U.S. patent application number 10/551239 was filed with the patent office on 2006-09-07 for fuel composition.
This patent application is currently assigned to BASF Aktiengesellschaft. Invention is credited to Erich K. Fehr, Dietmar Posselt, Harald Schwahn.
Application Number | 20060196110 10/551239 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33016286 |
Filed Date | 2006-09-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060196110 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Schwahn; Harald ; et
al. |
September 7, 2006 |
Fuel composition
Abstract
A fuel composition comprising a major amount of a gasoline fuel
having a maximum sulfur content of 150 ppm by weight and a minor
amount of at least one gasoline fuel additive having detergent
action or having a valve seat wear-inhibiting action, wherein this
gasoline fuel additive has at least one hydrophobic hydrocarbon
radical having a number-average molecular weight (MN) of from 85 to
20 000 and at least one polar moiety, and wherein the fuel
composition also has a content of at least one lower alkanol of
from about 5 to 75% by volume.
Inventors: |
Schwahn; Harald; (Wiesloch,
DE) ; Posselt; Dietmar; (Heidelberg, DE) ;
Fehr; Erich K.; (Vellmar, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OBLON, SPIVAK, MCCLELLAND, MAIER & NEUSTADT, P.C.
1940 DUKE STREET
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
BASF Aktiengesellschaft
Ludwigshafen
DE
67056
|
Family ID: |
33016286 |
Appl. No.: |
10/551239 |
Filed: |
April 8, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
April 8, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP04/03811 |
371 Date: |
September 28, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
44/413 ; 44/369;
44/434; 44/451 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C10L 1/1824 20130101;
C10L 10/08 20130101; C10L 1/143 20130101; C10L 1/2383 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
044/413 ;
044/451; 044/434; 044/369 |
International
Class: |
C10L 1/22 20060101
C10L001/22; C10L 1/18 20060101 C10L001/18 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 11, 2003 |
DE |
103 16 871.0 |
Claims
1. A fuel composition comprising a major amount of a gasoline fuel
having a maximum sulfur content of 150 ppm by weight and a minor
amount of at least one gasoline fuel additive having detergent
action or having a valve seat wear-inhibiting action, wherein this
gasoline fuel additive has at least one hydrophobic hydrocarbon
radical having a number-average molecular weight (MN) of from 85 to
20,000 and at least one polar moiety, and wherein the fuel
composition also has a content of at least one C.sub.1-C.sub.3-mono
alkanol of from about 10 to 75% by volume.
2. The fuel composition according to claim 1, wherein the polar
moiety is selected from: (a) mono- or polyamino groups having up to
6 nitrogen atoms, of which at least one nitrogen atom has basic
properties, (b) nitro groups, optionally in combination with
hydroxyl groups, (c) hydroxyl groups in combination with mono- or
polyamino groups, in which at least one nitrogen atom has basic
properties, (d) carboxyl groups or their alkali metal or their
alkaline earth metal salts, (e) sulfonic acid groups or their
alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salts, (f) polyoxy-C.sub.2- to
-C.sub.4-alkylene groups which are terminated by hydroxyl groups,
mono- or polyamino groups, in which at least one nitrogen atom has
basic properties, or by carbamate groups, (g) carboxylic ester
groups, (h) moieties derived from succinic anhydride and having
hydroxyl and/or amino and/or amido and/or imido groups and (i)
moieties obtained by Mannich reaction of substituted phenols with
aldehydes and mono- or polyamines.
3. The fuel composition according to claim 2, comprising, as a
gasoline fuel additive having polar moieties (a), polyalkenemono-
or polyalkylenepolyamines based on polypropylene, polybutene or
polyisobutene having Mn=from 300 to 5,000.
4. The fuel composition according to claim 2, comprising, as a
gasoline fuel additive having polar moieties (b), reaction products
of polyisobutenes having an average degree of polymerization P=from
5 to 100 with nitrogen oxides or mixtures of nitrogen oxides and
oxygen.
5. The fuel composition according to claim 2, comprising, as a
gasoline fuel additive having polar moieties (c), reaction products
of polyisobutene epoxides obtainable from polyisobutene having
predominantly terminal double bonds and Mn=from 300 to 5,000 with
ammonia, mono- or polyamines.
