Compositions for use in internal-combustion engines and methods of forming and using such compositions

Abstract

A fuel composition for use in internal-combustion engines has a fuel component, an alcohol component, a water component, a microemulsion blend, and a cetane-enhancer component. The microemulsion blend includes at least one of lower grade fatty acid derivatives being present in an amount effective for the fuel, alcohol, and water components to form a microemulsion blend. The emulsifier is present in an amount effective for the biodiesel fuel, alcohol, water, and emulsifier to form an emulsion.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A fuel composition for use in internal-combustion engines, the fuel composition comprising:
 a fuel component;   an alcohol component;   a water component   a microemulsion blend comprising at least one of lower grade fatty acid derivatives being present in an amount effective for the fuel, alcohol, and water components to form a microemulsion blend; and   a cetane-enhancer component.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the alcohol component is selected from a group of a lower grade ethanol or hydrous ethanol. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel composition of  claim 2 , wherein the microemulsion blend is blended with lower grade diesel to form the fuel composition. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel composition of  claim 3 , wherein the fuel is diesel which is at least one of a straight run diesel or an unadditized diesel. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel composition of  claim 4 , wherein the microemulsion blend volumes which are blended with the lower grade diesel component is at least one of 5%, 6%, and 12%. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel composition of  claim 5 , wherein the microemulsion blend comprises renewable components. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel composition of  claim 6 , wherein the microemulsion blend comprises a mixture of oleic acid, ethanol, ammonia, water, and a cetane enhancer. 
     
     
         8 . A method of formulating a fuel composition for use in internal-combustion engines, the method comprising:
 providing a fuel; and   forming the fuel composition by adding to the fuel, a microemulsion blend comprising at least one of lower grade fatty acid derivatives being present in an amount effective for the fuel, alcohol, and water components to form the microemulsion blend, wherein the microemulsion blend includes mixture of oleic acid, ethanol, ammonia, water and cetane enhancer.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising blending the microemulsion blend with lower grade diesel by performing at least one of the following processes:
 inline blending at a petroleum terminal, the inline blending comprises blending of the microemulsion blend at the petroleum terminals within one or more pipelines; 
 splash blending at the petroleum terminal, the splash blending comprises blending the microemulsion blend in storage container and then blending with the diesel component in distribution vehicle to splash blend in a transportation tank; and 
 splash blending at a distributor by blending microemulsion blend with the diesel component to have the fuel composition for distribution. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising assessing the quality of the microemulsion blend. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the quality is assessed by analyzing at least one of an oxidative stability and contaminates in the microemulsion blend. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising optimizing the microemulsion blend volumes to be blended with different quality of the diesel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein alcohol component comprises at least one of an ethanol, or hydrous ethanol. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the diesel is at least one of a straight run diesel or an unadditized diesel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the microemulsion blend volumes which are blended with the lower grade diesel component is at least one of 5%, 6%, and 12%. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the microemulsion blend comprises renewable components.