Patent Application: US-44937207-A

Abstract:
the purpose of the invention described in this document is to disclose a novel method using mixtures to change the viscosity of both light and heavy petroleums , by decreasing or increasing said viscosity . the methods derived from this invention are useful at ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure . the active component of the invention is dopamine , a compound that combined with other substances enables a change in the fluidity properties of petroleum , an increase in the electric charge properties of the mixtures and solutions and the dissolution of insoluble compounds in water or aqueous solutions . some of the mixtures of this invention have been applied to modifying proton mobility , whereby significant increases in particular caused by the presence of metals chosen to bring about this purpose , can be detected within these mixtures , by measuring the electric charge . the experiments which led to this invention demonstrated that the juice obtained from any part of the banana plant , whereof the chemical analysis includes dopamine and other compounds such as quinonas , carotenes and terpenes , is the cause of the effects found , in particular effects on the electric properties and on dissolving metals and metal compounds .

Description:
and its chemical name is 4 -( 2 aminoethyl ) bencene - 1 , 2 - diol . dopamine is a member of the catecolamines family , which is represented generically in the following manner . several research centers have reported dopamine contents of between 80 and 560 mg en the skin of bananas . it is also known that dopamine plays an important role in oxidation reactions ; and that in some instances it can act as an oxidant , and in other instances it can act as an antioxidant . it is also known that this behavior hinges upon the presence of certain cyclic carbon compounds ; certain ions ; or certain polar compounds . the juice of parts of banana plants of the musaceae family is a fluid of complex composition mainly made up of water , phosphates , potassium , quinines , lignine , and gums , ad dopamine . depending on the technology employed for obtaining the juice , the fluid can be obtained from the stem of the plant , or from the pseudo - stem , in the form of an aqueous liquid of around 50 % of the original weight of the plant , the above percentage hinging on the particular part of the plant that has been processed . this liquid contains k , n , mn , ca , mg , zn y cu in different proportions . once all cellulose residues have been separated the color of the liquid depends on the variety of the banana plant . once filtered , the liquid is initially homogenous , although , upon storing for around fifteen days , it turns to a light - brow - colored cereous limpid liquid , containing essentially water , gums , and salts . when two cubic centimeters of an aqueous solution of 40 g / l of dopamine chlorhydrate is put in contact with 500 cubic centimeters of ecuadorian crude oil of 16 ° api , in the presence of bivalent ions such as magnesium and calcium , at ph between 4 and 4 . 5 , an significant enhancement of ease of flow of the crude oil is observed , attributable to oxidative effects , not yet fully explained . regarding the explanation of the oxidative effects , it is known that oxidation - reduction reactions of organic chemical species , in general involve free - radical formation and electron transfer , in the presence of metallic ions . additionally , direct reduction of carbocations has been observed to occur in the presence of vanadium chloride ( ii ). the inventor proposes that during auto - oxidation , the first step entails the formation of hydroperoxydes that continue to react as long as unsaturated molecules are present in the substrate ; and that some alkenes will undergo auto - oxidation when ro 2 radicals are added to the double bond . when the juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant comes in contact with carbon - containing compounds such as crude oil , the compounds are oxidized while in the liquid phase , at ambient temperature and pressure ( conditions prevailing in the city of quito : 545 mm hg , and 17 ° c .). this oxidation is achieved if metals like vanadium , titanium , and nickel are present in the mixture , which have to have been previously obtained through methods involving the use of juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant . the oxidation effect is enhanced if hydrogen peroxide is used . the same effect obtained with juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant is obtained when dopamine chlorhidrate is used with hydrogen peroxide the protonation that occurs when juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant comes in contact with ecuadorian crude oil could be partially explained through the existence of quinones in the juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant . kursanov et . al . ( 1985 ) provide an explanation of these facts , which is feasible if the fact that quinones produce dehydrogenation of organic compounds in the presence of phosphoric acid with formation of stable carbenium ion . in