6. The fuel composition according to claim 2, comprising, as a
gasoline fuel additive having polar moieties (d), copolymers of
C.sub.2-C.sub.40-olefins with maleic anhydrides which have a total
molar mass of from 500 to 20,000 and of whose carboxyl groups some
or all have been converted to the alkali metal or alkaline earth
metal salts and any remainder of the carboxyl groups have been
reacted with alcohols or amines.
7. The fuel composition according to claim 2, comprising, as a
gasoline fuel additive having polar moieties (e), alkali metal or
alkaline earth metal salts of an alkyl sulfosuccinate.
8. The fuel composition according to claim 2, comprising, as a
gasoline fuel additive having polar moieties (f), polyethers or
polyetheramines obtainable by reacting C.sub.2-C.sub.30-alkanols,
C.sub.6-C.sub.60-alkanediols, mono- or di-
C.sub.2-C.sub.30-alkylamines, CI-C.sub.30-alkylcyclohexanols or
C.sub.1-C.sub.30-alkylphenols with from 1 to 30 mol of ethylene
oxide and/or propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide per hydroxyl
group or amino group and, in the case of polyetheramines, by
subsequent reductive amination with ammonia, monoamines or
polyamines.
9. The fuel composition according to claim 2, comprising, as a
gasoline fuel additive having polar moieties (g), esters of mono-,
di- or tricarboxylic acids with long-chain alkanols or polyols.
10. The fuel composition according to claim 2, comprising, as a
gasoline fuel additive having polar moieties (h), derivatives of
polyisobutenylsuccinic anhydride obtainable by reacting
conventional or highly reactive polyisobutylene having Mn =from 300
to 5,000 with maleic anhydride by a thermal route or via the
chlorinated polyisobutene.
11. The fuel composition according to claim 2, comprising, as a
gasoline fuel additive having polar moieties (i), reaction products
of polyisobutene-substituted phenols with formaldehyde and mono- or
polyamines.
12. The fuel composition according to claim 1, comprising a
gasoline fuel having a maximum olefin content of 21% by volume
based on the volume of a nonadditized lower alkanol-free gasoline
fuel.
13. The fuel composition according to claim 1, comprising a
gasoline fuel having a maximum benzene content of 1.0% by volume
based on the volume of a nonadditized lower alkanol-free gasoline
fuel.
14. The fuel composition according to claim 1, comprising a
gasoline fuel having a maximum oxygen content of 2.7% by volume
based on the volume of a nonadditized lower alkanol-free gasoline
fuel.
15. The fuel composition according to claim 1, comprising a
gasoline fuel having a maximum aromatics content of 42% by volume
based on the volume of a nonadditized lower alkanol-free gasoline
fuel.
16. The fuel composition according to claim 1, comprising the
gasoline fuel additives having the polar moieties (a) to (i) in an
amount of from 1 to 5,000 ppm by weight.
17. The use of a lower alkanol in low-sulfur gasoline fuels having
a maximum sulfur content of 150 ppm by weight to improve the action
of an additive having detergent action or having valve seat
wear-inhibiting action, wherein the additive has at least one
hydrophobic hydrocarbon radical having a number-average molecular
weight (MN) of from 85 to 20,000 and at least one polar moiety.
18. A process for improving the additive action of an additive
having detergent action or having valve seat wear-inhibiting action
as defined in claim 1 in low-sulfur gasoline fuels, by admixing the
gasoline fuel with an effective amount of a lower alcohol.
19. The use of a combination of lower alcohol and at least one
additive having detergent action or having valve seat
wear-inhibiting action, the additive having at least one
hydrophobic hydrocarbon radical having a number-average molecular
weight (MN) of from 85 to 20,000 and at least one polar moiety, to
reduce combustion chamber deposits and/or to reduce deposits in the
intake system of a gasoline engine.
20. The use of a combination of lower alcohol and additive having
valve seat wear-inhibiting action, the additive having at least one
hydrophobic hydrocarbon radical having a number-average molecular
weight (MN) of from 85 to 20,000 and at least one polar moiety, as
a valve seat wear-inhibitor for gasoline fuels.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a fuel composition
comprising a major amount of a specific lower alkanol-containing
gasoline fuel and a minor amount of selected gasoline fuel
additives.
