(57) Procedure for the manufacture of an antiknock fuel consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons
with denatured ethyl alcohol, that is, for making the ethyl alcohol, and all alcohols
and ketones in general and methyl alcohol and acetone in particular, soluble in hydrocarbons,
to afford an antiknock fuel which does not require the addition of tetraethyl lead.
96%ethyl alcohol is placed in a reaction cylinder-tank in a percentage ranging from
10% to 44%, with first distillation light hydrocarbons forming the remainder to 100%.
Calcium carbide is then added in an amount equal to 5% by weight of the ethyl alcohol
used. The reaction is run for 24-48 hours.
[0001] This invention concerns a procedure for the manufacture of a fuel consisting of a
mixture of hydrocarbons with dena= tured ethyl alcohol which makes it miscible with
the hy= drocarbons. The product is an antiknock fuel in which tet raethyl lead is
not required.
[0002] Current fuels for Otto cycle engines consist of mixtures of hydrocarbons prepared
using various methods currently in use in petroleum refineries in which additives
are required to increase the antiknock power of the hydrocarbons. Among these, tetraethyl
lead is the most widely used. However, while this substance is highly effective as
an antiknock agent, it is also highly toxic, both in the work place and in the ecological
environment as a whole. Moreover, it is damaging and corrosive to the mechanical parts
of engines run on such fuels.
[0003] Since ethyl alcohol is know to possess high antiknock po= wer, one can imagine its
use in fuel mixtures as a substi= tute for any other additive currently used, and
thus the elimination of the problems caused by the latter. More= over, its proportional
substitution for hydrocarbons should lead to appreciable economies in the area of
pet= roleum distillation products.
[0004] However, ethyl alcohol is soluble in hydrocarbons only when 100% pure and is fairly
hygroscopic by nature. There fore the industrial grade commonly know as 'absolute'
is always 1-
1.5% less than
1CO% and always requires the addi tion of another substance (a so-called 'binder')
to make it miscible with the hydrocarbons. These mixtures however are not very resistant
to environmetal factors (moisture, temperature, altitude, etc.) and in fairly brief
periods disintegrate to separate into their components.
[0005] The aim of this invention is thus the development of a pro cedure for the manufacture
of fuel consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons with denatured ethyl alcohol in varying
proportions, that is, a procedure to make ethyl alcohol miscible with hydrocarbons.
This mixture then has anti= knock power without the addition of tetraethyl lead and
so eliminates the dangers caused by the toxicity of the latter to people, to the working
environment and to the world en= vironment in general, while at the same time preventing
corrosion of the mechanical parts of an engine run with such fuels.
[0006] This invention solves this problem with a manufacturing procedure consisting essentially
of the following:
- A so-called reaction cylinder-tank of suitable capacity fitted with a perfect sealing
cover and a valve hole for gas escape is charged with 96% denatured industrial eth
yl alcohol in a percentage ranging from 10% to 44%, with first distillation light hydrocarbons added up to 100%.
- Very finely divided calcium carbide (mustard grain size) is added to the reaction
cylinder-tank in a proportion of 5% by weight of the ethyl alcohol used.
- The mixture is then allowed to react to completion (24-48 hours, on the average).
[0007] The fuel prepared according to this invention is thus free of tetraethyl lead or
other types of additives, and con= sists exclusively of a mixture of
10-44% of 96% industrial alcohol hydrate with first distillation light hydrocarbons
with a low octane number. Note that the 44% value should be considered the optimal
maximum, requiring no modifica= tions to the carburators and mechanical parts of gasoline
engines currently in use.
[0008] In cases where fuel more suitable to particular engines is required (e.g., racing
engines, supercharged engines), ac cording to this invention 96% denatured alcohol
is pretrea ted with 0.5% of 96% Baumé sulfuric acid before being placed in the reaction
cylinder-tank. The finely divided calcium carbide may be deposited on the hinged convex
bottom of the cylinder-tank, trapped by a fine mesh metal screen connec= ted to the
body of the cylinder with perfect sealing hooks before the alcohol - hydrocarbon mixture
is added for the reaction.
