Additive for Cetane Number Increase of Diesel Fuels and Bio-Diesel Fuels and Its Use
Technical Field
The additive for cetane number increase of diesel fuels and bio-diesel Fuels and its use is related to the area of high-class engine fuels production. The additive is based on the use of glycerol ester mono- and dinitrates constituted by the isomers of glycerol dialkyl ester mononitrate and/or of glycerol monoalkyl ester dinitrate.
Background Art
The diesel fuels contain complicated mixture of hydrocarbon molecules with various configurations of carbon and hydrogen atoms. They may contain various additives, including surfactants, low-temperature agents, emulgators, corrosion inhibitors, sedimentation modifiers and non-hydrocarbon components such as oxygenates and nitrogen compounds. Each of these additives improves the fuel quality parameters. Cetane number is an inportant index of the diesel fuel quality. This number is related to the ignition delay after the fuel injection into the combustion chamber. If the ignition delay is too great, the fuel quantity in the chamber increases and the ignition results in engine hard running and increase smoke generation. Short ignition delay causes engine smooth running and reduced smoke generation.
Generally the commercially available oil-based diesel fuels are required to be with the cetane number equal or greater than 51. In order to improve the cetane number, organic nitrates and nitro compounds were and are added to diesel fuels more years already. From 1930, organic nitrates are used in diesel fuels for the cetane number increase, achieving thereby the appropriate self-ignition allowing the diesel engine smooth running.
Throughout the years, many types of additives were used for the cetane number increase of the diesel fuels. However, only additives based on peroxides, nitrites, nitroso carbamates and, first of all, various types of nitrates, are described in the patent files, as can be seen in the following references:
The US Patent 4,420,311 describes the diesel fuels composition and introduces the preparation of the additive of cyclododecyl nitrate from cyclododecanol by the mean of either nitrating mixture of nitric and sulfuric acid or by stirring the the acetic anhydride nitrate. The diesel fuel cetane number has been increased by the addition of small amounts of cyclododecyl nitrate.
US Patent 5, 162,048 protects an additive for hydrocarbon fuels, which contains ethanolamine nitrates reducing the smoke quantity and improving the combustion efficiency. The invention includes also the additive production method and fuels improvement by the addition thereof.
The US Patent 4,705,534 specifies the following additive components: polynitrate esters selected from the group containing the ethylene glycol dinitrate (EGD), diethylene glycol dinitrate (DEGN), triethylene glycol dinitrate (TEGN) and 2-methyl-2 [(nitroxy)methyl]-l,3- propanediol dinitrate (PDN). These nitrates can be used also in mixtures. Another applicable nitrates are nitroglycerine, cellulose tri-, di- and mononitrates and mixtures thereof.
A diesel fuel containing the nitric acid ester with 1 -phenyl ethanol as an additive is described in the US Patent 5,258,049. The diesel mixture prepared under this invention includes at least
85 vol. % of the diesel fuel hydrocarbons and between 0.01 and 3 vol. % of the additive, preferably between 0.1 and 2 vol. %.
The US Patent 4,457,763 deals with the cetane number increase by the mean of addition of dioxane nitrates such as m-dioxan-5-ol nitrate or l,3-dioxolane-4-methanol nitrate.
The US Patent 4,328,005 specifies that the family of additives for hydrocarbon fuels known as polynitro alkyls having the general formula Ri-C(N02)2-R2 enhance the overall combustion characteristics of motor fuels by increasing the combustion efficiency and reducing the undesirable combustion by-products.
The EP 2114844A1 patent application describes the use of branched decyl nitrates having the formula Ri R2 CH-CH2-0-N02, where Ri is identified as propyl or isopropyl substituent and and R2 means either linear or branched alkyl substituent with 5 carbons. The mentioned compounds improve the combustion and/or increase the cetane number.
Alkyl nitrates such as pentyl nitrate, ethylhexyl nitrate and a mixture of alkyl nitrates were utilized in industrial scale and giving good results. However, it is generally accepted that the organic nitrates, particularly the commercial 2-ethylhexyl nitrate, are the most economic cetane number improvers. Another nitrates such as 2-methyl-2-nitropropyl (U.S. Pat. No. 4,536, 190) were suggested as the cetane index improvers, but they were found to be sensitive to shocks. Due to its relatively low price and environmental friendliness (ash-free additives), the number of works aimed to replace 2-ethylhexyl nitrate was limited.
