Combustible Mixed Butanol Fuels

Abstract

A fuel composition including mixed butanols, such as for example, 2-butanol, iso-butanol and tert-butanol, preferably 2-butanol and tert-butanol is provided. Methods of preparing and using the mixed butanols composition as combustible neat fuels and/or oxygenate fuel constituents in gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, aviation gasoline, heating oil, bunker oil, and the like are also provided.

1 . A fuel composition having performance properties comparable to ethanol-based or MTBE blended fuels, the fuel composition comprising:
 a. a fuel component, the fuel component being present in an amount sufficient to provide adequate BTU content for use in combustion or compression engines; and   b. a fuel additive comprising at least two butanols, the fuel additive being present in an amount sufficient to improve an octane rating for the fuel composition, in an absence of methanol, ethanol, or MTBE.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel composition of  claim 1  wherein the butanol comprises 2-butanol, iso-butanol, tert-butanol, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the butanol excludes n-butanol. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel composition of  claim 2  wherein the butanol comprises a mixture of 2-butanol and tert-butanol, the ratio of 2-butanol and tert-butanol being present in a range of about 5:95 vol. % to about 95:5 vol. %. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel composition of  claim 1  having RON values ranging from about 85 to about 110. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel composition of  claim 1  having BTU values ranging from about 105,000 BTU/gallon to about 120,000 BTU/gallon. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel composition of  claim 1  having a RVP ranging from about 0.2 psi to about 20 psi. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel composition of  claim 1  having MON values ranging from about 75 to about 100. 
     
     
         9 . The fuel composition of  claim 1  having cetane index values ranging from about 40 to about 60. 
     
     
         10 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel component comprises gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, aviation gasoline, heating oil, bunker oil, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel component is present in a range of about 40 vol. % to about 99 vol. % and the fuel additive is present in a range of about 1 vol. % to about 60 vol. %. 
     
     
         12 . A neat fuel composition that is environmentally friendly and has comparable performance properties to ethanol-based or MTBE-based fuels, the neat fuel composition consisting essentially of a mixed butanol fuel having an octane rating suitable for use in combustion or compression engines. 
     
     
         13 . The neat fuel composition of  claim 12  wherein the mixed butanol fuel comprises 2-butanol, iso-butanol, tert-butanol, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The fuel composition of  claim 12  wherein the mixed butanol fuel consists essentially of 2-butanol, iso-butanol, tert-butanol, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The neat fuel composition of  claim 13  wherein the mixed butanol fuel comprises 2-butanol and tert-butanol, the ratio of 2-butanol and tert-butanol in a range of about 5:95 vol. % to about 95:5 vol. %. 
     
     
         16 . The neat fuel composition of  claim 12  having RON values ranging from between about 85 and about 110. 
     
     
         17 . A method of preparing a fuel composition for use in combustion or compression engines, the method comprising the step of:
 combining a mixed butanol composition with a fuel component, the mixed butanol composition consisting essentially of 2-butanol, iso-butanol, tert-butanol, or combinations thereof and being present in an amount sufficient to improve an octane rating for the fuel composition, the fuel component comprising gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, aviation gasoline, heating oil, bunker oil, or combinations thereof, and the fuel component being present in an amount sufficient to provide adequate BTU content for use in combustion or compression engines.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the fuel component is present in a range of about 40 vol. % to about 99 vol. % and the fuel additive is present in a range of about 1 vol. % to about 60 vol. %.