Protection of liquid fuels
AssigneePalox Offshore S.A.L.
InventorDavid William Martin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The formation in a liquid hydrocarbon fuel of ice particles having a weight average particle size greater than 1 μm when said liquid hydrocarbon fuel is cooled to temperatures in the range of from 0 to −50° C. can be reduced or eliminated by use of at least one surfactant that is capable of dispersing water in said liquid hydrocarbon fuel to provide a stable clear water-in-oil microemulsion wherein the droplet size of the dispersed water phase is no greater than 0.25 μm.
Claims30
At least one surfactant that is capable of dispersing water in a liquid hydrocarbon fuel to provide a stable clear water-in-oil microemulsion wherein the droplet size of the dispersed water phase is no greater than 0.25 μm in a liquid hydrocarbon fuel comprising less than 50 ppm water to reduce or substantially eliminate the formation in said liquid hydrocarbon fuel of ice particles having a weight average particle size greater than 1 μm when said liquid hydrocarbon fuel is cooled to temperatures in the range of from 0 to −50° C., wherein the amount of said at least one surfactant used in said liquid hydrocarbon fuel is sufficient to disperse at least 50 ppm water in said liquid hydrocarbon fuel.
A method of reducing or substantially eliminating the formation in a liquid hydrocarbon fuel of ice particles having a weight average particle size greater than 1 μm when said liquid hydrocarbon fuel is cooled to temperatures in the range of from 0 to −50° C., said method comprising a) providing a specified amount of liquid hydrocarbon fuel, said liquid hydrocarbon fuel comprising less than 50 ppm water, b) providing at least one surfactant that is capable of dispersing water in said liquid hydrocarbon fuel to provide a stable clear water-in-oil microemulsion wherein the droplet size of the dispersed water phase is no greater than 0.25 μm, c) adding said at least one surfactant to said specified amount of liquid hydrocarbon fuel in an amount sufficient to disperse at least 50 ppm water in said liquid hydrocarbon fuel, and d) dispersing said at least one surfactant in said liquid hydrocarbon fuel.
A method of refuelling an aircraft with a liquid hydrocarbon fuel which after refuelling has a reduced tendency to form ice particles having a weight average particle size greater than 1 μm when said liquid hydrocarbon fuel is cooled to temperatures in the range of from 0 to −50° C., said method comprising a) pumping a specified amount of liquid hydrocarbon fuel into a fuel tank of an aircraft, said liquid hydrocarbon fuel comprising less than 50 ppm water, b) providing at least one surfactant that is capable of dispersing water in said liquid hydrocarbon fuel to provide a stable clear water-in-oil microemulsion wherein the droplet size of the dispersed water phase is no greater than 0.25 μm, c) adding said at least one surfactant to said liquid hydrocarbon fuel in an amount sufficient to disperse at least 50 ppm water in said liquid hydrocarbon fuel during or after said liquid hydrocarbon fuel is pumped into said fuel tank, and d) dispersing said at least one surfactant in said liquid hydrocarbon fuel.
An aircraft fuel having a reduced tendency to form ice particles having a weight average particle size greater than 1 μm when said liquid hydrocarbon fuel is cooled to temperatures in the range of from 0 to −50° C., said liquid hydrocarbon fuel comprising:
- i) from 45 to 4575 ppm of at least one (C6-C15) alcohol ethoxylate and/or ii) from 5 to 425 ppm of at least one (C8-C24)alkyl amido(C1-C6)alkyl betaine.
A liquid concentrate consisting essentially of
- (A) 0.1 to 10 wt. % of one or more amphoteric emulsifying agents;
- (B) 30 to 95 wt. % of one or more nonionic alkoxylated surfactants;
- (C) 0 to 20 wt. % of one or more glycol-based solubilizers;
- and
- (D) 0 to 65 wt. % of one or more organic solvents.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.