suggested by EP2 305 780.

It therefore appears, unexpectedly and quite surprisingly, that this composition makes it possible to improve the spraying of the injectors of a combustion heat engine.

To obtain the aforementioned effects, the composition according to the invention can be poured directly into the tank of the machine or the combustion vehicle, so as to obtain a concentration of fatty amines of between 0.5 and 20 mg / L, preferably between 0.8 and 15 mg / L and even more preferably between 3 and 12 mg / L. This dosage is suitable for improving the spraying of the injectors of the machine or the combustion vehicle. After consumption of this amount of fuel, the tank full with the composition can be re-performed.

The present invention may also relate to a method for improving the spraying of the injectors of a combustion engine comprising mixing with a fuel or a liquid oxidant of a composition, as described in the present application. The composition generally comprises by weight, relative to total weight of said composition, from 60 to 95% of a mixture of at least a first and a second fatty diamine, said diamines being different, and from 5 to 40% of a solvent. The method according to the invention also comprises all the features described in the present application for the composition used to improve the spraying of the injectors.

In the present invention, unless otherwise specified, the indication of a range of values from "X to Y" or "between X and Y" is understood to include X and Y values.

Preferably, said first and second diamines that are suitable for the present invention are chosen from a diamine comprising at least one saturated or unsaturated fatty acid radical comprising from 4 to 20, preferably from 8 to 18, carbon atoms, such that decyl radical, stearyl, oleyl, ricinoleyl, linoleyl, lauryl, myristyl, capryl and palmityl or a mixture of C ₄ -C ₂ O alkyl chains, preferably C ₈ -C ₈ chains, such as coconut, tallow or coconut chains; (Alkyl radical derived from coconut fatty acid, tallow or coconut).

Preferably, the first diamine corresponds to the following formula I:

Formula I

in which :

m is an integer between 1 and 8,

R ²⁶ , R ²⁷ , R ²⁸ and R ²⁹ are independently of each other: hydrogen, a linear or branched C 1 -C ₄ alkyl radical, or a linear or branched C ₄ -C ₃₀ alkyl radical; , preferably C ₈ -C ₂ _o, provided that at least one of R ^26, R ^27, R ²⁸ and R ²⁹ is a linear or branched alkyl radical C ₄ -C _30, preferably C ₈ -C ₂₀ .

Advantageously, only one of R ²⁶ , R ²⁷ , R ²⁸ and R ²⁹ carries the linear or branched C ₄ -C ₃₀ , preferably linear, C ₈ -C ₂₀ alkyl radical.

In particular, three of R ²⁶ , R ²⁷ , R ²⁸ and R ²⁹ are hydrogen.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the linear or branched C ₄ -C ₃ alkyl radical is chosen from: a decyl, stearyl, oleyl, ricinoleyl, linoleyl, lauryl, myristyl, capryl and palmityl radical or alkyl radical derived from coconut fatty acid, tallow or coconut oil (a mixture of alkyl chains of C ₄ -C _20, preferably C ₈ -C _8).

Preferably, the first diamine is chosen from N-octyl-1,3-propylene diamine, N-decyl-1,3-propylene diamine, N-dodecyl-1,3 propylene. diamine, N-tetradecyl-1,3-propylene diamine, N-octodecyl-1,3-propylene diamine, N-oleyl-1,3-propylene diamine, and N-alkyl-1,3-propylene diamine whose alkyl radical is derived from a fatty acid of coconut, tallow or coconut, or a mixture thereof.

In particular, the diamine N-oleyl-1,3-propylene diamine is preferred (m = 3, R ²⁶ , R ²⁷ , R ²⁸ = H and R ²⁹ = an oleyl radical).

The N-oleyl-1,3-propylene diamine compound corresponds to CAS No. 7173-62-8. In particular, the products sold under the brand DINORAM ^® O CECA and DUOMEEN® O from Akzo-Nobel Company may agree to the present invention.

The first diamine is present in the composition at a content by weight, based on the total weight of the composition of 5 to 35%, preferably 8 to 22% and even more preferably 12 to 17%.

Advantageously, the second diamine is a polyethoxylated alkyl diamine.

A polyethoxylated alkyl diamine suitable for the present invention is preferably a compound of formula II below:

H (OCH ₂ CH ₂ ) _{A /} (CH ₂ CH ₂ 0) _x H

NCH ₂ CH ₂ CH ₂ N,

R (CH ₂ CH ₂ 0) _z H

Formula II in which:

the sum of x, y and z is from 2 to 25, and

R is a C ₃ -C ₂ alkyl radical

Preferably, the alkyl radical has a molecular weight between 220 and 515 g / mol.

