Fuel for reducing the noxiousness of exhaust gases, particularly for internal-combustion engines

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fuel for reducing the noxiousness of exhaust gases, particularly for internal­ combustion engines. The fuel has the peculiarity of comprising a mixture of a fuel with 10 to 42% water with respect to the fuel, with the addition of a lubricating antifreeze activator in an amount comprised between 0.5 and 2% of the amount of fuel. The mixture is atomized and stabilized by means of a turbine transducer (8) which provides an electro-magneto-mechanical action, subjecting the mixture, in succession, to positive-pressure actions alternated with negative-pressure actions at high frequency.

Description: The present invention relates to a method of preparing a diesel fuel composition, and to a stable diesel fuel composition so product. The Italian patent no. 1,168,927 in the name of the same Applicant, discloses an apparatus for the emulsifying and atomization of fluid fuels with secondary fluids, for example water. Said apparatus substantially comprises a turbine transducer which defines a cavitation chamber in which a fluid fuel and water are introduced in order to emulsify and atomize them. In said cavitation chamber, the fluids are subjected to a combined mechanical and electromagnetic action which produces, inside said chamber, a collimated corridor which is traversed by the fuel and by the water mixed together, so as to obtain an intimate mixing of the two components, for feeding burners or the like, reducing the fuel used, for an equal energy effect, as well as reducing the noxiousness of the exhaust gases. This apparatus was expressly provided for fixed systems, such as industrial and/or heating systems and the like, but was scarcely suitable for use in engines for motor vehicles and the like, since the atomized product obtained between fuel and water was, when used with Diesel fuel, scarcely stable, with the consequent need to use it immediately after its production. The aim of the invention is indeed to eliminate the above described limitation by providing a diesel fuel composition, which has great characteristics of emulsion stability, thus allowing its use on motor vehicles and the like. Within the scope of the above described aim, a particular object of the invention is to provide a fuel which can be produced directly on board the motor vehicle or the system, and remotely from the users, since it preserves its stability characteristics. Another object of the present invention is to provide a non-polluting fuel for Diesel engines, which can be introduced directly into the fuel tank with no modification of the engine system. The above described aim, the objects mentioned and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a fuel prepared by a method as defined in claim 1. Further characteristics and advantages will become apparent from the description of a system, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawing, wherein figure 1 is a diagram of a system for producing and distributing the fuel, according to the invention. With reference to the above described figure, the diesel fuel for reducing the noxiousness of exhaust gases, has the peculiarity of being constituted by a mixture of fuel with water in a percentage which may be comprised between 10 and 42% with respect to the fuel, with a lubricating antifreeze stabilizer present in an amount of from 0.5 to 2.0% by weight of the amount of diesel fuel. The fuel is ordinary, extra-light or heavy Diesel fuel, usable for Diesel engines. The water used can be ordinary mains water with any degree of hardness, so long as it is filtered, with a temperature which can reach up to 35/40°C. An important aspect, in order to obtain the stability of the emulsion which must be provided, is constituted by the addition of a lubricating antifreeze activator in an amount comprised between 0.5 and 2% of the amount of fuel. Experimental tests carried out have shown that activators such as sorbitol and/or sorbitan mono-oleate POE are particularly suitable; among these, the product SORBIROL MEC W4, marketed "ad hoc" by AUSCHEM, with carbon atoms and polyhedral structure, has been found to be particularly suitable. This lubricating activator is dispersible in water and produces CO 2 and CO during combustion. The lubricating antifreeze activator and the water can be poured separately or pre-combined into the fuel, so as to obtain a mixture which is then atomized and stabilized in a transducer which is conceptually analogous to the one illustrated in the above mentioned patent, which causes instantaneous atomization and stabilizes the mixture, allowing to use it even after a long period of time. The transducer has a main cavitation chamber which acts on the flowing fluid mixture by means of electro-magneto-mechanical actions, subjecting it to moments of positive pressure followed by moments of negative pressure, at high frequency. The fuel obtained allows to feed aspirated engines and direct- or indirect-injection diesel engines, preserving operating conditions for the engine which are substantially identical to operating conditions using conventional diesel fuels. A fuel production and distribution system according to the present invention as shown in figure 1 is constituted by a tank 20 for the water from the mains system, with a level regulator, and by a tank 21 for the lubricating antifreeze activator; a first dosage pump 22 and a second dosage pump 23 are furthermore provided and feed the water and the lubricating antifreeze activator into an activated-water storage tank 25, in which a first pump 26 draws and feeds the water-activator mixture into a first turbine transducer 27 the output or delivery whereof leads into a fuel tank 30 connected to a fuel delivery 31 and provided with recirculation channels 32, 34 on which a second turbine transducer 33 acts, in cooperation with recirculation pump 35. The fuel tank is connected through duct 41 to a distributor for the atomized Diesel fuel 40 which can be constituted by the conventional pump for supplying fuel to users. Experimental tests carried out have shown that by using conventional untreated Diesel fuel a discharge emission of 16.4% O 2 , 3.3-3.4% CO 2 , 204 or more ppm CO, 300 ppm SO 2 and 1300-1400 or more ppm NOX is obtained, with an exhaust gas temperature of 136-137°C at an environmental temperature of 24°C; opacity oscillated between 45% and 55% up to 97%. Using a fuel with the addition of 10% water, 16.4-16.3% O 2 , 3.2% CO 2 , 125-129 ppm CO were obtained, with an exhaust gas temperature of 120° at an environmental temperature of 24°C. Using a fuel with 15% water by weight, 16.5% O 2 , 2.5% CO 2 , 139 ppm CO, 187 ppm SO 2 were obtained, with an exhaust gas temperature of 127°C at an environmental temperature of 26.6°C; opacity of about 30%. Using a fuel with 20% water by weight, 16.6% O 2 , 3.2% CO 2 , 184 ppm CO, 160 ppm SO 2 were obtained, with an exhaust gas temperature of 122°C at an environmental temperature of 26.6°C; opacity of about 7%. Using a fuel with 24% water by weight, 16.7% O 2 , 2.4% CO 2 , 171-158 ppm CO, 160 ppm SO 2 were obtained with an exhaust gas temperature of 119-121°C at an environmental temperature of 26.4°C; opacity of about 2%. In all the above indicated experiments, which do not fall within the terms of the appended claims, the NOX values were about 267 and 381 and 415 ppm, and the opacity of the particulates is on the average 4%-7%. It should be noted that the opacity values of the particulates, as well as the CO values, for equal running rates and conditions, if measured after a few hours of operation, drop further due to the self-cleaning which is typical of the atomized emulsion. Particle variations due to the separation of unburned substances exiting at irregular intervals were in fact observed during the tests. A considerable elimination of SO 2 must also be observed: from the typical value of the sulphur content of Diesel fuel it drops to values well below those which could be deduced due to the smaller amount of Diesel fuel being burned. From what has been described above it can thus be seen that it is possible to achieve considerable advantages as regards the noxiousness of the exhaust gases, together with an increase in performance, since the fuel has percentages of water. It should be furthermore noted that the addition of the lubricating antifreeze activator, besides acting as lubricant and antifreeze, also has the function of stabilizing the produced emulsion, consequently allowing its use even long after the fuel production time.

