Gasoline Composition With Octane Synergy

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of gasoline and gasoline compositions or blends. More specifically the invention relates to a novel fuel or gasoline composition with synergistic effects and use thereof, and in particular a synergistic effect with respect to the octane rating/octane number.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A gasoline composition comprising: (a) a base gasoline without oxygen, representing a component in an amount ranging from about 60 to about 90 vol % of a total gasoline composition; (b) a renewable gasoline component in an amount ranging from 1 to 15 vol % of the total gasoline composition; and (c) one or more mono-alcohols forming a mono-alcohol component in an amount ranging from 12 vol % to 14 vol % of the total gasoline composition, wherein the one or more mono-alcohols have an octane rating number (RON) of about 105 or more; and wherein the gasoline composition as a whole has a RON of at least 95; and wherein the components listed in (a), (b), and (c) taken together add up to 100 vol %.

19. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the gasoline composition as a whole comprises: an oxygen content of at most about 3.7 wt %.

20. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the gasoline composition as a whole has a RON of about 98 or higher.

21. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the base gasoline without oxygen in (a) is a combination of hydrocarbons comprising: paraffins, aromatic compounds and olefinic hydrocarbons having 4 carbon atoms or more, and/or 4 to 12 carbon atoms.

22. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the base gasoline without oxygen in (a) is a combination of hydrocarbons comprising: paraffins, aromatic compounds and olefinic hydrocarbons having from 4 to 9 carbon atoms in an amount which is at least of more of 50 vol % or more, 60 vol-% or more, 70 vol-% or more, 80 vol-% or more, and/or 85 vol-% or more.

23. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the base gasoline without oxygen in (a) has a boiling point ranging from about 30° C. to about 230° C., and/or from about 30° C. to about 210° C.

24. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the renewable gasoline component in (b) is present in an amount of about 3 vol % to about 10 vol %, based on the total gasoline composition.

25. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the renewable gasoline component in (b) is present in an amount of about 6 vol % based on the total gasoline composition.

26. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the renewable gasoline component in (b) comprises essentially: a mixture of C4-C9 hydrocarbons, and/or a mixture of C4-C9 n-alkanes and isoalkanes.

27. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the renewable gasoline component in (b) has a boiling point ranging from about 40° C. to about 170° C. at normal pressure.

28. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the mono-alcohol is at least a saturated C.sub.3-alcohol, and/or is propanol or iso-propanol.

29. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the mono-alcohol is isopropanol (2-propanol).

30. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein the RON is at least about 85.

31. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein a dry vapor pressure equivalent (DVPE) of the gasoline composition ranges from about 45.0 kPa to about 100 kPa.

32. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein said one or more alcohol(s) in (c) is/are bio-based and/or fossil-based.

33. The gasoline composition according to claim 18, wherein a dry vapor pressure equivalent (DVPE) of the gasoline composition is about 65 kPa.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] In describing the embodiments of the invention, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents, which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

[0028] When describing the embodiments or aspects of the present invention, the combinations and permutations of all possible embodiments have not been explicitly described. Nevertheless, the mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims or described in different embodiments does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. The present invention envisages all possible combinations and permutations of the described embodiments.

[0029] The terms “comprising”, “comprise” and “comprises” herein are intended by the inventors to be optionally substitutable with the terms “consisting of”, “consist of” and “consists of”, respectively, in every instance.

[0030] The invention in one aspect relates to a novel fuel composition.

[0031] Thus, present invention relates to a fuel or gasoline composition which comprises:

(a) a base gasoline without oxygen content,
(b) a renewable gasoline component,
(c) one or more alcohols.

[0032] The prepared composition may be used as is, without further elaboration or modification, or may be further used in blending or preparing other compositions.

[0033] In one aspect, the base gasoline without oxygen content may be in an amount in the range from e.g. about 20 vol % to about 95 vol %, such as e.g. about 30 vol % to about 95 vol %, such as e.g. about 40 vol % to about 95 vol %, such as e.g. about 50 vol % to about 95 vol %, such as e.g. about 60 vol % to about 95 vol %, such as e.g. about 70 vol % to about 95 vol %, such as e.g. about 80 vol % to about 95 vol %, or such as e.g. about 60 vol % to about 90 vol %.

[0034] In one aspect, the base gasoline without oxygen content may be in an amount in the range from e.g. about 60 vol % to about 90 vol % based on the total gasoline composition.