[0002] Carburetors and intake systems of gasoline engines, and also
injection systems for fuel metering, are contaminated to an
increasing degree by impurities which are caused by dust particles
from the air, uncombusted hydrocarbon residues from the combustion
chamber and the crankcase vent gases conducted into the
carburetor.
[0003] These residues shift the air-fuel ratio when idling and in
the lower partial load range, so that the mixture becomes leaner,
the combustion more incomplete and in turn the proportions of
uncombusted or partially combusted hydrocarbons in the exhaust gas
become higher and the gasoline consumption increases.
[0004] It is known that these disadvantages can be prevented by
using fuel additives to keep valves and carburetors or injection
systems of gasoline engines clean (cf., for example: M. Rossenbeck
in Katalysatoren, Tenside, Mineraloladditive [Catalysts,
surfactants, mineral oil additives], Eds.: J. Falbe, U. Hasserodt,
p. 223, G. Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart 1978).
[0005] Moreover, in gasoline engines of older design, the problem
of valve seat wear occurs on operation with lead-free gasoline
fuels. To counteract this, valve seat wear-inhibiting additives
have been developed which are based on alkali metal or alkaline
earth metal compounds.
[0006] For trouble-free use, modern gasoline engines require fuels
having a complex profile of properties which.can only be ensured in
combination with appropriate gasoline fuel additives. Such gasoline
fuels generally consist of a complex mixture of chemical compounds
and are character;zed by physical quantities. However, the
interplay between gasoline fuels and appropriate additives is still
in need of improvement in the known fuel compositions with regard
to the action of cleaning and keeping clean, and the valve seat
wear-inhibiting action.
[0007] It is an object of the present invention to find a more
effective gasoline fuel-gasoline fuel additive composition. In
particular, the intention is to find more effective additive
formulations.
[0008] We have found that this object is achieved by a fuel
composition which comprises a major amount of a gasoline fuel
having a maximum sulfur content of 150 ppm by weight and a minor
amount of at least one gasoline fuel additive having detergent
action or having a valve seat wear-inhibiting action, wherein this
gasoline fuel additive has at least one hydrophobic hydrocarbon
radical having a number-average molecular weight (MN) of from 85 to
20,000 and at least one polar moiety, and wherein the fuel
composition also has a content of at least one lower alkanol of
from about 5 to 75% by volume.
[0009] The polar moiety is selected from:
[0010] (a) mono- or polyamino groups having up to 6 nitrogen atoms,
of which at least one nitrogen atom has basic properties,
[0011] (b) nitro groups, if appropriate in combination with
hydroxyl groups,
[0012] (c) hydroxyl groups in combination with mono- or polyamino
groups, in which at least one nitrogen atom has basic
properties,
[0013] (d) carboxyl groups or the.r alkali metal or their alkaline
earth metal salts,
[0014] (e) sulfonic acid groups or their alkali metal or alkaline
earth metal salts,
[0015] (f) polyoxy-C2- to -C4-alkylene groups which are terminated
by hydroxyl groups, mono- or polyamino groups, in which at least
one nitrogen atom has basic properties, or by carbamate groups,
[0016] (g) carboxylic ester groups,
[0017] (h) moieties derived from succinic anhydride and having
hydroxyl and/or amino and/or amino and/or imido groups and
[0018] (i) moieties obtained by Mannich reaction of substituted
phenols with aldehydes and mono- or polyamines.
[0019] The alkanol used in accordance with the invention is
preferably a straight-chain or branched, saturated
C.sub.1-C.sub.6-mono- or -diol, in particular a
C.sub.1-C.sub.3-mono alkanol, such as methanol, ethanol, n- or
i-propanol, or a mixture of a plurality of these alkanols.
[0020] The alkanol content, based on the total volume of the fuel
composition, is a maximum of 75% by volume, for example from 5 to
75% by volume, preferably from 10 to 65% by volume, in particular
from 20 to 55% by volume, for example 30 - 40% by volume or 40-50%
by volume.
[0021] The content of further alcohols and ethers in the gasoline
fuel is normally relatively low.
[0022] Typical maximum contents are 7% by volume for tert-butanol,
10% by volume for isobutanol and 15% by volume for ethers having 5
or more carbon atoms in the molecule.
