Use of polyalkylene glycol to reduce fuel consumption

Abstract

The use of a polyalkylene glycol of formula HO—(A—O) p —(CH 2 CH 2 —O) m —(A—O) q —H wherein A is a C 3 - to C 20 -alkylene group or a mixture of such alkylene groups, m is a number of from 2 to 100 and p and q are each numbers of from 1 to 100, as an additive in a fuel for reducing fuel consumption in the operation of an internal combustion engine with this fuel.

1 . A method for improving performance of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:
 adding an fuel additive to fuel of the internal combustion engine, wherein   the fuel additive comprises a polyalkylene glycol of formula I
   HO—(A—O) p —(CH 2 CH 2 —O) m —(A—O) q —H  (I),
 
   
       wherein
 A is a C 3 - to C 20 -alkylene group or a mixture thereof, 
 m is a number of from 2 to 100, 
 p and q are each numbers of from 1 to 100, and 
 said improving is selected from the group consisting of: reducing fuel consumption, minimizing power loss and improving acceleration of the internal combustion engine, and improving lubricity of lubricant oils contained in the internal combustion engine. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said improving is minimizing power loss in the internal combustion engine and improving acceleration of the internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said improving is improving lubricity of lubricant oils contained in the internal combustion engine by operating the internal combustion engine with a fuel comprising an effective amount of at least one polyalkylene glycol of formula I. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein
 A is a mixture of two different types of alkylene groups A 1  and A 2 ,   A 1  is one or more C 3 - to C 7 -alkylene groups,   A 2  is one or more C 8 - to C 20 -alkylene groups, and   A 1  and A 2  are arranged randomly or blockwise.   
     
     
         5 . The to method of  claim 1 , wherein A is a C 8 - to C 20 -alkylene group (A 2 ) or a mixture of C 8 - to C 20 -alkylene groups (A 2 ) arranged randomly. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polyalkylene glycol of formula I is prepared by a process comprising:
 alkoxylating a polyethylene glycol of formula II
   HO—(CH 2 CH 2 —O) m —H  (II)
 
   with a C 3 - to C 20 -alkylene oxide or a mixture thereof, thereby obtaining an alkoxylation product, wherein:   m is a number of from 2 to 100,   a molar ratio of the polyethylene glycol of formula II to the C 3 - to C 20 -alkylene oxide or the mixture thereof is from 1:2 to 1:200, and   the alkoxylation product is arranged randomly or blockwise.   
     
     
         7 . A fuel composition, comprising,
 in a major amount, a gasoline fuel, and   in a minor amount, at least one polyalkylene glycol of formula I
   HO—(A—O) p —(CH 2 CH 2 —O) m —(A—O) q —H  (I)
 
   and at least one fuel additive which is different from the polyalkylene glycol and has detergent action, wherein   A is a C 3 - to C 20 -alkylene group or a mixture thereof,   m is a number of from 2 to 100, and   p and q are each numbers of from 1 to 100.   
     
     
         8 . The fuel composition of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one fuel additive which is different from the polyalkylene glycol and has detergent action is at least one representative (D) selected from the group consisting of:
 (Da) a mono- or polyamino group comprising up to 6 nitrogen atoms with at least one nitrogen atom having basic properties;   (Db) a nitro group, optionally in combination with a hydroxyl group;   (Dc) a hydroxyl group in combination with a mono- or polyamino group with at least one nitrogen atom having basic properties;   (Dd) a carboxyl group, an alkali carboxylate, or an alkaline earth carboxylate;   (De) a sulfonic acid group, an alkali sulfonic acid salt, or an alkaline earth sulfonic acid salt;   (Df) a polyoxy-C 2 -C 4 -alkylene moiety terminated by a carbamate group, a hydroxyl, group, or a mono- or polyamino, group with at least one nitrogen atom having basic properties;   (Dg) a carboxylic ester group;   (Dh) a moiety derived from succinic anhydride and comprising at least one of a hydroxyl group, an amino group, an amido group, and an imido group; and   (Di) a moiety obtained by Mannich reaction of substituted phenols with aldehydes and mono- or polyamines.   
     
     
         9 . The fuel composition of  claim 7 , further comprising, a carrier oil as an additional fuel additive in a minor amount. 
     
     
         10 . The fuel composition of  claim 7 , further comprising, tertiary hydrocarbyl amine of formula NR 1 R 2 R 3  as an additional fuel additive in a minor amount,
 wherein   R 1 , R 2  and R 3  are each independently a C 1 - to C 20 -hydro-carbyl residue with the proviso that an overall number of carbon atoms in formula NR 1 R 2 R 3  does not exceed 30.   
     
     
         11 . The fuel composition of  claim 7 , comprising:
 a representative (Da), which is a polyisobutene mono- or polyamine having M n  of from 300 to 5000, comprising at least 50 mol-% of vinylidene double bonds and prepared by hydroformylation of a polyisobutene and subsequent reductive amination with ammonia, a monoamine or a polyamine, and   a mineral or synthetic carrier oil.   
     
     
         12 . An additive concentrate, comprising:
 a polyalkylene glycol of formula I:
   HO—(A—O) p -(CH 2 CH 2 —O) m —(A—O) q —H  (I) and
 
   a fuel additive which is different from the poly-alkylene glycol and has detergent action,   wherein   A is a C 3 - to C 20 -alkylene group or a mixture thereof,   m is a number of from 2 to 100, and   p and q are each numbers of from 1 to 100.   
     
     
         13 . The additive concentrate of  claim 12 , comprising:
 a representative (Da), which is a polyisobutene mono- or polyamine having M n  of from 300 to 5000, comprising at least 50 mol-% of vinylidene double bonds and prepared by hydroformylation of a polyisobutene and subsequent reductive amination with ammonia, a monoamine or a polyamine, and   a mineral or synthetic carrier oil.