[0035] The base gasoline without oxygen content may be a combination of hydrocarbons comprising paraffins, aromatic compounds and olefinic hydrocarbons having about 4 carbon atoms or more, such as 4 to 12 carbon atoms. An example of a BOB comprises a mixture of n-paraffins, iso-paraffins, aromatics, naphthenes, and olefins. The amount of paraffins (n-paraffins, i-paraffins and cycloparaffins) may be in the range of about 10 to about 65 vol %, the olefinic content may be about 8 to about 30 vol %, e.g. about 12 to about 25 vol %, e.g. about 20 vol % and the aromatic content is about 25 to 50 vol %, e.g. about 30 to about 45 vol %, e.g. about 40 vol %, of the total content of the BOB. It is understood that the listed components add up to a total of 100 vol % of the BOB. As implied by the definition, no compounds are present which comprise any oxygen atoms in the BOB. In one aspect, benzene may be present in an amount of less than or equal to about 1 vol %.

[0036] In one aspect, the base gasoline without oxygen may be a combination of hydrocarbons comprising paraffins, aromatic compounds and olefinic hydrocarbons having preferably from 4 to 9 carbon atoms in an amount of which may be present in an amount of 50 vol % or more, such as e.g. about 60 vol-% or more, preferably 70 vol-% or more, more preferable 80 vol-% or more, and most preferred 85 vol-% or more. In one aspect, the amount is less than about 90 vol %.

[0037] The base gasoline without oxygen may have a boiling point in the range from about 30° C. to about 230° C., or preferably from about 30° C. to about 210° C.

[0038] With respect to the renewable gasoline component, this component may in principle be any type of gasoline which is derived from renewable sources. Such sources may be in principle be any type of material as long as such material is not derived from fossil-based material. Suitable material may be any plant based or animal based material. The renewable sources may comprise vegetable oil, wood oil, other plant based oil, animal oil, animal fat, fish fat, fish oil, algae oil, microbial oil, or a combination thereof. Optionally or additionally, the renewable feedstock may comprise recyclable waste and/or recyclable residue. Recyclable waste comprises material such as used cooking oil, free fatty acids, palm oil, by-products or process side streams, sludge, and side streams from vegetable oil processing.

[0039] In one aspect, the renewable gasoline component may be present in an amount of about 1 vol % to about 15 vol %, such as e.g. 3 vol % to about 10 vol %, such as e.g. about 5 vol % to about 10 vol %, such as e.g. about 6 vol % to about 10 vol %, or about 3 vol %, about 4 vol %, about 5 vol %, about 6 vol %, about 7 vol %, about 8 vol %, about 9 vol %, about 10 vol % based on the total gasoline composition.

[0040] In another aspect, the renewable gasoline component may be present in an amount of about 6 vol % of the total gasoline composition.

[0041] As meant herein, the “total” gasoline composition is meant the finished composition, wherein all components mentioned herein and in the claims have been mixed together. Usually, the terminology entails the vol % (volume percentage; V/V) but may also be w % (weight percentage; m/m) as appropriate and as indicated in each instance.

[0042] According to the invention, the renewable gasoline component may comprise essentially a mixture of C4-C9 hydrocarbons (i.e. hydrocarbons having 4 to 9 carbon atoms), such as a mixture of C4-C9 n-alkanes and iso-alkanes. Put differently, the renewable gasoline component may comprise a mixture of C4 to C9 hydrocarbons (C.sub.nH.sub.2n+2, n=4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9), i.e. straight or branched hydrocarbons having 4 to 9 carbon atoms originating from renewable sources such as e.g. plant or animal material and consequently not derived from any fossil based material. Non-limiting examples of relevant hydrocarbons may be n-alkanes and/or iso-alkanes. Consequently, the renewable gasoline component may comprise a mixture of one or more of n-hexane, n-pentane, 2-methylbutane (iso-pentane) and other C4 to C9 alkanes such as e.g. 2-methyl pentane, 2,3-dimethyl butane, heptane, 3-methyl hexane.

[0043] The renewable gasoline component may be very low in aromatic contents, i.e. contain a low amount of aromatic compounds such as e.g. benzene and/or toluene. Thus, the aromatic content may be e.g. about 0.1 vol %, preferably less than 0.1 vol % or even aromate-free.

[0044] The renewable gasoline component may have a boiling point range of e.g. about 40° C. to about 170° C.

[0045] In one aspect, the alcohol may be a mono-alcohol which is an organic molecule having one hydroxyl substituent.