Claims: A method of preparing a diesel fuel composition in the form of a stable emulsion, comprising the steps of: a. preparing a mixture of water, a lubricating antifreeze emulsion stabilizer and diesel fuel by pouring said lubricating antifreeze emulsion stabilizer and water separately or pre-combined into the fuel, and b. passing the water, lubricating antifreeze and diesel fuel mixture into a turbo transducer acting in such a way as to provide an electro-magneto-mechanical action by subjecting the mixture being treated, in succession, to positive-pressure actions alternating with negative-pressure actions at high frequency, thereby to provide a stable emulsion of the constituents of the mixture, the weight amounts of diesel fuel, water and lubricating antifreeze stabilizer being chosen such that the water is present in an amount of from 10 to 42% by weight of the amount of diesel fuel, and the lubricating antifreeze stabilizer is present in an amount of from 0.5 to 2.0% by weight of the amount of diesel fuel. Method according to claim 1 wherein the water and the lubricating antifreeze emulsion stabilizer are pre-combined by mixing the water and the lubricating antifreeze emulsion stabilizer and subsequently passing the resulting mixture through a turbine transducer acting in such a way as to provide an electro-magneto-mechanical action by subjecting the mixture being treated, in succession, to positive-pressure actions alternating with negative-pressure actions at high frequency Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said stabilizer is selected from a group consisting in sorbitol mono-oleate, sorbitan mono-oleate, and mixtures thereof. Stable diesel fuel emulsion obtainable by the method of claim lor 2. Stable diesel fuel emulsion according to claim 4, characterized in that said stabilizer is selected from a group consisting in sorbitol mono-oleate, sorbitan mono-oleate, and mixtures thereof.

Inventors: MARELLI ERNESTO, MARELLI, ERNESTO
Applicants: MARELLI ERNESTO, MARELLI, ERNESTO
Application year: 1989
Main classification: C10L1
IPC codes: C10L1, F02B3