Unleaded gasoline formulations for piston engines

Abstract

Disclosed herein are fuel formulations comprising C4-C12 aliphatic hydrocarbons and cumidine. In embodiments, the formulations further include a limited amount of aromatic hydrocarbons. In other embodiments, the aliphatic hydrocarbons are alkylates, and in still other embodiment the alkylates are alkanes. These fuel formulations provide unique and advantageous physical properties suitable for piston engines.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to lead-free piston engine fuels comprising hydrocarbon components and cumidine blended together to produce unique piston-engine motor fuel formulations with a high motor octane number that offers excellent engine and operational performance for aviation purposes. These unique fuels have very low freeze points, low environmental toxicity, and a high degree of compatibility with materials used in aircraft fuel systems.[0003]2. Description of the Prior Art[0004]Aviation fuels are a product of blending many possible hydrocarbon components to very specific formulations to create a combustible fuel that is tailored for an aviation specific use. For example, turbine engines used on most commercial jets worldwide utilize jet fuels specifically designed for their combustion characteristics using hydrocarbons with longer-chain molecules with carbons typically ranging between C8 to C16. These fuels t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention aims to provide better fuels for use in different types of aircraft engines. These fuels have many advantages, including improved performance and compatibility with both high-performance and legacy aircraft engines. The formulations of the invention have suitable boiling point characteristics that enhance fuel stability and improve cold starting features. These technical effects improve the overall quality of aviation fuels and make them more suitable for use in various types of aircraft engines.

Problems solved by technology

The alternatives for blending and producing a lead-free aviation gasoline which meets the performance requirements for all varieties of piston engine aircraft are complex even for those schooled in the art of aviation gasolines.

This application fails to look at the toxicity impact of the fuels with these wide ranging aromatic amines, or the impact these compounds have on freeze point of the fuel using ASTM D2386, or the impact of the fuels on engine deposits, or the exaggerated impact these fuels have on aircraft material compatibility when combined in the presence of toluene, an aromatic hydrocarbon.

These factors taken together make this invention impractical and commercially undesirable for aviation use.

This application fails to look at the toxicity impact of amines on the fuels, or the impact these wide ranging amine compounds have on freeze point of the fuel using ASTM D2386, or the exaggerated impact these fuels have on aircraft material compatibility when combining amines with aromatic hydrocarbons.

These factors make this invention impractical and commercially undesirable for aviation use.

This patent fails to address the fact that a) m-toluidine is a highly toxic compound not often handled in the US fuel supply chain, b) the use of m-toluidine causes the freeze point of the fuel (using ASTM method D2386) to rise above the −58° C. required limit specified by ASTM D910 for aircraft fuel used at altitude, c) aromatic amines of any amount used in combination with aromatic hydrocarbons will exaggeratedly promote the destructive behavior on material used in aircraft fuel systems (e.g. gaskets, hoses, o-rings, etc), and d) the results of fuel tests in this research failed to utilize appropriate ASTM test methods to assure a minimum MON of 102 as reported by FAA requirements for any unleaded “drop-in” fuel to replace 100LL avgas.

These factors make this invention impractical and commercially undesirable for aviation use.

This patent fails to address the fact that 1) aniline is a highly toxic compound not handled in the US fuel supply chain, b) the use of aniline causes the freeze point of the fuel (using ASTM method D2386) to rise well above the −58° C. required limit by ASTM D910 for aircraft fuel used at altitude, and c) aromatic amines of any amount used in combination with aromatic hydrocarbons will exaggeratedly promote the destructive behavior on material used in aircraft fuel systems (e.g. gaskets, hoses, o-rings, etc).

These factors make this invention impractical and commercially undesirable for aviation use.