In the found publications and patents, no additives constituted by glycerol monoalkyl ester dinitrates and/or glycerol dialkyl ester nitrates were found.
Alkyl nitrates, and particularly 2-ethylhexyl nitrate, are comercially the most efficient cetane number improvers. A disadvantage of the up-to-date patented additives is both their difficult production and the raw materials price.
Taking into account the above mentioned, the additives constituted by isomers of glycerol dialkyl ester mononitrates and/or glycerol monoalkyl ester dinitrates are able to compete with 2-etylhexyl nitrate since the cetane number increase has been proven for their use in diesel and bio-diesel fuels.
Disclosure of Invention
The essence of the additive increasing the diesel and bio-diesel fuels cetane number according to the invention consists in the additive constituted by isomers of glycerol monoalkyl ester dinitrate with between 1 and 20 carbons in the ester alkyl group and/or isomers of glycerol dialkyl ester mononitrate with between 1 and 20 carbons in the ester alkyls groups. Isomers of glycerol monoalkyl ester dinitrate and/or isomers of glycerol dialkyl ester mononitrate belong to the family of nitrates and/or dinitrates of the partially esterified glycerol.
The isomers of glycerol dialkyl ester mononitrate and/or of glycerol monoalkyl ester dinitrate having from 1 to 20 carbons in the ester alkyl group are added in concentrations from 1 to 5000 mg/kg of the fuel total amount.
The glycerol dialkyl ester mononitrate isomers are constituted by l,3-dialkanoyl-glycerol-2- nitrate (Al) and l,2-dialkanoyl-glycerol-3 -nitrate (A2), and the glycerol monoalkylester
dinitrate isomers by l,3-dinitro-2-alkanoyl-glycerol (Bl) and l,2-dinitro-3-alkanoyl-glycerol (B2).
It was found out that it is advantageous when the isomers of glycerol dialkyl ester mononitrate and/or of glycerol monoalkyl ester dinitrate have in their molecule from 1 to 5 carbon atoms in the ester alkyl group.
Furthermore, it was found out to be advantageous to add the additive into the diesel fuel diluted in fatty acids alkyl esters having from 1 to 20 carbons in the acid and/or alcohol relevant group, and for the bio-diesel fuel, the best results were achieved when this fuel contained fatty acids esters.
Nitrates and/or dinitrates of the partially esterified glycerol can be prepared by the mean of nitration of the corresponding glycerol esters.
Glycerol dialkyl ester mononitrate isomers
l,3-dialkanoyl-glycerol-2-nitrate (Al)
1 , 2-di alkanoy 1 -glycerol -3 -nitrate ( A2) where Ri is the hydrocarbon chain having between 1 and 20 atoms of carbon, preferably between 1 and 5 carbons.
Glycerol monoalkyl ester dinitrate isomers
1 , 3 -dinitro-2-alkanoyl-gly cerol (B 1 )
l,2-dinitro-3-alkanoyl-gly cerol (B2) where Ri is the hydrocarbon chain having between 1 and 20 atoms of carbon, preferably between 1 and 5 carbons.
Examples of Invention Embodiments
For the preparation of basic diesel fuel (DF), kerosen refined by hydrogenation (distillation range from 143 °C to 257 °C) and gas oil refined by hydrogenation (distillation range from 175 °C to 353 °C) were used. The fuel contained 33 m/m % of kerosene and 67 m/m % of gas oil. The cetane number (CeN) value of the basic diesel fuel DF determined according to EN ISO 5165/01 was 50.3.
The fuel with biocomponent (BDF) was prepared from the basic diesel fuel (DF) by adding a mixture of rapeseed oil methyl esters. The resulting content of the rapeseed oil methyl esters in the BDF fuel was 6.32 m/m %. The cetane number value of the fuel with biocomponent BDF determined according to EN ISO 5165/01 was 51.1.
The diesel fuels DF and BDF were used as base for the determination of the impact of the compounds Al, A2 and/or B l, B2 on the cetane number.
Example 1
The additive l,3-dialkanoyl-glycerol-2-nitrate (Al) in form of l,3-diacetyl-glycerol-2-nitrate has been diluted in diesel fuel DF. This fuel (DF-A1) contained a mixture of basic fuel DF and additive Al . The content of additive Al in the fuel (DF-A1) was 2,054 mg.kg"1. The fuel DF-A1 cetane number value determined according to EN ISO 5165/01 was 52.6.
