A quaternary ammonium compound of formula (I): wherein R.sup.0, R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is each independently an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group; X is a linking group; R.sup.4 is an optionally substituted alkylene group; n is a positive integer; W is O.sup.− or OH; b is 1 when W is OH, and b is 2 when W is O.sup.−. ##STR00001##

Amines and amine derivatives that improve the buffering range, and/or reduce the chelation and other negative interactions of the buffer and the system to be buffered. The reaction of amines or polyamines with various molecules to form polyamines with differing pKa's will extend the buffering range, derivatives that result in polyamines that have the same pKa yields a greater buffering capacity. Derivatives that result in zwitterionic buffers improve yield by allowing a greater range of stability.

Methods of reducing stochastic pre-ignition events and/or carbonaceous deposits in a gasoline-fueled engine by adding at least 10 ppm by weight of a compound having at least one alkyl succinic acid group to a gasoline fuel, wherein said compound is the product of (a) and (b), wherein:

(a) is an amine with at least one tertiary nitrogen, water, or a hydrocarbyl substituted alcohol; and

(b) is a hydrocarbyl-substituted succinic acid and/or anhydride.

A fuel composition comprising as an additive the reaction product of a polycarboxylic acid compound of formula (I): (I) or an anhydride thereof; and an alcohol having at least 5 carbon atoms; wherein each of n and m may be 0 or a positive integer.

##STR00001##

A process for producing a microemulsion or nanoemulsion comprising water and at least one hydrocarbon or oil, comprising the steps of: a) providing the hydrocarbon or oil, water, one or more additives, a solvent, and a hydrophilic surfactant formulation comprising an amine or amide derivative non-ionic surfactant which is a fatty acid alkanolamide, one or more ethoxylated alcohols and/or ethoxylated alkylphenols, and a non-ionic fatty acid ester; b) by a mixing or stirring device operating at a mixing or stirring speed in the range 100 rpm and 15000 rpm, mixing or stirring the hydrophilic surfactant formulation and additive into the solvent, to produce a hydrophilic self-emulsifying blend; c) adding water to the hydrophilic self-emulsifying blend and the hydrocarbon or oil to produce a water-in-hydrocarbon/oil microemulsion or nanoemulsion, wherein the microemulsion or nanoemulsion comprises: 46% or more by mass of the hydrocarbon or oil, 4% to 36% by mass of water, a mass ratio of hydrophilic surfactant formulation to water in the range 1:10 to 1:2, 0.1% to 5% by mass of additive, 1.2% or more by mass of the solvent, a dispersed particle size in the range 1 nm to 500 nm, and a polydispersity index of 35% PdI or less, wherein the percentages by mass of the hydrocarbon or oil, water, formulation, additive and solvent together add up to 100%.

Provided is a fuel composition for improving fuel efficiency. The fuel composition includes greater than 50 wt % of a hydrocarbon fuel boiling in the gasoline or diesel range, a minor amount a zinc chelator, and a minor amount of a friction modifier. The friction modifier includes at least one polar group.

The present disclosure provides a pour point dispersant composition comprising an alkoxylated alkyl amine polyester. The pour point depressant composition may optionally be combined with a solvent and added to a hydrocarbon composition to improve the cold-flow properties of the hydrocarbon composition.

A real time additive processing system for crude oil or refined fuel products is coupled to a fuel transport line that transfers fuel from one storage tank to another storage tank. The fuel additive processing system includes a fuel additive storage tank coupled to a liquid conduit having a liquid pump with a speed/stroke controller that regulates the liquid pump. The liquid conduit is coupled to the fuel transport line at a fuel additive injection nozzle. The fuel additive processing system also includes a flow rate transmitter and a chemical or physical property analyzer coupled to the fuel transport line downstream of the additive injection nozzle. The fuel additive processing system includes a flow controller that communicates with the liquid pump speed/stroke controller, flow rate transmitter and chemical or physical property analyzer. A remote system allows selective control of the flow controller.

The use as a valve deposit controlling additive in a fuel composition for a direct injection spark-ignition internal combustion engine of a combination of: a) at least one hydrocarbyl-substituted aromatic compound; and b) at least one polyalkylene amine.

The invention relates to the use of quaternized nitrogen compounds as a fuel and lubricant additive or kerosene additive, such as in particular as a detergent additive, for decreasing or preventing deposits in the injection systems of direct-injection diesel engines, in particular in common rail injection systems, for decreasing the fuel consumption of direct-injection diesel engines, in particular of diesel engines having common rail injection systems, and for minimizing the power loss in direct-injection diesel engines, in particular in diesel engines having common rail injection systems; the invention further relates to the use as an additive for petrol, in particular for operation of DISI engines.