Low pollution fuel

Abstract

 To provide a low pollution fuel which is capable of fundamentally solving the problem of exhaust gas discharged from trucks, etc. which use light oil, etc. as their fuel, without depending on the conventional symptomatic measures. The low pollution fuel is obtained by blending an ethylene glycol based compound having a CH₂CH₂ group in a molecule formula with a liquid hydrocarbon.

Description

Background of the Invention

1. Field of the Invention

[0001] This invention relates to a low pollution fuel used for diesel engines and the like.

2. Related Art

[0002] A diesel engine is used in many automotive vehicles, electric power generating apparatuses and the like. Light oil, heavy oil and the like are used for such a diesel engine as its fuel. The diesel engine, which uses light oil, heavy oil and the like as its fuel, discharges exhaust gas containing a large quantity of noxious matters such as suspended particulate matters, nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, aldehydes and the like. Such exhaust gas discharged from the diesel engine often creates the problem of air pollution and various diseases resulting therefrom.

[0003] It is extremely difficult to completely combust the light oil and heavy oil currently used as fuel for the diesel engine by the compression explosion means which is a diesel engine-specific combustion style. This is the reason why the above-mentioned exhaust gas problem occurs. An attempt is made with a view to solve the above-mentioned exhaust gas problem, in which various types of exhaust gas processing devices equipped with a filter function and a secondary combustion function are attached to an exhaust gas outlet port. However, this technology still has such shortcomings that performance is degraded due to aging deterioration and the price is high. In addition, too many technical problems are involved and so it is hopeless to efficiently remove the above-mentioned air pollution factors. Therefore, this attempt is not yet successful for fundamentally solving the outstanding problem.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide, in order to solve the above-mentioned problem, a low pollution fuel which can take the place of the currently used light oil and heavy oil which are found to be the cause of noxious exhaust matter instead of solving the problem by the above-mentioned symptomatic measures, which is extremely high in combustion efficiency and which is also high in economical efficiency.

[0005] In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a low pollution fuel in which an ethylene glycol based compound having a group of CH₂CH₂ in a molecular formula is blended with a liquid hydrocarbon.

[0006] In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a low pollution fuel in which a diethylene glycol based compound having a group of CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂ in a molecular formula is blended with a liquid hydrocarbon as represented by the light oil and heavy oil.

[0007] In a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a low pollution fuel in which a compound generally expressed by a molecular formula of ROOC-CH=CH-COOR is blended with a liquid hydrocarbon.

[0008] In the above fuel, the ethylene glycol based compound or the diethylene glycol based compound, or the compound generally expressed by the molecular formula of ROOC-CH=CH-COOR is combusted itself while synergistically increasing the effect, thereby remarkably reducing imperfect combustion.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0009] The present invention provides an objective low pollution fuel obtained by blending an ethylene glycol based compound having a CH₂CH₂ group in a molecular formula with a liquid hydrocarbon.

1. RO-CH₂CH₂-OH

[0010] As the above ethylene glycol based compound, the following (1) to (5) generally expressed by the molecular formula of RO-CH₂CH₂-OH can be exemplified.

(1) Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether

        CH₃O-CH₂CH₂-OH

(2) Ethylene glycol monoethyl ether

        C₂H₅O-CH₂CH₂-OH

(3) Ethylene glycol monopropyl ether

        C₃H₇O-CH₂CH₂-OH

(4) Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether

        C₄H₉O-CH₂CH₂-OH

(5) Ethylene glycol monopentyl ether

        C₅H₁₁O-CH₂CH₂-OH

[0011] The above RO-CH₂CH₂-OH can be obtained by reacting alcohol (ROH) with ethylene oxide,

wherein RO is a general expression of an ether group.

2. RO-CH₂CH₂-OR

[0012] As the above ethylene glycol based compound to be blended with the liquid hydrocarbon, the following (1) to (5) generally expressed by the molecular formula of RO-CH₂CH₂-OR can be exemplified.

