Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
A fuel composition which comprises: (a) a fuel; (b) about 1.0 to about 30.0 weight percent of water based upon said diesel fuel; (c) about 0 to about 30 weight percent of an alkanol based upon said water, said alkanol having about 1 to about 3 carbon atoms; (d) less than about 20.0 weight percent of an additive based upon said water, said additive being selected from the group consisting of an inorganic oxidizer, a polar organic oxidizer and a nitrogen oxide-containing compound; and (e) about 0.5 to about 15.0 weight percent of a surfactant system based on said diesel fuel, said surfactant system comprising a blend of a hydrophilic surfactant and a lipophilic surfactant in a ratio sufficient to form a single phase translucent microemulsion, wherein said diesel fuel exhibits improved cetane and combustion properties, reduced smoke, soot emissions, particulate emissions and NOx emissions in the combustion of said diesel fuel in a diesel engine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
19 words
A fuel composition according to claim 1, wherein the fuel is diesel, gasoline or jet fuel, preferably diesel fuel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
238 words
A fuel composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hydrophilic and lipophilic blend of surfactants is comprised of two or more surfactants selected from one or more of: (a) an alkali metal, ammonium, alkyl ammonium, alkanol ammonium, or ethoxylated alkyl or alkanol ammonium salt of an alkyl or alkylaryl sulfonic acid of the generic formula: R-SO₃H wherein R is an alkyl or alkyl benzene group containing 8 to 30 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain and the benzene ring may be additionally substituted with one or two alkyl groups containing 1-3 carbon atoms each; (b) an ethoxylated surfactant of the generic formula: R₁x(CH₂CH₂O) n Y wherein R₁ is an alkyl or mono- or di-alkyl aryl group containing 8 to 30 carbon atoms, and Y is -H-,-SO₃-M⁺ or-(PO₃H)-M⁺ wherein M⁺ is an inorganic or ammonium cation including alkyl substituted ammonium cations; R₂ is an alkyl group containing 1 to 20 carbon atoms or a polyethoxy ether group containing from 1 to 30 (CH₂CH₂O) groups; R₃ is H or an alkyl group containing 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R₄ is a polyhydroxy group derived from glycerol, glycols, sorbitol, or various sugars; and n is an integer of from 1 to 30; and (c) an alkali metal, ammonium, alkyl ammonium, alkanol ammonium, or ethoxylated alkyl ammonium salt of an alkyl carboxylic acid of the generic formula R′-COOH wherein R′ is an alkyl group of 8 to 24 carbon atoms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The composition of claim 3 wherein at least one of the lipophilic surfactants is an ethoxylated C₁₂-C₁₈ alkyl ammonium salt of a C₉ -C₂₄ alkyl carboxylic or alkylaryl sulfonic acid containing less than 6 ethylene oxide groups.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The composition of claim 3 or 4 wherein at least one of the hydrophilic surfactants is an ethoxylated C₁₂-C₁₈ alkyl ammonium salt of a C₉-C₂₄ alkyl carboxylic or alkylaryl sulfonic acid containing 6 or more ethylene oxide groups.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
93 words
A process for reducing smoke, soot emissions, particulate emissions, and NOx emissions in the combustion of a diesel fuel in a diesel engine which comprises the step of adding to said diesel fuel about 1.0 to about 30.0 weight percent of water and about 0.5 to about 15.0 weight percent of a surfactant system, based on said diesel fuel, said surfactant system comprising a blend of a hydrophilic surfactant and a lipophilic surfactant in a ratio sufficient to form a single phase translucent microemulsion, whereby smoke, soot, particulate and NOx emissions are reduced.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
A process according to claim 6, wherein said hydrophilic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal, ammonium, 1 to 3 carbon alkyl ammonium, 2 to 6 carbon alkanol ammonium containing 1 to 3 hydroxy groups, and 6 or more ethoxy C₁₂-C₁₈ alkyl ammonium salts of alkyl carboxylic acids and alkyl aryl sulfonic acids and 6 or more ethoxy alkyl phenols.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said lipophilic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of less than 6 ethoxy alkyl phenols and less than 6 ethoxy C₁₂-C₁₈ alkyl ammonium salts of alkyl carboxylic and alkyl aryl sulfonic acids.