FR2695401A1 - Gel-type fuels burning with coloured flames - are prepd. by mixing a hydrocarbon and colourant(s) in a 1 or 2 carbon-contg. alcohol and a 3-12 carbon-contg. alcoholic co-solvent - Google Patents

Abstract

A gelled fuel, burning with a coloured flame, comprises a hydrocarbon, a soln. (or suspension) of an ion colourant deriv. in a 1 or 2C alcohol and a 3-12C alcoholic co-solvent. The compsn. is gelified by an alcoholic gelling agent. USE/ADVANTAGE - The invention enables prodn. of a flame combining luminosity with colouration dependency on the metallic ions or borides introduced. The fuel compsns. are such that stable coloured (or multi-coloured) flames are obtainable due to the presence of the hydrocarbons. In an example, methanol contg. 10% LiCl or LiNO3 was gelled with a hydroxy propyl cellulose gelling agents. Combustion of this compsn. gave an instable red flame. If another colour (such as green produced by B2O3 or tributyl borate) was added green appeared above red in the flame but the red colouration was still intermittent. A mixt. of -60% of petroleum oil (hexane or similar hydrocarbons) with 5-30 (pref. 20)% of a 3-12C co-solvent was added to give a homogeneous gel. With this compsn. a stable Li flame was obtainable. If a colourant such as di-lithium tetra-borate (in suspension) was used, green and red appeared simultaneously and permanently in the flame.

Description

DESCRIPTION:
Combustible gel burning with colored flames, combining in solution a hydrocarbon, a solvent, coloring ions and a co-solvent (simple or compound).

A petrol, paraffin (liquefied), petroleum, or any other hydrocarbon, is mixed with an alcohol, preferably pure methanol, which contains metal or boron ions, coloring the flames, in solution. This mixture is carried out using a cosolvent, higher alcohol, ranging from isopropyl alcohol to dodecanol, lemon grass derivatives and neighbors included. The dyes in solution will, preferably, be alkylated or alkane derivatives (mono- , bi-, tri-allyles), chlorides or ar.hydrides and, in general, all organo-metallic and boron alkyls and alkanes, entering into solution in methanol, ethanol and other higher alcohols. In suspension, the other insoluble dyes. The whole product is then gelled with 1 to 1C of a cellulose ether, an HPMC or any other alcohol thickener, preferably lipophilic.

Historically, men have used kerosene lamps or oil lamps, to light up well before gas and then, later, electricity.

Hydrocarbons produce a yellow flame, due to unburnt carbon monoxide and dioxide molecules which then form black smoke.

But from time immemorial, too, men have copied nature, in dear song to reproduce everywhere, the colors of the rainbow.

The present invention provides an innovatIon by making it possible to combine the useful (the yellow illuminating flame) with the pleasant (the simultaneous coloring of said flame).

The proportions between yellow and the other colors are directly dependent on the desired result.

The co-solvent, widely used in the field, for example, of internal combustion engines, to economize, generally, non-renewable hydrocarbons by adding methanol or ethanol to them, makes it possible to "marry" the insoluble emulsions together, hydrocarbons and simple alcohols
Dyes have also been known for a long time, apart from certain colors discovered more recently, such as industrially reproducible blue, thanks to the addition to copper or barium, of one or more halogenated hydrocarbons, depending on the density of the blue. wish. On this subject, a BLUE + GREEN compound flame can only be obtained by mixing a borate gel with a copper gel and halogenated hydrocarbons, because a copper green would turn blue on contact with blue.

The present invention innovates, technically, mainly by a fact that a mixture of hydrocarbons and solvent; preferably alcohol (s), this (s) containing (s) in solution or suspension finely dispersed in a homogeneous manner, the whole made homogeneous and not e ... ulsive, by the presence of a cosolvent / higher alcohol is gelled .

The main reason claimed in the context of the present invention lies in the difficulty of making certain colors appear in the spectrum in a stable manner, probably due to their alkalinity and their combustion temperature, in an alcohol gel (s ) containing solution of coloring ions.

Examples: a) A methanol, containing in solution a lithium chloride or nitrate in solution at, for example 1 to 10%, will be gelled with any gelling agent, but preferably with a hydroxypropylcellulose, in principle without sodium. If we replace lithium with strontium, the problem is identical: The color, at the combustion temperature of the solvent (gelled or not!) Appears, dlsparait, reappears, etc ... without possible control, except to heat the combustible during its combustion.

On the other hand, if we add to the solution another color which, it easily appears, like the green produced by a boric anhydride, or a triethyl-, trimethyl- or trlbutyl-borates, the green of the borate will l '' take away, almost permanently on red or orange (lithium or strontium) which will only appear here and there, in an uncontrollable way.