Advantageously, the polyethoxylated alkyl diamine is at least one compound chosen from: N, N ', N'-tris (2-hydroxyethyl) -N-tallow-1, 3 propylene diamine; N, N ', N'-polyoxyethylene (25) -N-tallow-1,3 propylene diamine; N, N ', N'-polyoxyethylene (20) -N-tallow-1,3-propylene diamine; N, N ', N'-polyoxyethylene (15) -N-tallow-1, 3 propylene diamine; N, N ', N'-polyoxyethylene (10) -N-tallow-1,3-propylene diamine and N, Ν', N'-polyoxyethylene (7) -N-tallow-1,3 propylene diamine or a mixture thereof .

Even more advantageously, the polyethoxylated alkyl diamine is at least one selected from: N, N ', N'-polyoxyethylene (25) -N-tallow-1,3 propylene diamine; N, N ', N'-polyoxyethylene (12) -N-tallow-1,3-propylene diamine, N, N', N'-polyoxyethylene (10) -N-tallow-1,3-propylene diamine N, N ', N'-polyoxyethylene (7) -N-tallow-1,3 propylene diamine and N, Ν ', N'-polyoxyethylene (3) -N-tallow-1, 3 propylene diamine or a mixture thereof.

In particular, the 7 mole compound of ethylene oxide (N, N ', N'-polyoxyethylene (7) -N-tallow-1, 3 propylene diamine) is preferred. It is liquid at ambient (25 ° C) and comprises about 3% C _i4, 30% of C _6, 40% of C _5, 26% of C _i8 and 1% of C ₂ o It is known as a wetting, dispersing and emulsifying agent. The DINORAMOX ^® S7 product of the company CECA Arkema GROUP is particularly suitable for the present composition.

The second diamine is present in the composition at a content by weight, based on the total weight of the composition of 40 to 90%, preferably 55 to 85% and even more preferably 60 to 78%.

The solvent that is suitable for the present invention is chosen from isopropylbenzene, gasoline, fuel oil, and kerosene, or a mixture thereof, preferably the solvent is chosen from isopropylbenzene and / or gasoline. Preferably, the solvent suitable for the present invention is isopropylbenzene (CAS No. 98-82-8).

The solvent is present in the composition at a content by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition of 5 to 40%, in particular 5 to 30%, preferably 7 to 25% and even more preferably 12 to 25%. at 19%.

Preferably, the composition comprises, by weight, with respect to the total weight of said composition:

a) from 5 to 35%, preferably from 8% to 22% of N-oleyl-1,3-propylene diamine, b) from 40 to 90%, preferably from 55 to 85% of NN'N'-polyoxyethylene N-tallow propylene diamine,

c) from 5 to 30%, preferably from 7 to 25% of a solvent.

The present applicant has indeed found that these two selections, that is to say the selection of amines to use among all existing amines on the one hand and the selection of specific concentrations on the other hand, allow to obtain a composition that allows the improvement of the spraying of the injectors and the cleaning of the latter of an engine and in particular a diesel engine.

The composition of the invention may be prepared according to the method described below

This process comprises the following steps:

i) heating the first diamine and the second diamine, so as to obtain a first liquid mixture, ii) add to this first mixture and with stirring, the solvent, so as to obtain a liquid composition.

Preferably, the reheating step i) is carried out at a temperature between 30 ° C and 50 ° C, preferably between 35 ° C and 45 ° C, and even more preferably at 40 ° C.

Preferably, stirring is between 20 rpm and 50 rpm during reheating i).

According to one characteristic of the invention, reheating and stirring take place at least for 5 days.

Advantageously, the solvent is isopropylbenzene, so that the composition resulting from step ii) is still liquid at temperatures between 0 ° C and 20 ° C.

Now, examples of products according to the invention purely illustrative and not limiting the scope of the invention will be described. These tests were performed to demonstrate the stability of the fuel according to the present invention over time, as well as its effectiveness.

Example 1 Composition of the Composition According to the Invention

For the following tests, the composition comprises, by weight, relative to the total weight of the composition:

a) 14.76% N-oleyl-1, 3-propylene diamine (DINORAM ^® O)

b) 69.53% of NN'N'-polyoxyethylene N-tallow propylene diamine (DINORAMOX ^® S7), c) 15.71% isopropylbenzene.

For the rest of the description, this composition will be called COMP 1. Example 2: Combustion Analysis on an Aircraft Tractor

A first test was carried out on a diesel airplane tractor, type TPX 806 having the following characteristics:

- Cummins engines: ref. : 6CTA8.3

- Bosch injectors ref. Cummins: 3802095

- Bosch fuel pump

- tank capacity: 325 liters

- Hourly consumption: 30litres / hour

The rate of different rejected gases was measured before and after treatment, ie after adding 2 liters of COMP 1 to the full tank of the tractor.

The following results are obtained: • CO? (%

• NOx ^* (ppm)

• HC ^** (in ppm)

CO (%)

^* NOx: nitrogen oxide

^** HC: unburned hydrocarbons

According to the invention, the nitrogen oxides NO _x are emissions comprising nitrogen monoxide NO, nitrogen dioxide NO ₂ , nitrous oxide nitrous oxide N ₂ 0, dinitrogen pentoxide N ₂ 0 _5, the dinitrogen tetroxide N ₂ 0 _4, and dinitrogen trioxide N ₂ 0 ₃ or a mixture thereof.