The additive Al in form of l,3-diacetyl-glycerol-2-nitrate increased the basic diesel fuel DF cetane number from 50.3 to 52.6.
Example 2
The additive l,2-dialkanoyl-glycerol-3 -nitrate (A2) in form of l,2-diacetyl-glycerol-3 -nitrate has been diluted in the mixture of rapeseed oil methyl esters. A solution (S2) (additive A2 in the mixture of rapeseed oil methyl esters) contained 2.52 m/m % of l,2-diacetyl-glycerol-3- nitrate.
Using the basic diesel fuel DF and solution S2, fuel (BDF-A2) containing the mixture of basic fuel, rapeseed oil methyl esters and additive A2 was prepared. The additive A2 content in fuel (BDF- A2) was 2,515 mg.kg"1. The fuel BDF-A2 cetane number value determined according to EN ISO 5165/01 was 52.9.
The additive A2 in form of l,2-diacetyl-glycerol-3 -nitrate increased the basic diesel fuel BDF cetane number from 51.1 to 52.9.
Example 3
In order to find out the additive Bl impact, cetane number values of the diesel fuels DF and BDF were used.
The additive l,3-dinitro-2-alkanoyl-glycerol (B l) in form of l,3-dinitro-2-acetyl-glycerol has been diluted in the mixture of rapeseed oil methyl esters. A solution (S3) of the mentioned additive in the mixture of rapeseed oil methyl esters contained 1.28 m/m % of l,3-dinitro-2- acetyl-glycerol.
Using the basic diesel fuel DF and solution S3, fuel (BDF-Bl) containing the mixture of basic fuel, rapeseed oil methyl esters and additive Bl was prepared. The additive B l content in fuel (BDF-Bl) was 1, 171 mg.kg"1. The fuel BDF-Bl cetane number value determined according to EN ISO 5165/01 was 52.6.
The additive B l in form of l,3-dinitro-2-acetyl-glycerol increased the diesel fuel cetane number from 51.1 to 52.6.
Example 4
In order to find out the additive B2 impact, cetane number values of the diesel fuels DF and BDF were used.
The additive l,2-dinitro-3-alkanoyl-glycerol (B2) in form of l,2-dinitro-3 -acetyl-glycerol has been diluted in the mixture of rapeseed oil methyl esters. A solution (S4) of the mentioned additive in the mixture of rapeseed oil methyl esters contained 1.63 m/m % of l,2-dinitro-3- acetyl-glycerol.
Using the basic diesel fuel DF and solution S4, fuel (BDF-B2) containing the mixture of basic fuel, rapeseed oil methyl esters and additive B2 was prepared. The additive B2 content in fuel (BDF-B2) was 1,054 mg.kg"1. The fuel BDF-B2 cetane number value determined according to EN ISO 5165/01 was 52.9.
The additive B2 in form of l,2-dinitro-3 -acetyl-glycerol increased the diesel fuel cetane number from 51.1 to 52.9.
Example 5
In order to find out the impact of the mixture of the additives Al and B2, cetane number values of the diesel fuels DF and BDF were used.
The additive l,3-dialkanoyl-glycerol-2-nitrate (Al) in form of l,3-diacetyl-glycerol-2-nitrate and the additive l,2-dinitro-3-alkanoyl-glycerol (B2) in form of l,2-dinitro-3 -acetyl-glycerol were diluted in the mixture of rapeseed oil methyl esters. A solution (S5) of the mentioned additives Al and B2 in the mixture of rapeseed oil methyl esters contained 0.63 m/m % of l,3-diacetyl-glycerol-2-nitrate and 1.35 m/m % of l,2-dinitro-3-acetyl-glycerol.
Using the basic diesel fuel DF and solution S5, fuel (BDF-A1B2) containing the mixture of basic fuel, rapeseed oil methyl esters and additives Al and B2 was prepared. The total content of additives Al and B2 in fuel (BDF-A1B2) was 994 mg.kg"1. The fuel BDF-A1B2 cetane number value determined according to EN ISO 5165/01 was 52.3.
The fuel cetane number increase from 51.1 to 52.3 has been proven for the mixture of additives Al in form of l,3-diacetyl-glycerol-2-nitrate and B2 in form of l,2-dinitro-3 -acetyl- glycerol.
Industrial Applicability
The diesel and bio-diesel fuels cetane number improver under the invention can be used in the automotive industry.