Methods of providing higher quality liquid kerosene based-propulsion fuels

Abstract

By blending a quantity of synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component comprising at least 99.5 mass % of carbon and hydrogen content and at least 50 mass % of cyclo-paraffin into kerosene base fuel, kerosene based-propulsion fuels can be upgraded to higher quality kerosene based-propulsion fuels such as jet fuel or rocket fuel to meet certain specification and/or increase volumetric energy content of the propulsion fuel.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of increasing volumetric energy content of a kerosene based-propulsion fuel comprising:
 a. providing a quantity of kerosene base fuel having a boiling point in the range of 130° C. to 300° C., at atmospheric pressure, flash point of 38° C. or above measured by ASTM D56, and a density at 15° C. of at least 760 kg/m 3 ;   b. providing a quantity of synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component comprising at least 99.5 mass % of carbon and hydrogen content and at least 50 mass % of cyclo-paraffin, said cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component having a boiling point of at most 300° C. at atmospheric pressure, flash point of 38° C. or above, a density at 15° C. of at least 800 kg/m 3  and freezing point of −60° C. or lower; and   c. blending a quantity of the synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component and the kerosene base fuel in amount effective to increase the volumetric energy content providing a blended fuel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the kerosene base fuel has a freeze point of −30° C. or below, preferably −40° C. or lower. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the kerosene base fuel has a total aromatic content in the range of 3 vol. % to 25 vol. % measured by ASTM D1319. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the increase in aromatic content of the blended fuel is minimal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the kerosene base fuel is a kerosene fuel meeting at least one of Jet A, Jet A-1, Jet B, F-24, JP-5, JP-7, JP-8, or AN-8 specification. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the smoke point of the blended fuel is increased compared with the petroleum-derived kerosene. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component has a maximum iso- and n-paraffin content of less than 50 mass % 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component has at least 60 mass %. (ASTM D2425). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component has an aromatic content of at most 1.5 mass % (ASTM D2425). 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the kerosene base fuel is upgraded to meet Jet A-1 specification or JP-8 specification; wherein the kerosene base fuel have a freezing point of above −47° C., and the synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel is blended in an amount effective to lower the freezing point of the blended fuel to −47° C. or lower. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the kerosene base fuel is upgraded to meet AN-8 specification; wherein the kerosene base fuel have a freezing point of above −58° C., and the synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel is blended in an amount effective to lower the freezing point of the blended fuel to −58° C. or lower. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the kerosene base fuel is upgraded to meet Jet A or F-24 specification; wherein the kerosene base fuel have a freezing point of above −40° C., and the synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel is blended in an amount effective to lower the freezing point of the blended fuel to −40° C. or lower. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein component b is added in an amount of 1 to 97 vol %, provided that the amount is sufficient to increase the volumetric energy content. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the increase of the aromatic content is less than 2 vol. %. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component have a freezing point of −65° C. or below. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component have a density of at most 845 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component has a density of at least 810 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein further comprising d) blending an additional propulsion fuel blending component to the blended fuel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the additional propulsion fuel blending component is a kerosene or naphtha. 
     
     
         20 . A method of operating a jet engine comprising burning in said jet engine a jet fuel prepared by the method according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         21 . A method of operating a jet engine comprising burning in said jet engine a jet fuel prepared by the method according to  claim 5 . 
     
     
         22 . A method of operating a jet engine comprising burning in said jet engine a jet fuel prepared by the method according to  claim 7 . 
     
     
         23 . A method of operating a jet engine comprising burning in said jet engine a jet fuel prepared by the method according to  claim 8 . 
     
     
         24 . A method of operating a jet engine comprising burning in said jet engine a jet fuel prepared by the method according to  claim 10 . 
     
     
         25 . A method of operating a jet engine comprising burning in said jet engine a jet fuel prepared by the method according to  claim 11 . 
     
     
         26 . A method of operating a jet engine comprising burning in said jet engine a jet fuel prepared by the method according to  claim 12 .