(1) Ethylene glycol dimethyl ether

        CH₃O-CH₂CH₂-OCH₃

(2) Ethylene glycol diethyl ether

        C₂H₅O-CH₂CH₂-OC₂H₅

(3) Ethylene glycol dipropyl ether

        C₃H₇O-CH₂CH₂-OC₃H₇

(4) Ethylene glycol dibutyl ether

        C₄H₉O-CH₂CH₂-OC₄H₉

(5) Ethylene glycol dipentyl ether

        C₅H₁₁O-CH₂CH₂-OC₅H₁₁

[0013] The RO-CH₂CH₂-OR of the above (1) to (5) can be obtained by reacting ROR (ether) with ethylene oxide:

3. RO-CH₂CH₂-OR'

[0014] As the above ethylene glycol based compound to be blended with the hydrocarbon, the following (1) to (3) generally expressed by the molecular formula of RO-CH₂CH₂-OR' can be exemplified.

(1) Ethylene glycol methylethyl ether

        C₂H₅O-CH₂CH₂-OCH₃

(2) Ethylene glycol ethylbutyl ether

        C₄H₉O-CH₂CH₂-OC₂H₅

(3) Ethylene glycol ethylpentyl ether

        C₅H₁₁O-CH₂CH₂-OC₂H₅

4. ROOC-CH₂CH₂-COOR

[0015] As the above ethylene glycol based compound to be blended with the hydrocarbon, the following (1) to (2) generally expressed by the molecular formula of ROOC-CH₂CH₂-COOR can be exemplified. ROOC and COOR are the general expression of an organic acid group.

(1) Succinate diethyl ethylene glycol

        C₂H₅OOC-CH₂CH₂-COOC₂H₅

(2) Diacetic acid ethylene glycol

        CH₃OOC-CH₂CH₂-COOCH₃

[0016] In another aspect, the present invention provides an objective low pollution fuel obtained by blending a diethylene glycol based compound having a CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂ group in a molecular formula with a liquid hydrocarbon.

5. RO-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OH

[0017] As the above diethylene glycol based compound, the following (1) to (5) generally expressed by the molecular formula of RO-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OH can be exemplified.

(1) Diethylene glycol monomethyl ether

        CH₃O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OH

(2) Diethylene glycol monoethyl ether

        C₂H₅O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OH

(3) Diethylene glycol monopropyl ether

        C₃H₇O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OH

(4) Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether

        C₄H₉O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OH

(5) Diethylene glycol monopentyl ether

        C₅H₁₁O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OH

[0018] The RO-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OH of the above (1) to (5) can be obtained by reacting alcohol (ROH) with diethylene oxide,

6. RO-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OR

[0019] As the above diethylene glycol based compound, the following (1) to (5) generally expressed by the molecular formula of RO-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OR can be exemplified.

(1) Diethylene glycol dimethyl ether

        CH₃O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH_2-OCH₃

(2) Diethylene glycol diethyl ether

        C₂H₅O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OCH₂H₅

(3) Diethylene glycol dipropyl ether

        C₃H₇O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OC₃H₇

(4) Diethylene glycol dibutyl ether

        C₄H₉O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OC₄H₉

(5) Diethylene glycol dipentyl ether

        C₅H₁₁O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OC₅H₁₁

[0020] The RO-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OR of the above (1) to (5) can be obtained by reacting ether (ROR) with diethylene oxide:

7. RO-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OR'

[0021] As the above diethylene glycol based compound, the following (1) to (3) generally expressed by the molecular formula of RO-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OR' can be exemplified.

(1) Diethylene glycol methylethyl ether

        C₂H₅O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OCH₃

(2) Diethylene glycol ethylbutyl ether

        C₄H₉O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OC₂H₅

(3) Diethylene glycol ethylpentyl ether

        C₅H₁₁O-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OC₂H₅

[0022] In another aspect, the present invention provides an objective low pollution fuel obtained by blending a compound generally expressed by the molecular formula of ROOC-CH=CH-COOR with a liquid hydrocarbon.