the equations above , e is an electrophilic agent , and a id the product of dehydrogenation , and [ ah ] + is an ion that can be very stable . in the case of crude oil , the reversible reaction is driven forward by the vanadium and the nickel originally present in the crude . additional to this effect , the hydride donation is improved , albeit not significantly , if zinc o tin should be present in the crude . in this respect it is possible that this behavior may be explained through the hypothesis of a catalytic hydrogenation ( kursanov et . al . ( 1985 )), that should occur in the following four stages : 1 . protonation of the substrate ( olefin ) to form carbenium ion , as is shown below : 2 . activation of the hydrogen to form the hydrogenated form of the carrier , as is shown below : cat + h 2 → cat . h 3 . hydride ion transfer from the reduced for of the catalyst to the carbenium ion , as is shown below : additional to being sources of energy , hydrocarbons are the raw materials for the manufacture of chemicals , and a vast amount of knowledge has been developed for this purpose . this knowledge has allowed for many applications , the vast majority of which are based on the acidification of reactive mixtures , or in the contact with acidic active centers . as the use of hydrofluoric or sulfuric acid has been discouraged on the grounds of environmental considerations , the use of solid catalysts has been encouraged , especially crystalline aluminosilicates ( zeolites ). some experiments within the development of this invention were geared to verify the oxidative power of the juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant with this perspective in mind , laboratory tests to verify the oxidative potential of the juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant were carried out . one such experiment entailed placing 100 cubic centimeters of a mixture of juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant and 5 mg of ferric chloride in a 250 cc hermetic bottle . one minute afterwards , the sound of air going into the bottle was considered evidence that vacuum had formed within the bottle . when vacuum was measured a value lower than been expected had the oxygen alone been consumed was confirmed . this indicated the consumption of an additional chemical gaseous species during the reaction . similar experiments , carried out with additional compounds of vanadium , nickel , copper , and platinum rendered similar results . when submerging metallic alloys of silver and copper ; and gold and copper in solutions of hydrogen peroxide and juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant , at ambient temperature and pressure . the dissolution of the alloys and the presence of protons could be verified in both cases , through measuring the direct electrical current used to carry out the electrochemical reaction . in both cases the measured current values increased when one of these two alloys was used as one of the electrodes in the cell , while the other electrode was made out of zinc or graphite . the slow oxidation of organic and inorganic compounds in an open vessel without agitation , at 18 ° c . and atmospheric pressure , especially enhanced through iron compounds , presumably enables the liberation of protons in the water . this allowed the observation of different readings of electrical currents and voltages , as the residence time of the mixture in the vessel progressed . at the conclusion of the experiment a current of 22 ma , an 1 v was obtained using copper and zinc electrodes having a surface of 1 cm 2 . the ph value of juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant is similar to the value measured when assaying the juices of other fruits and vegetables , which is 4 . 5 . nevertheless , if the juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant is oxidized using hydrogen peroxide ( approx . one drop per 20 cc of juice ), the value registered in a digital multimeter , due to the liberation of protons , is 15 ma , approximately , and decreases with time . when contacting juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant with linear solvents such as kerosene , or gasoline , two phases can be observed : water and oil . when juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant is brought in contact with no . 6 fuel oil ( bunker ), or with diesel , at ambient temperature and pressure , in the presence of metals , the apparent viscosity of the mixture changes , and - if the contact time is prolonged - clusters that progressively solidify are formed . if light o heavy crude oils are mixed with oxidized juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant , or if crude oil is placed in juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant , and if hydrogen peroxide is added , a mixture of lower viscosity than the original mixture is obtained . after this effect takes place decomposition to carbon and other compounds is observed due to the reversibility of the reaction , enhanced by the presence of vanadium , nickel or iron . addition of these metals is not necessary in the case of ecuadorian crude oils , because it already