If we add to the gel (or that we gel together, whatever), from 5 to 60% of petroleum (or any neighboring hydrocarbon fuel such as hexane and others), with a higher alcohol cosolvent of C3 to
C12, for example, that is to say Isopropyl alcohol with dodecanol, at a rate of 5 to 30% of the whole (and preferably 20%), a homogeneous compound gel is obtained in which the orange and (or ) red, will appear immediately or almost, in a stable and controlled manner. If a boron is added, or if a dye is used, lithium-triethylborhydride (in solution), di-lithium-tetraborate (in suspension) or any other "mixed" dye, green and red or (and) the orange will appear simultaneously in the flame, permanently, in a proportion almost identical to the proportions introduced.

b) In the example cited above, we have spoken of di-lithium-tetraborate: It is a suspension which is in principle insoluble. This is the case with many dyes, for example the oxides of copper, antimony, lithium, strontium, certain chlorides including copper I copper and many others.

If it is not gelled, any suspension is impossible, the dyes precipitating at the bottom of the burner or container. The alcohol (C1 to C3) is no longer used here as a solvent, but as a volatile co-fuel.

The gelling agents and, preferably, the sodium-free cellulose ethers (lipophilic hydroxypropylcellulose, for example) are thickeners (thermoplastics) and suspending agents soluble in alcohol. In principle, they have an oleophobic barrier property, but if there is presence, with alcohol preferably methanol, A ′, cosolvent-higher alcohol, this oleophobic barrier does not act against the homogeneous dispersion of the dyes. in the gel, nor against gelation: This is the second important principle of the present invention. Let us add that hydroxypropylcellulose is acid-resistant, therefore allows coloring of the flames by certain acid dyes.

From the aforementioned examples, it will be understood that it suffices to extrapolate with all the hydrocarbons, all the alcohols or solvents and all the original coloring ions.,. Btallic or boric.

It will be added that the fuels obtained, mixed hot with paraffin, will give on cooling, a paste producing a colored flame in the bouqies. With or without additional high viscosity cosolvent.

An odorous or insect-resistant essence will be added to the fuel obtained, in a proportion that does not create an excessively present yellow flame, additional (1 to 6%, maximum recommended). 1 to 10% iron chloride or chromium will sparkle the flames obtained.

With regard to fuels, for example paraffin, oil, petrol and petroleum or the like, it is of course possible to mix the dyes (dye ions) and cosolvent (s) in a separate container. To then mix them in a solvent alcohol, before mixing the whole obtained in the hydrocarbon. Or, of course, the reverse. Then gelling by adding the gelling agent, which will be added to obtain the desired gel.

Claims (7)

CLAIMS: 1) Burning combustible gel with colored flames, characterized in that it contains a hydrocarbon, a solution or suspension of coloring ions in a C1 or C2 alcohol, a higher alcohol cosolvent from C3 to C12, the whole being gelled by an alcohol gelling agent. 2) combustible gel according to claim n01, characterized in that it constitutes a perfectly homogeneous solution or suspension of hydrocarbon and alcohol, thanks to the presence of a higher alcohol cosolvent, alcohol C1 or C2 (see C3) serving as solvent and / or fuel for the rate elements or boros which color the flame. 3) Gelation of the fuel according to claims n01 & 2, characterized in that, if dyes which are not soluble in alcohol (C1 to C3) are used, gelation is necessary, to prevent the metal or boron components dyes, from precipitating at the bottom of the burner or container, that is to say by keeping said coloring agents in suspension.  4 'Presence of the hydrocarbon entering solution and no longer in emulsion in alcohol C1 to C3 thanks to (x) cosolvent (s) (one can mix several) according to claim n01, characterized in that certain simple dyes or compounds, depending on their alkalinity and their combustion temperature, appear only in an uncontrolled manner and above all invisible in the spectrum, without the presence of the hydrocarbon in the combustible gel. The proportions vary between 5 to 50 tonnes of hydrocarbons, 95 to 40% of alcohol charged with ions, minus 5 to 30% of the whole, consisting of the cosolvent (s). The gelling agent intervenes for 1 to 10 at all. 5) Gelling agent according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it will be sodium-free (except traces), thickener, thermoplastic soluble in solvents, suspending agent, but if it is oleophobic, it matters little in fuels referred to in the present invention. Preference will be given to cellulose ethers (sodium-free) and, in particular, to hydroxypropylcellulose. 6) Lemongrass derivatives and residue products according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that they are co-solvents for gelled fuels, objects of the present invention. Let us cite in particular: C10H18O, C10H13, C10H200 and their neighbors. Also characterized in that they are anti-insect. 7) Paraffin paste according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a paraffin, hot-mixed, preferably with the aid of a high viscosity higher alcohol cosolvent (C8 to C14), with the gels containing hydrocarbons, as set out in the preceding claims, will give a fuel which, when cooled, will constitute said paste, producing a colored flame in candles and candles or wick torches.  3) Additives according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one has the leisure to tock in separate containers the (s) cosolvar.t (s) and the dye (s), to then mix them , either with hydrocarbon, then all with alcohol-solvent, or the reverse. Then gel the whole, by sprinkling the gelling agent in a fuel, while stirring, until the gel "sets", especially if the dyes are in suspension and not in solution. Adding 1 to 10 iron or chromium chloride will sparkle the flame. 9) Blue and green flame according to claims 1, 2 & 3, characterized in that to obtain it, it is necessary to mix a bore gel (green) and a blue gel (copper + halogenated hydrocarbon (s) (s)), because a copper green would turn blue on contact with the hot blue gel, based on copper and halogenated hydrocarbons.