Biodiesel is formed by blending an with a hydrocarbon fuel, preferably #2 diesel, gasoline, or kerosene. Water in the mixture, and other impurities, are removed by adding a coalescing aid such as naphtha, xylene or naphthalene and passing the mixture through a series of filters including a coalescing filter. Optional components that can be added to the fuel include cetane additives, lubricants such as trimethylbenzene and ethylene, as well as performance enhancers such as acetone.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The FIGURE is a diagrammatic depiction of the filtration apparatus used in the present invention.
Claims
1. A method of forming biodiesel comprising blending oil with a hydrocarbon fuel to form a fuel mixture having a water content;
adding to said fuel mixture a hydrocarbon coalescing aid; andfiltering water from said fuel mixture.
2. The method claimed in claim 1 comprising filtering said water with a coalescent filter.
3. The method claimed in claim 2 wherein said oil is selected from the group consisting of vegetable oil, animal fat, used motor oil, and mixtures thereof.
4. The method claimed in claim 3 wherein said hydrocarbon fuel is selected from the group consisting of diesel fuel, kerosene, gasoline, and mixtures thereof.
5. The method claimed in claim 2 wherein said coalescing aid comprises a hydrocarbon having a specific gravity having less than 1 and a viscosity less than 2 centistokes at 40 degrees C.
6. The method claimed in claim 2 wherein said coalescing aid is selected from the group consisting of naphtha, xylene, naphthalene, toluene, and mixtures thereof.
7. The method claimed in claim 2 further comprising adding a cetane agent to said mixture.
8. The method claimed in claim 7 further comprising adding to said mixture a lubricant.
9. The method claimed in claim 8 wherein said lubricant is selected from a group consisting of trimethylbenzene and ethylene, and mixtures thereof.
10. The method claimed in claim 7 further comprising adding acetone to said mixture.
11. The method claimed in claim 2 further comprising passing said fuel mixture through a particulate filter.
12. The method claimed in claim 11 further comprising passing said fuel mixture through a carbon filter.
13. The method claimed in claim 4 wherein said hydrocarbon fuel comprises at least about 12% of said fuel mixture.
14. A method of forming a biodiesel composition comprising blending a triglyceride composition with a hydrocarbon fuel selected from the group consisting of diesel fuel, gasoline, kerosene, and mixtures thereof, to form a fuel mixture;
establishing a water content in said fuel mixture of at least 0.4 ounces of water per gallon of fuel mixture;adding to said fuel mixture a coalescing aid selected from the group consisting of naphtha, xylene, naphthalene, toluene, and mixtures thereof in an amount equal to at least about 0.25 oz/gal of said fuel mixture; andremoving water from said fuel mixture with a coalescing filter.
15. A biodiesel fuel composition comprising at least about 75% by weight of a triglyceride, at least 12% by weight of a hydrocarbon fuel, and about at least 0.25 oz/gal coalescing aid selected from the group consisting of naphthalene, xylene, naphtha, toluene and mixtures thereof, a cetane additive, and a lubricant selected from the group consisting of trimethylbenzene, ethylene and mixtures thereof.
Patent Application
20070175088
