Fuel additive for enhancing combustion efficiency and decreasing emissions

Abstract

A fuel additive comprising a sol containing particles of at least one inorganic-metallic component and at least one organo-metallic component stabilized in a suitable hydrocarbon medium. The components are formed as a metal complex wherein the metallic element comprises at least one metal selected from the elements of Groups VIII to XI in the Periodic Table, preferably platinum, cobalt, nickel, copper, gold, rhodium or, most preferably, palladium. The organo component is an alkyl carboxylate, preferably acetate, and the inorganic component is derived from silicon, titanium, aluminum, and preferably silicate. The additive is preferably formed by (a) forming an aqueous solution of at least one metallic component; (b) forming a colloid of organo-metallic and inorganic-metallic components from said solution; and (c) extracting at least some of the metallic colloidal components from the aqueous solution using a suitable hydrocarbon medium under controlled PH, temperature and time.

1 . A fuel additive comprising particles having at least one inorganic-metallic component and at least one organo-metallic component stabilized in a suitable hydrocarbon medium, wherein said components contain at least one metal selected from the chemical elements of Groups VIII to XI in the Periodic Table. 
     
     
         2 . A fuel additive of  claim 1 , wherein the particles are a chemical metallic complex. 
     
     
         3 . A fuel additive of  claim 2 , wherein the complex is characterized as a sol containing bound water. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel additive of  claim 1 , wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of platinum, cobalt, nickel, copper, gold, rhodium, and palladium. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel additive of  claim 4 , wherein said metal is palladium. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel additive of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one organo moiety is an alkyl carboxylate. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel additive of  claim 6 , wherein the organo component is an alkyl carboxylate containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel additive of  claim 7 , wherein said organo component is acetate. 
     
     
         9 . The fuel additive of  claims 1 - 8 , wherein the at least one inorganic moiety is derived from at least one compound selected from the group of silicon, titanium, and aluminum-based compounds. 
     
     
         10 . The fuel additive of  claim 9 , wherein said compounds are selected from the group of silicate and silicides. 
     
     
         11 . The fuel additive of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon medium comprises kerosene. 
     
     
         12 . A method for preparing a fuel additive composition, comprising the steps of:
 (a) forming an aqueous solution of at least one metallic component, wherein said metallic component comprises at least one metal selected from the chemical elements of Groups VIII to XI in the Periodic Table;   (b) forming a colloid of organo-metallic and inorganic-metallic components in said solution; and   (c) extracting at least a portion of the metallic colloidal components from the aqueous medium using a suitable hydrocarbon medium.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the pH of the extraction approaches, but remains below, the pH of the hydrocarbon medium. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of platinum, cobalt, nickel, copper, gold, rhodium, and palladium. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said metal is palladium. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one organo moiety is an alkyl carboxylate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the alkyl carboxylate contains 1 to 4 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said carboxylate is acetate. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17  or  18 , wherein the at least one inorganic component is derived from at least one compound selected from the group of silicon, titanium, and aluminum-based compounds. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said compounds are selected from the group of silicates and silicides. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said compounds are silicates. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said hydrocarbon medium comprises kerosene. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of circulating the colloid through a generator means prior to extracting said components. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said generator means comprises an electrostatic generator. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said generator means comprises an electromagnetic countercurrent generator. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said generator means comprises a static magnetic countercurrent generator. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said generator means comprises an electrostatic generator and an electromagnetic countercurrent generator configured in parallel. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of adding said additive composition to fuel in a concentration of at least 200 parts per trillion palladium. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the concentration is approximately 250 parts per trillion palladium. 
     
     
         30 . A fuel additive formed by the process of  claim 12 ,  13 ,  14 ,  15 ,  16 ,  17 , 18 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28  or  29 . 
     
     
         31 . A fuel additive formed by the process of  claim 19 .