[0023] The maximum aromatics content of the gasoline fuel is
preferably 40% by volume, in particular 38% by volume. Preferred
ranges for the aromatics content are from 20 to 42% by volume, in
particular from 25 to 40% by volume.
[0024] The maximum sulfur content of the gasoline fuel is
preferably 100 ppm by weight, in particular 50 ppm by weight.
Preferred ranges for the sulfur content are from 0.5 to 150 ppm by
weight, in particular from 1 to 100 ppm by weight.
[0025] In a preferred embodiment, the gasoline fuel has a maximum
olefin content of 21 % by volume, preferably 18% by volume, in
particular 10% by volume. Preferred ranges for the olefin content
are from 6 to 21 % by volume, in particular from 7 to 18% by
volume.
[0026] In a further preferred embodiment, the gasoline fuel has a
maximum benzene content of 1.0% by volume, in particular 0.9% by
volume, Preferred ranges for the benzene 25 content are from 0.5 to
1.0% by volume, in particular from 0.6 to 0.9% by volume.
[0027] In a further preferred embodiment, the oxygen content of the
gasoline fuel is a maximum of 2.7% by weight, and is preferably
from 0.1 to 2.7% by weight, in particular from 1.0 to 2.7% by
weight, especially from 1.2 to 2.0% by weight.
[0028] Particular preference is given to a gasoline fuel which at
the same time has a maximum aromatics content of 38% by volume, a
maximum olefin content of 21% by volume, a maximum sulfur content
of 50 ppm by weight, a maximum benzene content of 1.0% by volume
and an oxygen content of from 1.0 to 2.7% by weight.
[0029] The above percentages by volume for all of them, benzene,
aromatics and oxygen content are each based on the volume of the
mineral gasoline fuel component, i.e. without additives and without
alkanol.
[0030] The summer vapor pressure of the gasoline fuel is typically
a maximum of 70 kPa, in particular 60 kPa (each at 370 C).
[0031] The research octane number ("RON") of the gasoline fuel is
generally from 90 to 100. A typical range for the corresponding
motor octane number ("MON") is from 80 to 90.
[0032] The specifications mentioned are determined by customary
methods (DIN EN 228).
[0033] The hydrophobic hydrocarbon radical in the gasoline fuel
additives, which ensures sufficient solubility in the fuel, has a
number-average molecular weight (Mn) of from 85 to 20,000,
especially from 113 to 10,000, in particular from 300 to 5,000.
Typical hydrophobic hydrocarbon radicals which can be used, in
particular in conjunction with the polar moieties (a), (c), (h) and
(i) are the polypropenyl, polybutenyl and polyisobutenyl radical
each having Mn =from 300 to 5,000, especially from 500 to 2,500, in
particular from 750 to 2,250.
[0034] Individual gasoline fuel additives having detergent action
or having valve seat wear-inhibiting action include the
following:
[0035] Additives comprising mono- or polyamino groups (a) are
preferably polyalkenemono- or polyalkenepolyamines based on
polypropene or on highly reactive (i.e. having predominantly
terminal double bonds, usually in the alpha- and beta-position) or
conventional (i.e. having predominantly internal double bonds)
polybutene or polyisobutene having Mn =from 300 to 5000. Such
additives based on highly reactive polyisobutene, which can be
prepared from the polyisobutene which may comprise up to 20% by
weight of n-butene units by hydroformylation and reductive
amination with ammonia, monoamines or polyamines, such as
dimethylaminopropylamine, ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine,
triethylenetetramine or tetraethylenepentamine, are disclosed in
particular in EP-A 244 616. When polybutene or polyisobutene having
predominantly internal double bonds (usually in the beta and gamma
position) are used as starting materials in the preparation of the
additives, a possible preparative route is by chlorination and
subsequent amination or by oxidation of the double bond with air or
ozone to give the carbonyl or carboxyl compound and subsequent
amination under reductive (hydrogenating) conditions. The amines
used here for the amination may be the same as those used above for
the reductive amination of the hydroformylated highly reactive
polyisobutene. Corresponding additives based on polypropene are
described in particular in WO-A 94/24231.
