Method of formulating a fuel composition for use in internal-combustion engines

Abstract

A blendstock for forming a fuel composition for use in internal-combustion engines, includes a polar fluid component, a microblender component, and a neutralizer component. The neutralizer component is present in an amount effective to substantially neutralize the microblender component to allow for the microblender component to substantially spontaneously blend with the polar fluid component. The polar fluid component may include a water component and an alcohol component, and the neutralizer component may include an ammonia component. The blendstock may be added to a hydrocarbon fuel, such as diesel fuel, to form the fuel composition.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A blendstock for forming a fuel composition for use in internal-combustion engines, the blendstock comprising:
 a polar fluid component;   a microblender component; and   a neutralizer component being present in an amount effective to substantially neutralize the microblender component to allow for the microblender component to substantially spontaneously blend with the polar fluid component.   
     
     
         2 . The blendstock of  claim 1 , wherein the neutralizer component includes an ammonia component. 
     
     
         3 . The blendstock of  claim 1 , wherein the blendstock is added to a hydrocarbon fuel to form the fuel composition. 
     
     
         4 . The blendstock of  claim 3 , where the hydrocarbon fuel includes a diesel fuel component. 
     
     
         5 . The blendstock of  claim 1 , wherein the polar fluid component includes a water component and an alcohol component. 
     
     
         6 . The blendstock of  claim 5 , wherein the alcohol component is selected from a group consisting of methanol, ethanol, (a) n-propyl alcohol, (b) iso-propyl alcohol, (c) n-butyl alcohol, and a mixed alcohol formulation. 
     
     
         7 . The blendstock of  claim 1 , wherein the polar fluid component is hydrous ethanol having a water content of 5-20%. 
     
     
         8 . The blendstock of  claim 1 , wherein the microblender component includes a fatty acid component. 
     
     
         9 . The blendstock of  claim 8 , wherein the fatty acid component includes oleic acid. 
     
     
         10 . A method of formulating a fuel composition for use in internal-combustion engines, the method comprising:
 providing one or more polar fluids;   selecting a microblender;   selecting a neutralizer;   forming a blendstock by adding the neutralizer and the microblender to the one or more polar fluids;   providing an amount of fuel; and   forming the fuel composition by adding the blendstock to the amount of fuel.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the amount of fuel includes a diesel fuel component. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the blendstock includes a cetane ehancer component. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the one or more polar fluids includes an alcohol component. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein selecting the polar fluid involves choosing the alcohol component from a group consisting of methanol, ethanol, (a) n-propyl alcohol, (b) iso-propyl alcohol, (c) n-butyl alcohol, and a mixed alcohol formulation. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selecting the one or more polar fluids involves blending an alcohol component and a water component. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the selecting the one or more polar fluids involves choosing hydrous ethanol having a water content of 5-20%. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein selecting the microblender involves choosing a fatty acid component. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the fatty acid component includes oleic acid. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein selecting the neutralizer involves choosing an ammonia component. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein adding the neutralizer and the microblender to the one or more polar fluids forms a micro-blend of the ammonia component, fatty acid component, and the one or more polar fluids without application of a heat source or stirring. 
     
     
         21 . A method of forming a micro-blend fuel treatment, the method comprising:
 providing a polar fluid;   selecting a microblender;   selecting a neutralizer; and   adding the neutralizer and the microblender to the polar fluid to form the micro-blend fuel treatment;   wherein the step of adding the neutralizer and the microblender to the polar fluid results in the polar fluid, the microblender, and the neutralizer substantially spontaneously blending together.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising providing an amount of fuel, and adding the micro-blend fuel treatment to the amount of fuel to form a fuel composition. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the amount of fuel includes a diesel fuel component. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the amount of fuel includes a biodiesel fuel component. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the polar fluid includes an alcohol component. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the alcohol component is chosen from a group consisting of methanol, ethanol, (a) n-propyl alcohol, (b) iso-propyl alcohol, (c) n-butyl alcohol, and a mixed alcohol formulation. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein providing the polar fluid involves blending an alcohol component and a water component. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the polar fluid component includes hydrous ethanol having a water content of 5-20%. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein selecting the microblender involves choosing a fatty acid component. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein choosing the fatty acid component involves choosing oleic acid. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the selecting the neutralizer involves choosing an ammonia component. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein adding the neutralizer and the microblender to the polar fluid forms a micro-blend without application of a heat source or stirring.