Fuel compositions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12338405-B2
Application number	US-202218553606-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2022
Priority date	Apr 26, 2021
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

Fuel composition comprising: (a) a base fuel suitable for use in an internal combustion engine; (b) a tetraalkylethane compound having the formula (I): wherein Ar represents an aryl group and each X is independently selected from a hydrogen atom, substituted or unsubstituted, straight chain or branched C 1 -C 12 alkyl group, (CH 2 ) n OH or (CH 2 ) n NH 2 , wherein n is in the range of 1 to 9, provided that at least one of the X groups in each CX 3 group is a hydrogen atom. The fuel composition of the present invention provides improved power and acceleration benefits, as well as increased flame speed and burn duration.

First claim

We claim:

1. Fuel composition comprising:
(a) a base fuel suitable for use in an internal combustion engine; and
(b) a tetraalkylethane compound having the formula (I):

wherein Ar represents an aryl group and each X is independently selected from a hydrogen atom, substituted or unsubstituted, straight chain or branched C 1 -C 12 alkyl group, (CH 2 ) n OH or (CH 2 ) n NH 2 , wherein n is in the range of 1 to 9, provided that at least one of the X groups in each CX 3 group is a hydrogen atom; and
(c) a nitroxide radical having a formula (II):

wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are individually selected from an alkyl group or a hetero atom substituted alkyl group, and wherein R 5 and R 6 are any atom or group except hydrogen which can covalently bond to carbon.

2. Fuel composition according to claim 1 , wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are individually selected from a methyl group, an ethyl group, or a propyl group, and wherein R 5 and R 6 form part of a ring of 4 carbon atoms or 5 carbon atoms.

3. Fuel composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nitroxide radical has the formula (III):

wherein R 5 , R 6 and R 7 are individually selected from —CR′R′—, wherein each R′ is individually selected from hydrogen, a hydroxide group, an alkyl group, or an alkoxy group.

4. Fuel composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nitroxide radical comprises 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy free radical.

5. Fuel composition according to claim 1 , wherein Ar of the tetraalkylethane compound is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group selected from phenyl, biphenyl, naphthyl, thienyl or anthracyl.

6. Fuel composition according to claim 1 , wherein Ar is an unsubstituted phenyl group.

7. Fuel composition according to claim 1 , wherein each X is independently selected from a hydrogen atom, unsubstituted, straight chain or branched C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, provided that at least one of the X groups in each CX 3 group is a hydrogen atom.

8. Fuel composition according to claim 1 , wherein the tetraalkylethane compound is 1,1′ (1,1,2,2-tetramethyl-1,1-ethanediyl) bis-benzene.

9. Fuel composition according to claim 1 , wherein the nitroxide radical is present in the fuel composition at a level from 30 ppm wt % to 2 wt %, by weight of the fuel composition.

10. Fuel composition according to claim 1 , wherein the tetraalkylethane compound is present in the fuel composition at a level from 30 ppm to 10 wt %, by weight of the fuel composition.

11. Fuel composition according to claim 1 , wherein the base fuel comprises less than 10 vol % of aromatics, based on the total base fuel.

12. Fuel composition according to claim 1 , wherein the base fuel comprises less than 2 vol % of aromatics having 9 carbon atoms or greater, based on the total base fuel.

13. Method for improving the power output of an internal combustion engine wherein the method comprises fueling the engine with a fuel composition according to claim 1 .

14. Method for improving the acceleration of an internal combustion engine wherein the method comprises fueling the engine with a fuel composition according to claim 1 .

15. Method of reducing the burn duration of a fuel composition in an internal combustion engine, said method comprising fueling the internal combustion engine with a liquid fuel composition according to claim 1 .

16. Method for increasing the flame speed of a fuel composition in an internal combustion engine, said method comprising fueling the internal combustion engine with a liquid fuel composition according to claim 1 .

17. Fuel composition comprising:
(a) a base fuel suitable for use in an internal combustion engine, wherein the base fuel is a gasoline base fuel; and
(b) a tetraalkylethane compound having the formula (I):

wherein Ar represents an aryl group and each X is independently selected from a hydrogen atom, substituted or unsubstituted, straight chain or branched C 1 -C 12 alkyl group, (CH 2 ) n OH or (CH 2 ) n NH 2 , wherein n is in the range of 1 to 9, provided that at least one of the X groups in each CX 3 group is a hydrogen atom.

18. Fuel composition according to claim 17 , additionally comprising
(c) a nitroxide radical having a formula (II):

wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are individually selected from an alkyl group or a hetero atom substituted alkyl group, and wherein R 5 and R 6 are any atom or group except hydrogen which can covalently bond to carbon.

19. Fuel composition according to claim 18 , wherein R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 are individually selected from a methyl group, an ethyl group, or a propyl group, and wherein R 5 and R 6 form part of a ring of 4 carbon atoms or 5 carbon atoms.

20. Fuel composition according to claim 18 , wherein the nitroxide radical has the formula (III):

wherein R 5 , R 6 and R 7 are individually selected from —CR′R′—, wherein each R′ is individually selected from hydrogen, a hydroxide group, an alkyl group, or an alkoxy group.

21. Fuel composition according to claim 18 , wherein the nitroxide radical comprises 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy free radical.

22. Fuel composition according to claim 17 , wherein Ar of the tetraalkylethane compound is a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic group selected from phenyl, biphenyl, naphthyl, thienyl or anthracyl.

23. Fuel composition according to claim 17 , wherein Ar is an unsubstituted phenyl group.

24. Fuel composition according to claim 17 , wherein each X is independently selected from a hydrogen atom, unsubstituted, straight chain or branched C 1 -C 6 alkyl group, provided that at least one of the X groups in each CX 3 group is a hydrogen atom.

25. Fuel composition according to claim 17 , wherein the tetraalkylethane compound is 1,1′ (1,1,2,2-tetramethyl-1,1-ethanediyl) bis-benzene.

26. Fuel composition according to claim 18 , wherein the nitroxide radical is present in the fuel composition at a level from 30 ppm wt % to 2 wt %, by weight of the fuel composition.

27. Fuel composition according to claim 17 , wherein the tetraalkylethane compound is present in the fuel composition at a level from 30 ppm to 10 wt %, by weight of the fuel composition.

28. Fuel composition according to claim 17 , wherein the base fuel comprises less than 10 vol % of aromatics, based on the total base fuel.

29. Fuel composition according to claim 17 , wherein the base fuel comprises less than 2 vol % of aromatics having 9 carbon atoms or greater, based on the total base fuel.

30. Method for improving the power output of an internal combustion engine wherein the method comprises fueling the engine with a fuel composition according to claim 12 .

31. Method for improving

Assignees

• Shell Usa Inc

Inventors

• Bera Tushar Kanti
• Johnson Kimberly Ann
• Aradi Allen Ambwere

Classifications

• C10L2230/22

  for improving fuel economy or fuel efficiency · CPC title

• C10L10/00

  Use of additives to fuels or fires for particular purposes (additives for liquid carbonaceous fuels characterised by their chemical nature C10L1/10; using binders for briquetting solid fuels C10L5/10; using additives to improve the combustion of solid fuels C10L9/10) · CPC title

• C10L2270/023

  for gasoline engines · CPC title

• C10L2270/02

  for internal combustion engines · CPC title

• C10L2200/0423

  Gasoline · CPC title