[0036] Further preferred additives containing monoamino groups (a)
are the hydrogenation products of the reaction products of
polyisobutenes having an average degree of polymerization P=from 5
to 100 with nitrogen oxides or mixtures of nitrogen oxides and
oxygen, as described in particular in WO-A 97/03946.
[0037] Further preferred additives comprising monoamino groups (a)
are the compounds obtainable from polyisobutene epoxides by
reaction with amines and subsequent dehydration and reduction of
the amino alcohols, as described in particular in DE-A 196 20
262.
[0038] Additives comprising nitro groups, if appropriate in
combination with hydroxyl groups, (b) are preferably reaction
products of polyisobutenes having an average degree of
polymerization P=from 5 to 100 or from 10 to 100 with nitrogen
oxides or mixtures of nitrogen oxides and oxygen, as described in
particular in WO-A 96/03367 and WO-A 96/03479. These reaction
products are generally mixtures of pure nitropoly-isobutanes (e.g.
alpha, beta-dinitropolyisobutane) and mixed
hydroxynitropoly-isobutanes (e.g.
alpha-nitro-beta-hydroxypolyisobutane).
[0039] Additives comprising hydroxyl groups in combination with
mono- or polyamino groups (c) are in particular reaction products
of polyisobutene epoxides obtainable from polyisobutene having
preferably predominantly terminal double bonds and Mn from 300 to 5
000, with ammonia or mono- or polyamines, as described in
particular in EP-A 476 485.
[0040] Additives comprising carboxyl groups or their alkali metal
or alkaline earth metal salts (d) are preferably copolymers of
C.sub.2-C.sub.40-olefins with maleic anhydride which have a total
molar mass of from 500 to 20 000 and of whose carboxyl groups some
or all have been converted to the alkali metal or alkaline earth
metal salts and any remainder of the carboxyl groups has been
reacted with alcohols or amines. Such additives are disclosed in
particular by EP-A 307 815. Such additives serve mainly to prevent
valve seat wear and can, as described in WO-A 87/01126,
advantageously be used in combination with customary fuel
detergents such as poly(iso)butenamines or polyetheramines.
[0041] Additives comprising sulfonic acid groups or their alkali
metal or alkaline earth metal salts (e) are preferably alkali metal
or alkaline earth metal salts of an alkyl sulfosuccinate, as
described in particular in EP-A 639 632. Such additives serve
mainly to prevent valve seat wear and can be used advantageously in
combination with customary fuel detergents such as
poly(iso)butenamines or polyetheramines.
[0042] Additives comprising polyoxy-C.sub.2- to C.sub.4-alkylene
moieties (f) are preferably polyethers or polyetheramines which are
obtainable by reaction of C.sub.2- to C.sub.60-alkanols, C.sub.6-
to C.sub.30-alkanediols, mono- or di-C.sub.2-C.sub.30-alkylamines,
C.sub.1-C.sub.30-alkylcyclohexanols or
C.sub.1-C.sub.30-alkylphenols with from 1 to 30 mol of ethylene
oxide and/or propylene oxide and/or butylene oxide per hydroxyl
group or amino group and, in the case of the polyetheramines, by
subsequent reductive amination with ammonia, monoamines or
polyamines. Such products are described in particular in EP-A 310
875, EP-A 356 725, EP-A 700 985 and US-A 4 877 416. In the case of
polyethers, such products also have carrier oil properties. Typical
examples of these are tridecanol butoxylates, isotridecanol
butoxylates, isononylphenol butoxylates and polyisobutenol
butoxylates and propoxylates and also the corresponding reaction
products with ammonia.
[0043] Additives comprising carboxylic ester groups (g) are
preferably esters of mono-, di- or tricarboxylic acids with
long-chain alkanols or polyols, in particular those having a
minimum viscosity of 2 mm.sup.2/s at 100.degree. C., as described
in particular in DE-A 38 38 918. The mono-, di- or tricarboxylic
acids used may be aliphatic or aromatic acids, and particularly
suitable ester alcohols or ester polyols are long-chain
representatives having, for example, from 6 to 24 carbon atoms.
Typical representatives of the esters are adipates, phthalates,
isophthalates, terephthalates and trimellitates of isooctanol, of
isononanol, of isodecanol and of isotridecanol. Such products also
have carrier oil properties.
