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 for producing a liquid rocket fuel useful as RP-1 or RP-2 grade rocket fuels comprising;
 a. providing a quantity of kerosene range hydrocarbon component having a boiling point in the range of 145° C. to 300° C., at atmospheric pressure, flash point of at least 60° C. or above measured by ASTM D56, a density at 15° C. of at most 815 kg/m 3 ;   b. providing a quantity of synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component comprising 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 at least 38° C., preferably at least 45° C., preferably at least 50° C., more preferably at least 55° C., more preferably at least 60° C. a density at 15° C. of at least 799 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 range hydrocarbon component in amount sufficient to meet a flash point of at least 60° C. and final boiling point of 274° C. or lower to produce the blended liquid rocket fuel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the freezing point of the blended rocket fuel is −51° C. or lower. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the blended rocket fuel have a density in the range of 799 to 815 kg/m 3  at 15° C. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the rocket fuel blend has a −34° C. kinematic viscosity (measured according to ASTM D445 method) that is less than 10 cSt. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the blended rocket fuel has a volumetric energy density in the range of 34,380 to 35,070 MJ/m 3 . 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the hydrogen content is at least 13.8 mass %. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the net heat of combustion is at least 43.03 MJ/kg. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sulfur content of the synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component is no more than 0.0030 mass %. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the sulfur content of the blended liquid rocket fuel is no more than 0.0030 mass %. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the liquid rocket fuel is blended to meet a thermal stability requirement at a temperature of at least 355° C. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component has a boiling point of 290° C. or below. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel component is bio-based. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the amount of cyclo-paaffinie kerosene fuel blending component in the liquid rocket fuel is at least 1 vol. %. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the amount of cyclo-paraffinie kerosene fuel blending component in the liquid rocket fuel is at least 3 vol. % 
     
     
         15 . A liquid rocket fuel comprising a cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component produced according to any of the methods of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . A liquid rocket fuel comprising a cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component produced according to any of the methods of  claim 4 . 
     
     
         17 . A liquid rocket fuel comprising a cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component produced according to any of the methods of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         18 . A liquid rocket fuel comprising a cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component produced according to any of the methods of  claim 14 . 
     
     
         19 . A liquid rocket fuel having a flash point of at least 60° C. and final boiling point of 274° C. or lower comprising a blended fuel comprising a quantity of kerosene range hydrocarbon component having a boiling point in the range of 145° C. to 300° C., at atmospheric pressure, flash point of at least 60° C. or above measured by ASTM D56, a density at 15° C. of at most 815 kg/m 3 ; a quantity of synthetic cyclo-paraffinic kerosene fuel blending component comprising 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 at least 38° C., preferably at least 45° C., preferably at least 50° C., more preferably at least 55° C., more preferably at least 60° C. a density at 15° C. of at least 799 kg/m 3 , and freezing point of −60° C. or lower. 
     
     
         20 . The liquid rocket fuel of  claim 19  wherein the liquid rocket fuel has a −34° C. kinematic viscosity (measured according to ASTM D445 method) that is less than 10 cSt. 
     
     
         21 . The liquid rocket fuel of  claim 20  wherein the liquid rocket fuel has a −34° C. kinematic viscosity (measured according to ASTM D445 method) that is less than 9 cSt. 
     
     
         22 . The liquid rocket fuel of  claim 20  wherein the liquid rocket fuel has a −34° C. kinematic viscosity (measured according to ASTM D445 method) that is less than 8 cSt.