Fuel modifiers for natural gas reciprocating engines
OwnerJohn Bradley Roucis, Amir Gamal Maria +3inventors
InventorsJohn Bradley Roucis, Amir Gamal Maria, William Lawrence Schinski, Malika Mukundan, John Gerard Wolff
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Abstract
Described herein are fuel modifiers for natural gas reciprocating engines, while recognizing the application of the inventions herein may be applied more broadly, to other natural gas-based engine systems. The fuel modifiers are primarily free-radical initiators, and the presence of this fuel modifier allows the engine operator to operate the engine under leaner conditions because, while employing the same ignition energy, more free-radicals are formed, thus overcoming the problems associated with dilution of the pool of free-radicals in the flame.
Claims18
A method for reducing the ignition energy required for ignition of a natural gas fuel in a natural gas engine, comprising providing a natural gas fuel comprising a natural gas base fuel and a fuel modifier to a natural gas engine, wherein the fuel modifier is selected from azo compounds, dialkylsulfides, alkyl sulfones, nitroalkyls, peroxygens, hydrocarbons which contain symmetrically substituted carbon-carbon bonds where that bond is relatively weak, or a mixture thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.