US1578201A - Fuel - Google Patents

Description

Patented Mar. 23, 1925.

stares THOMAS MIDGLEY, JR., OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION, OF- DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWKRE.

FUEL.

No Drawing.

' and useful Improvements in Fuel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

- combustion engines.

This invention relates to fuels, and more particularly to a fuel adapted for use in an.

internal-combustion engine.

One object of the invention is to provide a fuel consisting of an admixture of hydrocarbons, alcohols and an ingredient adapted to cause a blending thereof.

Another object is to provide a fuel comprising an ingredient adapted to cause a blending of the alcohols and hydrocarbons, which ingredient is of such nature that comparatively small percentages thereof are capable of causing the. desired blending of comparatively large quantities of alcohols and hydrocarbons.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description thereof set out below.

Many eflorts have been made heretofore to provide some satisfactory and practicable fuel capable of serving to supplement the available supplies of hydrocarbon fuels, which hydrocarbon fuels now constitute the principal source of fuels for use in internal- As one such form of fuel, itdias been proposed to mix alcohol and gasoline, While chemically pure alcohol and gasoline-are miscible in all proportions, alcohol containing even a small percentage of wateris not, alone. miscible with gasoline in any proportion; It has been found, however, that certain compounds may be added to gasoline and commercial grades of alcohol, such as 95% ethyl alcohol, whichare said to cause a'blending thereof. In other words there are certain ingredients, which when mixed with gasoline and commercial alcohols will cause those ingredients to mix in desirable proportions. All of the blending agents so 'far known to me consist of some compound not normally associated with either the gasoline or alcohol, each of these blending agents being some substance which must be introduced as a separate and distinct agent.

Application filed February 2'8, 1920. Serial No. 362,139.

I have found that while ordinary gasoline, which normally consists of saturated C011]- pounds of the paraffin series, and commercial alcohol are not miscible in varying proportions, the so-calledcracked gasolines", obtained by cracking oils in the production of motor fuels, which contain substantial proportions of unsaturated hydrocarbons, generally designated olefines, are readily -m iscible with alcohols.

Experience has shown that a cracked gasoline containing more than 10% of unsaturated hydrocarbons, or olefines, is unsatisfactory in-operation, since the unsaturated compounds when present in such proportions polymerize very readily, with attendant evils. Cracked gasoline normally contains, as it comes from the still, about 16% of unsaturated hydrocarbons. The proportion of the unsaturated hydrocarbons is in commercial practice cut down below 10% by the addition of extra ordinary gasoline, which is substantially free from olefines. And so in a fuel comprising a mixture of cracked gasoline and-alcohol it is desirable that the percentage of unsaturated hydrocarbons, or olefinesj, be kept down below 10%. g l

A very desirable fuel may be obtained by mixing of a cracked gasoline and 50% of commercial 95% ethyl alcohol. Such a fuel will contain substantially 42% of saturated paraffin compounds, 8% of unsaturated compounds, or olefines and 50% of 95% ethyl alcohol. If it is desired to have a fuel containing more than 50% alcohol, the percentage of unsaturated hydrocarbons would automatically be cut down inasmuch as the proportions of saturated and unsaturated compounds in a cracked gasoline are normally in a substantially constant ratio. The proportions of alcohol and cracked gasoline relative to each other may be varied as desired to secure a fuel having the desired characteristics.

While I have described the invention, more specifically, in connection with a fuel consisting of so-called cracked gasoline and 95% ethyl alcohol, it is obvious that my invention is equally applicable to a fuel comprising any mixture of an alcohol with saturated hydrocarbons and unsaturated hydrocarbons, adapted to function as a blending agent. I Obviously other alcohols than ethyl 'alcohol may be used if desired.

While the fuel particularly described above, and the method of making it, constitute preferred embodiments of my invention, other forms of embodiments might be devised all coming Within the scope ofthe invention as set out in the appendedclaim s.

V hat I claim is:

1. A fuel comprising an admixture of substantially 50% commercial ethyl alcohol, and 50% of a cracked gasoline, said cracked gasoline consisting of saturated hydrocarbons and unsaturated hydrocarbons, or olelines in the proportions of substantially.

84% and 16% respectively.

2. A fuel comprising an admixture of 50% commercial ethyl alcohol, 42% saturated hydrocarbons of the paraffin series and 8% unsaturated hydrocarbons, or olefines.

3. A homogeneous motor fuel comprising alcohol; saturated hydrocarbons; and unsaturated hydrocarbons'adapted to blend alcohol with the saturated hydrocarbons, the quantity of unsaturated hydrocarbons not exceeding by volume 16% of the saturated hydrocarbons.

4. A homogenous motor fuel comprising commercial ethyl alcohol; saturated hydro carbons; and unsaturated hydrocarbons or olefines, the quantity of unsaturated hydrocarbons or olefines not exceeding by volume 16% of the saturated hydrocarbons;

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

THOMAS MIDGLEY, JR.

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