GB2237027A

GB2237027A - Solid ester lubricant

Info

Publication number: GB2237027A
Application number: GB9022437A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Giorgio Astori
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1989-10-16
Filing date: 1990-10-16
Publication date: 1991-04-24
Also published as: GB9022437D0; IT8922039A0

Abstract

A solid fatty acid ester having a melting point equal to or greater than 35 DEG C, is used as a lubricant additive in the fuel of an internal combustion engine. Fatty acids exemplified are stearyl strearate and pentaerythrityl behenate or tetrastearate.

Description

PILL~OIL SUBSTITUTING FOR TWO STROKE ENGINES This invention relates to a solid complex which can be dissolved in engine fuel directly by the user, to act as an additive having anti-pollution, lubricating, anticorrosive, antiwear and antioxidant characteristics, in forking in fuels the lubricant mixture required for the operation of mixture-lubricated internal combustion engines.

As is well known, traditional roadside or harbour filling stations deliver the petrol and mineral oil mixture at the percentage required by the consumer directly via the pump.

Lubricating oils for two-stroke engines are already known and have been commercially available for any years, they being of petroleum, synthetic or semisynthetic origin and marketed for forming the lubricant mixtures required for the operation of mixture-lubricated internal combustion engines.

These lubricating oils normally offer various subsidiary characteristics in addition to their main characteristic of lubrication, and can be used directly by the consumer by pouring a certain quantity of the lubricating oil into the fuel to form the fixture in accordance with the instructions of the engine and/or lubricant manufacturer.

However, those filling stations which sell ready-made ~fixtures are often closed for holidays, compulsory closure days or other reasons, whereas automatic fuel dispensers which exist at various points of sale dispense only actual fuel without the lubricant.

In such circumstances the user for various reasons does not normally have immediate access to cans of lubricating oil, or even if he has such access he may be incapable of preparing the correct mixture for the operation of his two-stroke engine.

These drawbacks are overcome according to the present invention by the provision of preproportioned solid-form nultifunctional lubricating products of very high concentration, preferably in the form of tablets, each tablet containing that quantity required for treating a determined number of litres of fuel, for exule one tablet per two litres of petrol.

To use such a tablet, the motor scooter owner has merely to feed one tablet plus two litres of fuel into his engine tank to form the correct mixture for his engine.

The invention therefore provides a solid complex for forming lubricant mixtures in the fuels of internal combustion engines, characterised by comprising a support substance which is solid under ambient conditions and soluble in fuels, said substance being chosen from the group consisting of esters having a melting point equal to or greater than 35 C, this substance supporting metered quantities of one or more additives soluble in fuels.

Said esters are preferably fatty acid esters, such as stearyl stearate, pentaerythrityl behenate or pentaerythrityl tetrastearate.

Various methods can be used for preparing the complex according to the invention, including hot or cold processes Hot process tne starting materials are mixed together at a temperature at which all the products are in molten form. The resultant mixture is solidified by cooling and treated with known means for producing a granulate or tablets containing a predetermined quantity of single or ~ulti-functio: lubricant.

Cold Drocess: the starting materials are ground to the required particle size; any liquid additives included in the formulation are added to be absorbed by the mass by mixing, this mass then being used with known means to form single or multi-functional lubricant tablets containing a predetermined quantity, or packaged as sachets of granulate containing a defined weight.

The following examples will better clarify the invention EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of an ashless solid lubricant with detergent properties 4,059 kg of stearyl stearate are placed in a stainless steel vessel of 10,000 litres capacity and melted at 60 C (hot process).

41 kg of the detergent additive Ethyl MPA-447R of the Ethyl Corporation, U.S.A. are added to the mass, which is maintained at 60 C and constantly stirred until the two chemical products have been completely mixed. The mass is then cooled while maintaining stirring, and known means are used to produce 410,000 tablets of 10 g each for use in forming a lubricant and detergent mixture in fuels, the mixture being formed with one tablet per litre of fuel.

EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of an ashless solid lubricant with multifunctional anti-vollution. antiwear. deterrent anticorrosion and antioxidant Dronerties 10 tonnes of pentaerythrityl behenate are pulverised (cold process) and 290 kg of the detergent additive Ethyl MPA-447R of the Ethyl Corporation, U S A are added to the powdered mass in a mixing vessel, after which when the product has been completely absorbed 4,210 kg of a further known additive, namely Ethyl 702 of the Ethyl Corporation, are added and airing continued until complete, the process requiring a total of about 40 minutes of mixing.Known means are then used to produce 1,450,000 tablets of 10 g each for use in treating fuel to the extent of two litres per tablet. The thus treated fuel possesses excellent lubricating, anti-pollution, detergent, anticorrosion, antiwear and antioxidant properties.

It will be noted that the complex according to the present invention presents the following characteristics: - it is easily used by the direct consumer in that each unit (granulate sachet or tablet) contains the correct quantity for a determined number of litres of fuel; - the product is used without any need for measurement in that if for example the tablets are marketed in blister packs it is necessary merely to allow a tablet to fall into the fuel tank and then add the fuel; - it is easily stored because of its minimum bulk; - in contrast to a conventional lubricant, leakages or spillages are impossible as the lubricant complex is solid; - the product is not dangerous and non-flammable; ; - the particular chemical composition has a specific gravity greater than the fuel, thus enabling the granulate or tablet to fall to the bottom of the tank where it dissolves in the fuel to ensure perfect operation of a mixture-lubricated engine.

Claims

1. A solid for forming a lubricant mixture in the fuel of an internal combustion engine, particularly a twostroke engine, which solid comprises a substance which is solid at ambient temperature and humidity and soluble in fuels, said substance being at least one fatty acid ester having a melting point equal to or greater than 35 C.

2. A solid as claimed in claim 1, wherein the substance supports predetermined quantities of any known additive which is soluble in fuels.

3. A solid as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the substance comprises stearyl stearate, pentaerythrityl behenate, or pentaerythrityl tetrastearate.

4. A solid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in tablet or granular form.

5. A method of producing a solid as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which method comprises mixing the starting materials in molten form, solidifying by cooling and treating with known means to produce a granulate or tablet therefrom.

6. A method of producing a solid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, which method comprises grinding the starting materials to the required particle size, adding any liquid additives included in the formulation and mixing so that the additives may be absorbed by the mass, and using known means to form single or multi-functional lubricant tablets therefrom.

7. A method of lubricating an internal combustion engine, particularly a two-stroke engine, which comprises adding to a fuel for said engine a solid as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4.

8. Use of a fatty acid ester having a melting point equal to or greater than 350C as a lubricant additive in the fuel of an internal combustion engine.

9. Use according to claim 8 of a fatty acid ester which is stearyl stearate, pentaerythrityl behenate, or pentaerythrityl tetrastearate.

10. A solid for forming a lubricant mixture in the fuel of an internal combustion engine substantially as described in Example 1 or 2.