After the treatment and 275 hours of use, the test after treatment with COMP 1 according to the invention shows very large decreases in CO ₂ and NO _x values. The NOx value is 3.5 times lower than the value of the first measurement before treatment. The engine of the aircraft tractor has also found a better combustion by a more efficient injection of injectors (decrease of C0 ₂ and increase of Γ0 ₂ rejected). Continued treatment will allow complete removal of the motor.

Example 3: Combustion analysis of an engine of a generator.

A second test was carried out on a diesel generator, GPU type

849 comprising the following features:

- John Deer engine (ref .: 6068TF250)

John Deer injectors, (Ref .: RE48786)

Stanadyne injection pump (ref .: RE69792)

- Capacity of the tank: 265 liters

Consumption: 18.5 liters / hour.

The rate of different gases discharged was measured before and after treatment, ie after adding 2 liters of COMP 1 in the full tank of the generator.

The following results are obtained:

· CO? (%)

* NOx: nitrogen oxide ^** HC: unburned hydrocarbons

Before treatment, the engine of the generator set has a very poor combustion, the values of C0 ₂ and NO _x are indeed very high at half load and fully loaded. After treatment (+ 600 hours of operation) with the COMP 1, the spraying of the injectors of the generator set is improved.

In conclusion, Examples 2 to 3 above show that the composition according to the present invention makes it possible to improve the spraying of the injectors.

Although the invention has been described in connection with a particular embodiment, it is obvious that it is not limited thereto and that it comprises all the technical equivalents of the means described and their combinations if they are within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Use of a composition for improving the spraying of the injectors of a combustion engine, said composition comprising, by weight, relative to the total weight of said composition, from 60 to 95% of a mixture of at least a first and a second fatty diamine, said diamines being different, and from 5 to 40% of a solvent.

2. Use of a composition according to claim 1, wherein said first and second diamines are chosen from a diamine comprising at least one saturated or unsaturated fatty acid radical comprising from 4 to 20 carbon atoms or an alkyl radical derived from oleic acid, coconut, tallow or coconut oil.

3. Use of a composition according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the first diamine corresponds to the following formula I:

\

N {CH ₂ ) _m - Formula I

R ^≥7 in which:

m is an integer between 1 and 8,

R ^26, R ^27, R ²⁸ and R ²⁹ are independently of one another: hydrogen, a linear or branched alkyl radical -C _4, or a linear or branched alkyl radical C ₄ -C _30, preferably C ₈ -C ₂ o _, with the proviso that at least one of R ²⁶ , R ²⁷ , R ²⁸ and R ²⁹ is a linear or branched C ₄ -C ₃ o, preferably C ₈ -C _2, alkyl radical o-

4. Use of a composition according to claim 3, wherein said linear or branched C ₄ -C ₃₀ alkyl radical is chosen from a radical: decyl, stearyl, oleyl, ricinoleyl, linoleyl, lauryl, myristyl, capryl and palmityl or an alkyl radical derived from coconut, tallow or coconut fatty acid.

5. Use of a composition according to claim 3, wherein the first diamine is N-oleyl-1,3-propylene diamine.

6. Use of a composition according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the second diamine is a polyethoxylated alkyl diamine.

Use of a composition according to claim 6, wherein the polyethoxylated alkyl diamine is a compound of the following formula II:

H (OCH ₂ CH ₂ ) _A (CH ₂ CH ₂ 0) _x H

/ NCH ₂ CH ₂ CH ₂ N ^

R (CH ₂ CH ₂ 0) _z H

Formula II wherein the sum of x, y and z is from 2 to 25, and R is a C ₃ -C ₂ alkyl radical

8. Use of a composition according to claim 7, wherein the polyethoxylated alkyl diamine is at least one compound selected from: N, N ', N'-tris (2-hydroxyethyl) -N-tallow-1,3 propylene diamine, and N, N ', N'-polyoxyethylene-N-tallow-1, 3 propylene diamine, and preferably the polyethoxylated alkyl diamine is N, N', N'-polyoxyethylene-N-tallow-1,3 propylene diamine.

9. Use of a composition according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the composition comprises by weight, relative to the total weight of the emulsion:

a) at least 5% to 35% of N-oleyl-1,3-propylene diamine,

b) at least 40% to 90% of NN'N'-polyoxyethylene N-tallow propylene diamine,

c) at least 5% to 40% of a solvent.

10. Use of a composition according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the solvent is selected from isopropylbenzene, gasoline, fuel oil, and kerosene, or a mixture thereof.

1. Use of a composition according to one of claims 1 to 10, so as to obtain a concentration of fatty amines in the treated fuel of between 0.5 and 20 mg / L, preferably 0.8 to 15. mg / L and even more preferably from 3 to 12 mg / L.