contains the above - mentioned metals . the search of a way to conserve the observed oil improvement directed the inventor of this patent to study the reaction described in the previous paragraph when carried out at atmospheric temperature and pressure . at these conditions , and considering that juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant can dissolve metallic compounds , different formulations of these compounds were added to juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant , although some of them are still being researched . for example , to dissolve 1 gr of titanium oxide in 40 cc juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant ., 20 cc of a neutral soap ( tween 80 ), 20 cc of 50 ° gay lussac ethanol , and one gr glucose were needed to achieve dissolution in 24 hours time . it is hypothesized that the dissolution of the titanium oxide is achieved through the formation of a chelate , which is the mechanism that is thought to take place in the improvement of crude oils claimed in this patent . other metallic compounds that were researched were sodium orthovanadate , and platinum chloride . upon addition of the latter compound , chlorine gas was evolved , and a limpid solution remained . although tests were run with mixtures of crude oil and juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant . ; with crude oil and dopamine ; and with crude oils and other compounds , at different temperatures , up to 60 ° c ., the experiments carried out at ambient temperature , or around 35 ° c ., were the most successful of the lot . the ease of this reaction hinges upon the fact that when the viscosity of heavy oil is lowered , rapid mixture of the crude oil with other substances is enhanced . additionally , the activation constants of the reactions change , thus accelerating the generation of products . unfortunately , the oxidation reactions also change their velocities , thus making it difficult to quench the deterioration of the raw material as a whole . upon studying the quenching of these reactions to hinder reversibility , it was found that increasing the temperature deactivation of the metallic catalysts that were formed was possible , because they probably were present in the form of chelates . the quenching temperature was found to be around 70 ° c . ; and the reaction time is linked to the reaction volume . this technique , although simple at laboratory level , due to the uncomplicated heat transfer at this scale , would be complex , and is not completely defined at larger scales , due to the formation of unidentified gases that change the value of the heat transfer coefficients of the mixtures . the solids content of the juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant increases through evaporation of water carried out under partial vacuum , thus obtaining a semisolid product , of different consistencies . although dry product is difficult to add to crude oil , and semisolid product is easier to add to crude oil , both of them are more efficient that untreated juice obtained from squeezing any part of the banana plant in decreasing or augmenting crude oil viscosity . semisolid product is , on the other hand , very good for the containment of crude oil spills , especially if it has been previously treated with hydrogen peroxide . at the present time , studies are being carried out in the context of this patent , geared to trapping dopamine on different solid matrices , to allow for the reuse of the catalyst . during the course of tests with soy and palm oil , and other fatty acids , as well as with ketones , changes in their physical , chemical , and electrical properties have been noticed . procedure to prove that electrical energy is generated in a fluid containing , among others , banana juice obtained from any part of the banana plant . a ) place 100 ml of juice obtained from any part of the banana plant in a beaker b ) place 0 . 5 cc of hydrogen peroxide in a small container c ) mix fluids describes in ( a ) and ( b ), and stir for 30 seconds d ) in the mixture obtained in step ( c ) submerge one zinc electrode , and one copper electrode , both having 1 cm 2 area , placing them 1 mm apart e ) measure the current and voltage produced with a digital multimeter , to check that the values obtained should be in the vicinity of 15 ma , and 1 v , d . c . different values of current and voltage can be obtained upon varying the separation between the electrodes in the abovementioned experiment . procedure to prove that electrical energy is generated in a fluid containing , among others , banana juice obtained from any part of the banana plant . a ) place 100 ml of banana juice obtained from the stem of the plant in a beaker b ) weigh 20 mg of al 2 o 3 in an analytical balance c ) weigh 5 mg of aluminum and lithium hydride ( li al h 4 ) on an analytical scale d ) mix ( a ), and ( b ), upon stirring , for 1 minute e ) mix ( d ) and ( c ). stir for one minute f ) in the mixture obtained in step ( e ) submerge one zinc electrode , and one copper electrode , both having 1 cm 2 area , placing them 1 mm apart g ) measure the current and voltage produced with a digital multimeter , to check that the values obtained should be in the vicinity of 8 ma , and 0 . 