(19)
(11) EP 0 024 264 A2

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(43) Date of publication:
25.02.1981 Bulletin 1981/08

(21) Application number: 80830051.1

(22) Date of filing: 16.07.1980
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)3C10L 1/18
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH DE FR GB LI NL SE

(30) Priority: 08.08.1979 IT 4999979

(71) Applicant: Cinque, Olderico
I-00176 Roma (IT)

(72) Inventor:
  • Cinque, Olderico
    I-00176 Roma (IT)

(74) Representative: Mascioli, Alessandro, Prof.Dr. 
c/o A.N.D.I. Associazione Nazionale degli Inventori Via Urbana, 20
00184 Roma
00184 Roma (IT)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Process for the manufacture of antiknock fuel and product prepared by this process


    (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.


    Description


    [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.


    Claims

    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.