[0009] During this reaction, gases are given off at the surface of the alcohol layer (the
higher specific gravity alcohol forms the lower layer in the cylinder and so is in
contact with the calcium carbide). These gases consist for the most part of acetylene
mixed with a smaller amount of hy= drogen sulphide and phosporate due to the impurities
in industrial grade calcium carbide. As a result of this re action, the ethyl alcohol
is modified and made completely miscible with the hydrocarbons, forming a fuel with
par= ticular properties. Moreover, the deposit on the bottom of the cylinder-tank
is mainly calcium hydrate.
[0010] The gases given off at the hole in the cover of the cylin= der-tank are collected
through conducting tubes in other so-called collection tanks for use as industrial
by-products. In particular, the acetylene gas may be used in the synthe= sis of ethyl
alcohol itself which may form an integral part of the fuel production cycle which
is the object of this invention. The calcium hydrate deposited in the cylinder-tank
may also be used industrially. Upon completion of the reactive phase, the product
formed is filtered to remove the impurities still present in suspension and then poured
off into so-called storage tanks for use as fuel.
[0011] According to a proposed variant of the invention, the pro cedure may be run by placing
only the 96% industrial ethyl alcohol in the cylinder-tank and reacting it with 5%
by weight of calcium carbide, as described above. Upon com= pletion of the reaction
and filtration of the product to remove any impurities present in suspension, this
product is mixed with light hydrocarbons in the
10% to 44% proper tion mentioned above in a so-called mixer cylinder-tank. This mixture
is a ready-to-use fuel. Finally, it must be observed that the procedure should be
considered to extend to all alcohols and ketones in general, and to methyl al= cohol
and acetone in particular, whether absolute or var= iously mixed in percentages with
one another, including ethyl alcohol.
[0012] The advantages achieved with the procedure proposed by this invention thus satisfy
the goal set for it. Through the chemico-physical procedure described in this invention,
a mixture of 96% denatured industrial alcohol with first dis tillation hydrocarbons
low in octane number affords a true fuel with its own specific properties. This fuel
is stable over time and under various environmental conditions, and therefore maintains
its antiknock power of up to
135 oc= tane numbers, depending on the percent by weight of ethyl alcohol. moreover,
it is compatible with all other fuels commercially available for gasoline engines.
1. Procedure for the manufacture of a fuel consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons
with denatured ethyl alcohol, that is for making the ethyl alcohol miscible with the
hy drocarbons, which gives the fuel antiknock power without the addition of tetraethyl
lead, according to which:
- A so-called reaction cylinder-tank of suitable capacity fitted with a perfect sealing
cover and a valve hole for gas escape is charged with 96% denatured industrial ethyl
alcohol in a percentage ranging from 10% to 44%, with first distillation light hydrocarbons
added up to 100%.
- Very finely divided calcium carbide (mustard grain size) is added to the reaction
cylinder-tank in a proportion of 5% by weight of the ethyl alcohol used.
- The mixture is then allowed to react to completion (24 to 48 hours, on the average).
2. Procedure according to claim 1, wherein the dena = tured ethyl alcohol is treated with 5% of 96% Baumé sulfuric
acid.
3. Procedure according to claims 1 and 2, wherein the acetylene gas formed as industrial by-product may be re-used in
the synthesis of ethyl alcohol as an integral part of the fuel production cycle in
question.
4. procedure according to claims 1 to 3, wherein the calcium hydrate deposited on the bottom of the cylinder-tank may
be used as an industrial by-product.
5. Procedure according to claims 1 to 4, wherein it is extended to all alcohols and ketones in general and to methyl
alcohol and acetone in particular, whether abso lute or variously mixed in percentages
with one another, including ethyl alcohol.
6. Product prepared by the procedure according to claims 1 to 5, wherein the maximum
percent of 96% denatured ethyl alcohol must not exceed 44% in order that the fuel
be sui= table for currently used gasoline engines without modifi= cation of the carburator
and/or other parts of the engine itself.