JPS59202293A - Preparation of fuel composition - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prepare a fuel composition comprising a mixture of liquid hydrocarbon and alcohol which does not cause phase separation even when stored for a long period at a low temperature, by adding a specified alcohol-soluble specific gravity modifier to the alcohol. CONSTITUTION:An alcohol-soluble specific gravity modifier is dissolved in alcohol such as methanol or ethanol to adjust the difference in specific gravity between the alcohol and liquid hydrocarbon (e.g. kerosene, gas oil or heavy fuel oil) to 0.02 or lower. The alcohol is mixed with the liquid hydrocarbon to obtain the aimed fuel composition. The specific gravity modifiers are e.g. ethylene glycol, propylene glycol or polyvinyl acetate. A fuel composition with a higher stability is obtained when the mixing is done in the presence of a small amount of a hydrocarbon-soluble dispersion stabilizer, e.g. polyoxyethylene oleyl ether.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Hydrocarbon mixtures have various combinations of compounds, and their uses are wide-ranging, with fuel being a typical example. In particular, in order to improve the combustion efficiency of heavy oil and expand its application to light oil and medium oil fields, it is expected to be put to practical use, such as by mixing a small amount of methanol into the oil. Therefore, in such applications, it is necessary to add dispersion stabilizers such as various surfactants to maintain the system stably so that the hydrocarbon mixture does not undergo phase separation.

However, even if such a stabilizer is used, the storage stability at low temperatures is poor, and there is a risk that the dispersion state will be destroyed and phase separation will occur during storage in winter or handling in cold regions, and there is still room for further improvement.

However, as a result of extensive research in order to solve this problem, the present inventors discovered that when producing a fuel composition by mixing liquid hydrocarbon and alcohol, an alcohol-soluble specific gravity regulator is dissolved in alcohol and liquid carbonization is performed. The present invention was completed based on the discovery that the objective can be achieved when the difference in specific gravity between hydrogen and the alcohol is adjusted to 0.025 or less.

Liquid hydrocarbons, such as light oil, A heavy oil, B heavy oil, and C heavy oil, usually have a specific gravity of 0, although it varies somewhat depending on the type.
．． On the other hand, the specific gravity of alcohols such as methanol and ethanol is about 0.78 to 0.80, and the difference in specific gravity is large. The specific gravity of liquid hydrocarbon and alcohol is
By adjusting the difference to 0.025 or less, storage stability is improved.

Conventionally, attempts have been made to improve storage stability by adding various dispersion stabilizers, that is, to improve surface chemistry, but the technical idea of adjusting the specific gravity of liquid hydrocarbon and alcohol has not been achieved. This has not been recognized at all, and the concept of the present invention is fundamentally different from such conventional stabilization methods.

The specific gravity regulator used in the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it is a compound that is soluble in alcohol, has a specific gravity larger than the target alcohol. Representative examples of such compounds include glycols such as ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and butylene glycol. In addition, polyvinyl acetate, partially gunned polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl acetate copolymerized with a small amount of ethylene and its saponified product, polyethylene glycol sorbitan ester, etc. can also be used. 1. Dissolve such a regulator in alcohol. The difference in specific gravity between liquid hydrocarbon and alcohol is 0.025 or less, preferably 0.025 or less.
Adjust to a range of 002 to θ, θ20.

A sufficient stabilizing effect cannot be exhibited with a specific gravity difference of 0.025 or more.

Furthermore, by coexisting a small amount of a dispersion stabilizer soluble in the hydrocarbon when mixing the liquid hydrocarbon and alcohol,
A composition with a high degree of stability is obtained.

Examples of such stabilizers include polyethylene copolymerized and modified with a small amount of vinyl acetate or saponified products thereof, vinyl acetate-α-olefin copolymers or saponified products thereof, surfactants, and the like. These are usually 0 for the entire composition.
．． It is used in a proportion of about 0.01 to 5% by weight.

In the present invention, methanol is typically used as the alcohol, but higher alcohols such as ethanol, propatool, and butanol can also be used. Furthermore, liquid hydrocarbons include heavy oil, light oil, A heavy oil, B heavy oil, C heavy oil, coal tar,
Examples include pitch, asphalt, lubricating oil, etc., but according to the present invention, remarkable effects can be obtained particularly on hydrocarbons having a boiling point of 200° C. or higher.

Preferred combinations of liquid hydrocarbon and alcohol from a practical standpoint are particularly light oil/methanol, heavy oil/methanol, and asphalt/methanol, which are particularly effective.

The mixing ratio in the mixture is not particularly limited and may be selected from any range depending on the purpose. For example, when methanol is mixed with heavy oil, 60% by weight or less of methanol is practically used.

When preparing the composition of the present invention, there are no restrictions on the mixing means, and the essential thing is to mix alcohol in which a specific gravity adjuster is dissolved, a liquid hydrocarbon, or preferably, a dispersion stabilizer soluble in the hydrocarbon, with stirring. All you have to do is The order of addition is arbitrary.

Also, during this operation, water, various surfactants,
Any compound such as various additives such as combustion aids may also be used in combination.

The composition thus obtained has extremely good stability, and has excellent stability even when stored for a long period of time at discharge temperature, and has appropriate fluidity, so it is useful as a fuel.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in more detail by giving examples. Parts or percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

Examples 1 to 6 100 parts of a liquid hydrocarbon was charged into a stainless steel container at room temperature, and while stirring, 5 parts of methanol in which a specific gravity regulator was dissolved and a dispersion stabilizer were charged to obtain a composition.

This composition was completely uniformly dispersed. The composition was left at room temperature and 5° C. for 50 days, and its transmittance was measured.

The results are shown in Table 1.

However, the transmittance was measured at 20° C. at a wavelength of 460 mμ using a cell with a thickness of 2 mm. The lower the transmittance, the more uniform the dispersion state. Further, the specific gravity is a value measured at 20°C.

Claims (1)

[Claims] When producing a fuel composition by mixing a liquid hydrocarbon and alcohol, an alcohol-soluble specific gravity regulator is dissolved in the alcohol to adjust the specific gravity difference between the liquid hydrocarbon and the alcohol to 0.025 or less. A method for producing a fuel composition characterized by: