Fuel Additives Useful for Reducing Particulate Emissions

Abstract

A fuel for use in a jet engine may be prepared by admixing a hydrocarbon fuel and a first additive selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated alkylphenol formaldehyde resins, maleic anhydride alpha olefin copolymers and mixtures thereof and a second additive comprising an admixture of platinum group and cerium compounds. The jet fuels including the additives may be used in jet engines where it is desirable to have reduced concentrations of particulates in exhausts, particularly when the jet engines are running at cruise speed.

1 . A jet fuel for use in a jet engine comprising a hydrocarbon fuel and a first additive selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated alkylphenol formaldehyde resins, maleic anhydride alpha olefin copolymers and mixtures thereof and a second additive comprising an admixture of platinum group and cerium compounds. 
   
   
       2 . The jet fuel of  claim 1  wherein the first additive is an ethoxylated alkyl phenol formaldehyde resin. 
   
   
       3 . The jet fuel of  claim 2  wherein the ethoxylated alkyl phenol formaldehyde resin is prepared using an alkyl phenol that has an alkyl group having from about 6 to 12 carbon atoms in either a straight chain or branched chain configuration. 
   
   
       4 . The jet fuel of  claim 3  wherein the alkyl group is a nonyl group. 
   
   
       5 . The jet fuel of  claim 1  wherein the ethylene oxide is present in an amount of from 5 to 20 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alkylphenol formaldehyde resin. 
   
   
       6 . The jet fuel of  claim 5  wherein the ethylene oxide is present in an amount of from 9 to 15 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alkylphenol formaldehyde resin. 
   
   
       7 . The jet fuel of  claim 2  wherein the first additive is the reaction product of ethoxylating a nonylphenol formaldehyde resin with an average of about 9.5 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of resin. 
   
   
       8 . The jet fuel of  claim 2  wherein the first additive is the reaction product of ethoxylating a dodecylphenol formaldehyde resin with about 12 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of resin. 
   
   
       9 . The jet fuel of  claim 2  wherein the first additive is the reaction product of ethoxylating a diisoctylphenol formaldehyde resin with about 15 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of resin. 
   
   
       10 . The jet fuel of  claim 1  wherein the first additive is a copolymer of maleic anhydride with an alpha olefin. 
   
   
       11 . The jet fuel of  claim 10  wherein the alpha olefin is selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 3-methyl-1-butene, 1-hexene, 4-methyl-1-pentene, 3-methyl-1-pentene, 1-octene, 1-decene, 1-dodecene, 1-tetradecene, 1-hexadecene, 1-octadecene and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       12 . The jet fuel of  claim 11  wherein alpha olefin is selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, 1-butene, 1-pentene, 3-methyl-1-butene, 1-hexene, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       13 . The jet fuel of  claim 12  wherein alpha olefin is selected from the group consisting of ethylene, propylene, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       14 . The jet fuel of  claim 10  wherein the maleic anhydride is substituted. 
   
   
       15 . The jet fuel of  claim 14  wherein the substituted maleic anhydride is selected from the group consisting of maleic anhydride, methylmaleic anhydride, dimethylmaleic anhydride, fluoromaleic anhydride, methylethyl maleic anhydride, and mixtures thereof. 
   
   
       16 . The jet fuel of  claim 10  wherein the maleic anhydride is unsubstituted. 
   
   
       17 . The jet fuel of  claim 11  wherein the copolymer of maleic anhydride with an alpha olefin has a molecular weight of from about 500 to about 50,000 daltons. 
   
   
       18 . The jet fuel of  claim 17  wherein the copolymer of maleic anhydride with an alpha olefin has a molecular weight of from about 1000 to about 15,000 daltons. 
   
   
       19 . The jet fuel of  claim 18  wherein the copolymer of maleic anhydride with an alpha olefin has a molecular weight of from about 3000 to about 10,000 daltons. 
   
   
       20 . The jet fuel of  claim 1  wherein the first additive is present at a concentration of from about 10 to 10,000 ppm. 
   
   
       21 . The jet fuel of  claim 1  wherein the first additive is present at a concentration of from about 100 to 5,000 ppm. 
   
   
       22 . The jet fuel of  claim 1  wherein the first additive is present at a concentration of from about 1000 to 3,000 ppm. 
   
   
       23 . The jet fuel of  claim 1  wherein the second additive is an admixture of platinum and cerium compounds. 
   
   
       24 . The jet fuel of  claim 23  wherein the second additive is soluble in nonpolar fuels. 
   
   
       25 . The jet fuel of  claim 1  wherein the ratio of the two components of the second additive is from 90:10 to 10:90. 
   
   
       26 . The jet fuel of  claim 25  wherein the two components of the second additive is are present in equal (1:1) amounts. 
   
   
       27 . The jet fuel of  claim 1  wherein the second additive is present in the jet fuel at a concentration of from about 10 ppm to 10,000 ppm. 
   
   
       28 . The jet fuel of  claim 27  wherein the second additive is present in the jet fuel at a concentration of about 100 ppm. 
   
   
       29 . A method for preparing a fuel for use in jet engines comprising admixing a hydrocarbon fuel and a first additive selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated alkylphenol formaldehyde resins, maleic anhydride alpha olefin copolymers and mixtures thereof and a second additive comprising an admixture of platinum group and cerium compounds. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the first additive and second additive are admixed with the hydrocarbon fuel well in advance of its use. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the first additive and second additive is admixed with the hydrocarbon fuel immediately prior to its use. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the first additive and second additive are admixed with the hydrocarbon fuel in the fuel lines or the combustion chamber of the jet engine while the engine is in use.