6 v , d . c . different values of current and voltage can be obtained upon varying the separation between the electrodes in the abovementioned experiment . this example provides detailed information about the laboratory scale procedure used to change the physical and chemical characteristics of a 16 ° api crude oil . it purports to provide an idea about the manner through which this invention allow the partial resolution of the contamination of water produced by an oil spill . slight adjustments of the procedure should be implemented according to the api degree of the spilled oil . before carrying out the experiment mixture a , which shall be called “ viscosity increaser ”, in the manner described below . a ) measure 84 . 5 cc of banana juice obtained from any part of banana plant , and place in a beaker b ) measure 25 cc of ethyl alcohol , and place in a beaker c ) measure 0 . 5 cc of hydrogen peroxide d ) mix ( a ) and ( b ), and stir for 30 seconds e ) add ( c ) and ( d ) and stir for 30 seconds f ) add 0 . 1 g of iron oxide ( fe 2 o 3 ) to the mixture obtained in ( e ), and stri for 1 minute to continue the experiment a deep glass tray should be used , appropriate to appreciate comparatively , the thicknesses of the water and crude oil layers , as well as the eventual presence of decanted solids . a ) place water on the glass tray up to 10 cm height b ) place crude oil upon the water , to obtain a layer of approximately 2 or 3 mm thickness c ) add the “ viscosity increaser ” mixture to the tray in a quantity approximately equal to 10 % of the crude oil present , distributing it evenly with the help of a spatula . d ) allow the fluids in the glass tray to rest for about eight hours , or mechanically agitate to shorten the time to about four hours . e ) once reaction has taken place as per the explanation in ( d ), a sludgy supernatant suspension can be noticed on the water surface , which can be withdrawn by physical means , without breaking , as it does not mix with the water . when experiments are conducted at pilot scale with the “ viscosity increaser ”, with larger volumes water and spilled crude oil , changes in the physical properties of the crude oil can be noticed with the naked eye , after the prescribed time , without regards to the api of the oil , or even to the fact that the oil may have been “ aged ” through prolonged contact with air . in case of a spill on the ground , cleansing the soil is very difficult and complicated , if not impossible , on the short and medium terms . to solve this problem , modern technology offers many different alternatives , some of them involving degradation of the crude oil . the most accepted techniques are , nevertheless , the ones that subject the contaminated soil to the action of microorganisms specialized in the decomposition of the contaminants . although acceptable , these techniques are very slow , and effective . through use of the “ viscosity increaser ” developed under this patent , the abovementioned techniques , and others that generally require accelerated degradation of crude oil , can be rendered successful because the “ viscosity increaser ” acts as a provider of a carbon - rich substrate that can be readily metabolized by the microorganisms . two features of the present invention are illustrated in the present example : firstly , the procedure used to alter the physical and chemical characteristics of a 160 api crude oil ; and , secondly , the dissolution of sodium orthovanadate in water . before carrying out the procedure mixture b has to be prepared which shall be called the “ viscosity reducer mixture ”, in the following manner : a ) measure 40 cc of banana juice taken from the stem of the plant . b ) measure 20 cc of tween 80 c ) measure 20 cc ethyl alcohol of 500 gay lousac d ) weigh 1 g titanium oxide e ) weigh 1 gr glucose , industrial grade , on a precision balance g ) mix ( b ) and ( c ). agitate for 2 - 3 minutes until mixture is homogenous h ) mix ( a ) and ( g ). agitate the mixture for 2 minutes , until uniform aspect is achieved i ) mix ( h ), ( d ), and ( f ). agitate strongly for 3 minutes j ) let the mixture obtained in ( i ) rest at ambient temperature for 24 hours in an open vessel . after the above - mentioned interval it shall be noticeable that the insoluble compounds used during this procedure shall have been dissolved . the volume of “ viscosity reducer mixture ” required to treat a given volume of an oil of different api grade than the one mentioned above has to be established through trial and error . to be successful , and increment of about five units with respect to the original api grade should be obtained . the procedure for a typical oil improvement run is described below : a ) measure 100 cc of crude oil b ) determine the api grde c ) add 30 cc of “ viscosity reducer mixture ” to the crude oil d ) stir vigorously e ) add 10 cc distilled water f ) measure the final api grade kanasawa , k . y sakakibara , h ., “ high content of dopamine a strong 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