[0044] Additives comprising moieties derived from succinic
anhydride and having hydroxyl and/or amino and/or amido and/or
imido groups (h) are preferably corresponding derivatives of
polyisobutenylsuccinic anhydride which are obtainable by reacting
conventional or highly reactive polyisobutene having Mn=from 300 to
5000 with maleic anhydride by a thermal route or via the
chlorinated polyisobutene. Particular interest attaches to
derivatives with aliphatic polyamines such as ethylenediamine,
diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine or tetraethylenepentamine.
Such gasoline fuel additives are described in particular in US-A 4
849 572.
[0045] Additives comprising moieties obtained by Mannich reaction
of substituted phenols with aldehydes and mono- or polyamines (i)
are preferably reaction products of polyisobutene-substituted
phenols with formaldehyde and mono- or polyamines such as
ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine,
tetraethylenepentamine or dimethylaminopropylamine, The
polyisobutenyl-substituted phenols may stem from conventional or
highly reactive polyisobutene having Mn =from 300 to 5000. Such
"polyisobutene-Mannich bases" are described in particular in EP-A
831 141.
[0046] For a more precise definition of the gasoline fuel additives
detailed individually, reference is explicitly made here to the
disclosures of the abovementioned prior art documents.
[0047] The fuel composition according to the invention may
additionally comprise further customary components and additives.
These include primarily carrier oils without marked detergent
action, for example mineral carrier oils (base oils), in particular
those of the viscosity class "Solvent Neutral (SN) 500 to 2000",
and synthetic carrier oils based on olefin polymers having Mn =from
400 to 1800, in particular based on polybutene or polyisobutene
(hydrogenated or nonhydrogenated), on poly-alpha-olefins or
poly(internal olefin)s.
[0048] Useful solvents or diluents (when providing additive
packages) are aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons such as Solvent
Naphtha.
[0049] Further customary additives are corrosion inhibitors, for
example based on ammonium salts of organic carboxylic acids, said
salts tending to form films, or of heterocyclic aromatics for
nonferrous metal corrosion protection, antioxidants or stabilizers,
for example based on amines such as p-phenylenediamine,
dicyclohexylamine or derivatives thereof or of phenols such as
2,4-di-tert-butylphenol or
3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid, demulsifiers,
antistats, metallocenes such as ferrocene or
methylcyclopentadienylmanganese tricarbonyl, lubricity additives
such as certain fatty acids, alkenylsuccinic esters,
bis(hydroxyalkyl) fatty amines, hydroxyacetamides or castor oil and
also markers. Amines are also optionally added to lower the pH of
the fuel.
[0050] Also useful for the fuel composition according to the
invention are in particular combinations of the gasoline fuel
described with a mixture of gasoline fuel additives having the
polar moiety (f) and corrosion inhibitors and/or lubricity
additives based on carboxylic acids or fatty acids which may be
present as monomeric and/or dimeric species. Typical mixtures of
this type comprise polyisobutanamines in combination with
alkanol-started polyethers such as tridecanol or isotridecanol
butoxylates or propoxylates, polyisobutenamines in combination with
alkanol-started polyetheramines such as tridecanol or isotridecanol
butoxylate-ammonia reaction products and alkanol-started
polyetheramines such as tridecanol or isotridecanol butoxylate
reaction products in combination with alkanol-started polyethers
such as tridecanol or isotridecanol butoxylates or propoxylates,
used together with the corrosion inhibitors and/or lubricity
additives mentioned.
[0051] The gasoline fuel additives having the polar moieties (a) to
(i) mentioned, and also the other components mentioned, are metered
into the gasoline fuel and exhibit their action there. The
components and/or additives may be added to the fuel individually
or as a concentrate prepared beforehand ("additive package").
[0052] The gasoline fuel additives having the polar moieties (a) to
(i) mentioned are added to the gasoline fuel typically in an amount
of from 1 to 5000 ppm by weight, especially from 5 to 3000 ppm by
weight, in particular from 10 to 1000 ppm by weight. The other
components and additives mentioned are, if desired, added in
amounts customary for this purpose.