8. ROOC-CH=CH-COOR

[0023] As the compound generally expressed by the above molecular formula of ROOC-CH=CH-COOR, C₂H₅OOC-CH=CH-COOC₂H₅ can be exemplified.

[0024] ROOC, COOR can be expressed as a hydrocarbon carboxy group.

[0025] The blending ratio of the low pollution fuel will now be described. With respect to the ethylene glycol based compound of (1) to (5) generally expressed by 1. RO-CH₂CH₂-OH, the ethylene glycol based compound of (1) to (5) generally expressed by 2. RO-CH₂CH₂-OR, the ethylene glycol based compound of (1) to (3) represented by 3. RO-CH₂CH₂-OR' and the ethylene glycol compound of (1) to (2) represented by 4. ROOC-CH₂CH₂-COOR; it is preferred that they are blended in a range of 3 to 20 % by weight and the liquid hydrocarbon is blended in a range of 80 to 97% by weight.

[0026] Likewise, with respect to the diethylene glycol based compound of (1) to (5) generally expressed by 5. RO-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OH, the diethylene glycol based compound of (1) to (5) generally expressed by 6. RO-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OR, and the diethylene glycol based compound of (1) to (5) represented by 7.RO-CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂-OR', it is preferred that they are blended in a range of 3 to 20 % by weight and the liquid hydrocarbon is blended in a range of 80 to 97% by weight.

[0027] Likewise, with respect to the compound generally expressed by the molecular formula of 8. ROOC-CH=CH-COOR; it is preferred that the compound is blended in a range of 3 to 20 % by weight and the liquid hydrocarbon is blended in a range of 80 to 97 % by weight.

[0028] The liquid hydrocarbon to be blended with the compounds of the above 1 to 8 refers to light oil, heavy oil and kerosene which are currently used as fuel for diesel engines of automotive vehicles, electric power generating apparatuses and ships.

[0029] Although there were some differences, the fuels of the above 1 to 8 could reduce the exhausted quantity of suspended particulate matter (PM) contained in the exhaust gas of the light oil, heavy oil and kerosene currently used as fuel for diesel engines by about 30 % to 60 %, the exhausted quantity of nitrogen oxides (NO_x) by about 10 %, the exhausted quantity of hydrocarbons (HC) by about 30 % to 40% and the exhausted quantity of carbon monoxides (CO) by about 10 % to 20 %, respectively.

[0030] The blending ratio between the ethylene glycol based compound and the diethylene glycol based compound is selected in a range of 3 to 20 % by weight depending on the types, etc. of the diesel engine for which the present low pollution fuel is used. If the blending ratio exceeds 20 %, there is a possibility to render an adverse effect to the output of the diesel engine. In contrast, if the blending ratio is less than 3 %, a large reduction of the noxious matters contained in the exhaust gas cannot be expected.

[0031] In the low pollution fuel of the present invention, the ethylene glycol based compound or the diethylene glycol based compound, or the compound generally expressed by the molecular formula of ROOC-CH=CH-COOR is combusted itself while synergistically increasing the combustion efficiency of the liquid hydrocarbon, thereby remarkably reducing imperfect combustion. Thus, the low pollution fuel of the present invention is capable of fundamentally solving the problem of exhaust gas discharged from trucks, etc. which use light oil, etc. as their fuel, without depending on the conventional symptomatic measures.

Claims

1. A low pollution fuel in which an ethylene glycol based compound having a group of CH₂CH₂ in a molecular formula is blended with a liquid hydrocarbon.

2. A low pollution fuel in which a diethylene glycol based compound having a group of CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂ in a molecular formula is blended with a liquid hydrocarbon.

3. A low pollution fuel in which a compound generally Expressed by a molecular formula of ROOC-CH=CH-COOR is blended with a liquid hydrocarbon.