Fuel composition comprising alkyl ester

Abstract

Use of a composition comprising a base formulation of one or more alkyl esters of a C 6 -C 16 carboxylic acid or mixtures thereof as a fuel composition is provided. The use of the fuel composition is specifically provided for use as a lamp fuel, a lighter fuel, and/or a fuel for cooking, heating or cooling. Specifically, use of a composition as a lamp fuel is provided, wherein the composition comprises by weight 35-45% C 8 methyl esters, 25-35% C 10 methyl esters, 15-25% C 12 methyl esters, and/or 5-15% C 14 methyl esters. Also provided is a method for producing a fuel composition comprising the steps of a) providing a vegetable oil, b) preparing alkyl esters of carboxylic acids comprised in said vegetable oil by esterification and/or transesterification, c) optionally isolating one or more of said alkyl esters of said carboxylic acids, wherein said alkyl esters of carboxylic acids comprised in said vegetable oil and/or said one or more isolated alkyl esters constitute said fuel composition.

1 - 66 . (canceled) 
     
     
         67 . A lamp fuel composition, lighter fluid composition, heating fuel composition, fuel composition for cooking and/or cooling fuel composition, said composition comprising 30-90% by weight of one or more alkyl esters of C 8 -C 10  carboxylic acids or mixtures thereof, said alkyl ester being selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butanyl and mixtures thereof, and wherein said composition has a melting point of less than 0° C. and a viscosity at 22° C. below 5 cP. 
     
     
         68 . The composition according to  claim 67 , wherein said composition comprises less than 5% by weight of any alkyl ester of a C 6  or any lower chain order carboxylic acid, and/or wherein said composition comprises less than 5% by weight of any alkyl ester of a C 16  or any higher chain order carboxylic acid. 
     
     
         69 . The composition according to  claim 67 , wherein said composition comprises by weight 10-80% C 8  alkyl esters, 10-80% C 10  alkyl esters, 10-70% C 12  alkyl esters, and/or 0-40% C 14  alkyl esters. 
     
     
         70 . The composition according to  claim 67 , wherein said composition comprises by weight 35-45% C 8  alkyl esters, 25-35% C 10  alkyl esters, 15-25% C 12  alkyl esters, and/or 5-15% C 14  alkyl esters. 
     
     
         71 . The composition according to  claim 67 , wherein said composition comprises by weight 15-25% C 8  alkyl esters, 10-20% C 10  alkyl esters, 45-55% C 12  alkyl esters, and/or 15-25% C 14  alkyl esters. 
     
     
         72 . The composition according to  claim 67 , wherein said composition has a surface tension at 20° C., which is below 100 mN/m. 
     
     
         73 . The composition according to  claim 67 , wherein said composition has a flash point between 60 and 100° C. 
     
     
         74 . The composition according to  claim 67 , wherein said composition further comprises between 0.5 and 5% by weight alcohol. 
     
     
         75 . A method for producing a fuel composition comprising the steps of:
 a. providing a vegetable oil,   b. preparing alkyl esters of carboxylic acids comprised in said vegetable oil by esterification and/or transesterification, said alkyl ester being selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butanyl and mixtures thereof   c. isolating a composition comprising 30-90% by weight of one or more alkyl esters of C 8 -C 10  carboxylic acids, wherein said one or more isolated alkyl esters constituting said fuel composition has a melting point of less than 0° C. and a viscosity at 22° C. below 5 cP,   d. bleaching the vegetable oil and/or alkyl esters, said bleaching comprising the steps of
 i. heating the vegetable oil and/or alkyl esters to 220-300 degrees Celsius, 
 ii. adding 1-10% bleaching clay, 
 iii. stirring in at least 15 minutes, and 
 iv. separation of the bleaching clay and refined vegetable oil by filtration. 
   
     
     
         76 . The method according to  claim 75 , wherein said isolation of said one or more alkyl esters of carboxylic acids is obtained by fractionation and/or distillation. 
     
     
         77 . The method according to  claim 75 , further comprising refining said vegetable oil and/or alkyl esters by desliming/delicithination, fractionation, distillation, activated carbon purification, carbon adsorption, and/or bleaching. 
     
     
         78 . The method according to  claim 75 , wherein said one or more isolated alkyl esters have been isolated to the extent that the fuel composition comprises by weight 10-80% C 8  alkyl esters, 10-80% C 10  alkyl esters, 10-70% C 12  alkyl esters, and/or 0-40% C 14  alkyl esters. 
     
     
         79 . The method according to  claim 75 , wherein said one or more isolated alkyl esters have been isolated to the extent that the fuel composition comprises by weight 35-45% C 8  alkyl esters, 25-35% C 10  alkyl esters, 15-25% C 12  alkyl esters, and/or 5-15% C 14  alkyl esters. 
     
     
         80 . The method according to  claim 75 , wherein said one or more isolated alkyl esters have been isolated to the extent that the fuel composition comprises by weight 15-25% C 8  alkyl esters, 10-20% C 10  alkyl esters, 45-55% C 12  alkyl esters, and/or 15-25% C 14  alkyl esters. 
     
     
         81 . The method according to  claim 75  comprising the additional step of adding at least one alcohol. 
     
     
         82 . The method according to  claim 75 , wherein said vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of palm kernel oil, palm tree oil and coconut oil. 
     
     
         83 . A method of producing light, heat, fire and/or cold, said method comprising burning a fuel composition comprising 30-90% by weight of one or more alkyl esters of C 8 -C 10  carboxylic acids or mixtures thereof, said alkyl ester being selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butanyl and mixtures thereof, and wherein said composition has a melting point of less than 0° C. and a viscosity at 22° C. below 5 cP. 
     
     
         84 . The method according to  claim 83  for producing indoor light, wherein the composition comprises by weight 35-45% C 8  alkyl esters, 25-35% C 10  alkyl esters, and/or 15-25% C 12  alkyl esters, and/or 5-15% C 14  alkyl esters. 
     
     
         85 . The method according to  claim 83  for producing outdoor light, wherein the composition comprises by weight 15-25% C 8  alkyl esters, 10-20% C 10  alkyl esters, and/or 45-55% C 12  alkyl esters, and/or 15-25% C 14 . 
     
     
         86 . A lamp burner system comprising
 a) a fuel tank comprising a composition comprising 30-90% by weight of one or more alkyl esters of C 8 -C 10  carboxylic acids or mixtures thereof, said alkyl ester being selected from the group consisting of methyl, ethyl, propyl, butanyl and mixtures thereof, and wherein said composition has a melting point of less than 0° C. and a viscosity at 22° C. below 5 cP, and   b) a wick, which is able to absorb the fuel composition, wherein the lower part of the wick is dipped into the fuel composition, and the top part of the wick extends out of the fuel tank.