[0046] In a further aspect of the invention, the alcohol may have the formula of R—OH, wherein “R” denotes any alkyl group, which may be straight or branched, and may have 1 to 10 carbon atoms. The alcohol can be either bio-based or fossil-based. Non-limiting examples of alcohols are methanol, ethanol, propanol, iso-propanol (2-propanol), butanol, iso-butanol, tert-butanol and the likes.

[0047] A preferred alcohol is iso-propanol (2-propanol).

[0048] In the context of the invention, alcohols may be regarded as oxygenates, i.e. components that adds to the oxygen content of the composition or blend as a whole.

[0049] The alcohol may be present in an amount of e.g. about 5 vol % to about 14 vol % based on the total gasoline composition, such as e.g. about 10 vol % to about 14 vol % based, such as e.g. about 5 vol %, about 10 vol %, about 12 vol %, or about 14 vol % of the total composition.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the alcohol content may be present in an amount of about 12 vol % or about 14 vol % of the total composition.

[0051] In yet a further preferred embodiment, the alcohol content is about 14 vol % of the total composition.

[0052] In a further aspect of the invention, the gasoline composition may comprise a mixture of several different alcohols.

[0053] According to the invention, the gasoline composition may have a RON (research octane number) which may be e.g. at least about 95 or higher, such as e.g. at least about 98 or higher.

[0054] In one aspect, the gasoline composition according to the invention may have a RON of about 98 or higher.

[0055] According to the invention, the gasoline composition may have a MON (motor octane number) which may be e.g. at least about 85 or higher.

[0056] In one aspect, the invention relates to a composition that comprises:

(a) a base gasoline without oxygen content in an amount in the range from about 60 to about 90 vol % based on the total gasoline composition;
(b) a renewable gasoline component in an amount in the range from 1 to 15 vol % based on the total gasoline composition;
and
(c) one or more mono alcohols in an amount in the range from 5 to at the most 15 vol % based on the total gasoline composition, having a RON of about 105 or more; wherein the composition as a whole has a RON of at least 95;
and with the proviso that the components listed in (a), (b), and (c) taken together adds up to 100 vol %.

[0057] In one aspect, the composition as a whole comprises an oxygen content of at the most about 3.7 wt %.

[0058] The inventors of present invention have surprisingly found that by employing an addition of isopropanol, an unexpected increase in terms of MON and RON is observed in combination with employing a renewable source of fuel in a fuel blend, thus offering a novel fuel blend with desired properties required according to fuel standards.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0059] Three different blends with oxygen content of 3.7 wt-% were prepared and mixed

IPA1: 86 vol % 95 octane gasoline without oxygen (BOB)+14 vol % isopropanol (IPA)
IPA2: 80 vol % BOB+14 vol % IPA+6 vol % renewable gasoline component
IPA3: 76 vol % BOB+14 vol % IPA+10 vol % renewable gasoline component.

[0060] With respect to the above mentioned compositions, the following properties were analysed: [0061] RON and MON [0062] Density [0063] Distillation [0064] Vapour pressure [0065] Hydrocarbon composition (EN ISO22854)

[0066] The above analysis resulted in the figures seen in Table 1 below:

TABLE-US-00001 IPA 1 IPA 1 IPA 2 IPA 2 IPA 3 IPA 3 Method BOB (calculated) (analysed) (calculated) (analysed) (calculated) (analysed) Density EN 741.9 748.2 748.1 744.6 739.6 (kg/m3) ISO12185 DVPE EN 65.9 67.0 66.6 65.0 63.2 (kPa) 13016-1 Olefins 15.8 14.0 13.5 13.0 12.1 (vol-%) Aromatics 34.4 30.0 30.1 28.0 26.9 (vol-%) RON EN 95.1 97.6 97.7 94.5 98.0 92.5 94.7 ISO5164 MON EN 84.2 86.0 85.7 83.6 85.8 82.0 84.8 ISO5163

[0067] The blends were calculated based on the volume or mass fractions of each component and assuming linear behaviour. Adding mono-alcohol with high octane numbers was expected to boost the octane numbers compared to the base gasoline without oxygen. Surprisingly, this phenomena was further enhanced by the addition of renewable gasoline component bringing synergistic blending benefits.

[0068] For reference and comparison reasons various physical properties are seen in Table 2 below:

TABLE-US-00002 Renewable gasoline Property Ethanol Isopropanol component Density (g/cm3) 0.789 0.785 0.683 Vapour pressure 19 15 40 (kPa) Oxygen content 34.7 26.6 0 (wt-%) RON 109 113 >60 MON 90 97 <60