[0053] In the fuel composition according to the invention, it is
surprisingly possible with distinctly less detergent or valve seat
wear inhibitor to achieve the same action of cleaning or keeping
clean, or valve seat wear-inhibiting action as for comparable fuel
compositions without lower alkanol addition. Moreover, the use of
the same amounts of detergent or valve seat wear inhibitor in the
fuel composition according to the invention, compared to
conventional fuel compositions, surprisingly results in a
distinctly better action of cleaning or keeping clean, and valve
seat wear-inhibiting action.
[0054] In addition, the fuel composition according to the invention
additionally exhibits advantages to the effect that fewer deposits
are formed in the combustion chamber of the gasoline engine and
that less additive is entrained into the engine oil via the fuel
dilution.
[0055] The invention further relates to
[0056] i) the use of a lower alkanol in low-sulfur gasoline fuels
to improve the action of an additive having detergent action or
having valve seat wear-inhibiting action as defined above;
[0057] ii) a process for improving the additive action of an
additive having detergent action or having valve seat
wear-inhibiting action as defined above in low-sulfur gasoline
fuels, by admixing the gasoline fuel with an effective amount of a
lower alcohol;
[0058] iii) the use of a combination of lower alcohol and at least
one additive having detergent action or having valve seat
wear-inhibiting action as defined above to reduce combustion
chamber deposits and/or to reduce deposits in the intake system of
a gasoline engine;
[0059] iv) the use of a combination of lower alcohol and additive
having valve seat wear-inhibiting action as defined above as a
valve seat wear-inhibitor for gasoline fuels.
[0060] The examples which follow are intended to illustrate the
invention without restricting it.
EXAMPLES
[0061] The gasoline fuel additive used was a commercial additive
package comprising 60% by weight of detergent additive,
polyisobutenamine (Mn=1000 g/mol), and 32% by weight of carrier oil
(tridecanol etherified with 22 units of butylene oxide).
[0062] The gasoline fuels used were those listed below with the
particular specification stated, and GF 1 (parameters see Table 1)
is a typical commercially available fuel. TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1
Specification GF 1 Aromatics content 39.8 [% by vol.] Paraffin
content 47.7 [% by vol.] Olefin content 12.5 [% by vol.] Sulfur
content 35 [ppm by weight] Density 743.6 [15.degree. C.]
[kg/m.sup.3] Initial boiling point 34.5.degree. C. 10% volume
50.degree. C. 50% volume 85.degree. C. 90% volume 150.5.degree. C.
Final boiling point 189.0.degree. C. GF 2 = GF 1 + 10% by vol. of
EtOH GF 3 = GF 1 + 50% by vol. of EtOH
Preparation of the Fuel Compositions
Example 1
Comparative Experiment
[0063] 150 or 200 mg of additive package were dissolved in 1 kg of
GF 1 according to Table 1.
Example 2
Inventive
[0064] Example 1 was repeated except that GF 2 was used instead of
GF 1.
Example 3
Inventive
[0065] Example 1 was repeated except that GF 3 was used instead of
GF 1
Performance Investigations
Example 4
[0066] Gasoline fuels according to Examples 1 to 3 were
investigated for their influence on the intake valve deposits (IVD)
and on the total combustion deposits (TCD). This was effected with
the aid of engine tests which were carried out in test rig
experiments with a Mercedes-Benz engine M102 E according to CEC
F-05-A-93. The IVD values for additized and nonadditized fuels are
compiled in the following Table 2.
[0067] In addition, the amount of total combustion deposits (TCD)
was determined in the same experimental series for each of the four
cylinders of the engine. The particular average value is likewise
quoted in Table 2. To determine the TCD value, the procedure was
similar to the method CEC F-20-A-98. TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Fuel GF
1 GF 2 GF 3 Amount of additive [mg/kg] 0 150 200 0 150 200 0 150
200 IVD.sup.1) 269 85 23 293 98 15 239 31 3 [mg/valve] TCD.sup.2)
1778 1864 1807 1677 1668 1713 1056 1248 764 [mg/cylinder]
.sup.1)Intake Valve Deposits .sup.2)Total Combustion Deposits
[0068] As is evident from Table 2, the admixing of relatively large
amounts of ethanol (i.e. >10%) to the gasoline fuel results in
surprisingly little formation of valve or combustion chamber
(cylinder) deposits being observed.
* * * * *