Method of improving the conductivity of low sulfur fuels

Abstract

A method of increasing the conductivity of a hydrocarbon fuel comprising adding to the fuel an effective conductivity enhancing amount of one or more alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates.

1 . A method of increasing the conductivity of a hydrocarbon fuel comprising adding to the fuel an effective conductivity enhancing amount of one or more alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates.  
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates are prepared by alkoxylation of alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin having a weight average molecular weight of about 500 to about 5,000.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates are prepared by alkoxylation of the alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin with about 15 to about 75 weight percent of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates are prepared by alkoxylation of alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin having a weight average molecular weight of about 1,500 to about 4,000.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates are selected from the group consisting of nonylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate, butylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate and amylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate, or a mixture thereof.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate is nonylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate is nonylphenol-formalydehyde resin ethoxylate.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the nonylphenol-formaldehyde resin ethoxylate is prepared by alkoxylation of nonylphenol-formaldehyde resin having a weight average molecular weight of about 2100 to about 2700 with about 33 to about 66 weight percent, based on nonylphenol-formaldehyde resin, of ethylene oxide.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein about 25 ppm to about 125 ppm of the alkylphenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates are added to the fuel.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fuel is selected from the group consisting of diesel fuel, jet fuel, kerosene, fuel oil, light gas oil, heavy gas oil, light cycle gas oil, heavy cycle gas oil and vacuum gas oil.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fuel is diesel fuel.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the diesel fuel has a maximum sulfur content of less than about 15 ppm.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fuel has a minimum conductivity value of about 50 pS.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the fuel has a minimum conductivity value of about 200 pS.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the fuel is jet fuel.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the diesel fuel is selected from #2 high sulfur diesel fuel and #2 low sulfur diesel fuel.  
   
   
       17 . A hydrocarbon fuel prepared according to the method of  claim 1.