Fuel gel

Abstract

The invention is a fuel medium. The medium is in a gel state and consists entirely of material from vegetable matter in combination with alcohol, primarily ethanol, although other low carbon alcohol may be used in combination with some water. This blend is made into a gel by the addition of Methyl Hydroxyl Propyl Cellulose (MHPC). When spilled, the gel is biodegradable and not harmful to the environment. During combustion the gel is smokeless, without soot, devoid of noxious gas emissions, non-carcinogenic and non-corrosive. The gel form makes for ease of packaging, as fuel for suitable cooking and barbeque/fire lighter units, and the reduction of ash makes for easy maintenance of these units. Ease of packaging makes the product easy to transport, thereby offering flexibility of use. The low cost of production, due to the efficacy of the MHPC, makes the present invention affordable to low-income earners.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A fuel medium, comprising: 
 a gel mixture of not more than 95% ethanol by weight obtained from vegetable matter and at least 5% water by weight.    
     
     
         2 . The fuel medium of  claim 1  wherein said gel mixture is not more than 70% ethanol by weight obtained from vegetable matter and between 5% and 30% water by weight.  
     
     
         3 . The fuel medium of  claim 1  wherein said gel mixture further comprises of up to 5% MHPC by weight.  
     
     
         4 . The fuel medium of  claim 3  wherein said gel mixture further comprises of up to 5% amyl alcohol by weight.  
     
     
         5 . The fuel medium of  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3 , or  4  is obtained without the addition of any acids, without the addition of any alkali, without the addition of any buffer solutions, without a change in room temperature, or without a change in pH level of said ethanol, said amyl alcohol, said MHPC, or said water.  
     
     
         6 . The fuel medium of  claim 5  is biodegradable.  
     
     
         7 . The fuel medium of  claim 5  has the ability to retain alcohol.  
     
     
         8 . The fuel medium of  claim 5  on combustion is smokeless, without soot, void of noxious gas emission, non-carcinogenic and non-corrosive.  
     
     
         9 . The fuel medium of  claim 5  has a viscosity which is constant, stable, and uniform once formed giving a steady burn and steady heat intensity.  
     
     
         10 . The steady burn and steady heat intensity of said fuel medium of  claim 9  can be altered by increasing or decreasing said water content of ethanol-water mixture prior to the addition of said MHPC.