Patent Application
20210214634
The present invention relates to using nanotechnology to reduce sulfur content in bunker fuel or crude oil.
Based on the Emission rule change that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2010, the new formulation of low-sulfur fuel is supposed to replace bunker fuel, which has a high percent of sulfur content, above what is allowed for automobile gasoline in the United States. As a result, the shipping industry contributes about 13% of global sulfur-dioxide emissions. The new maritime fuel will be limited to a sulfur content of 0.5%.
The cost of the low-sulfur fuel is not currently known. Shipping executives expect to pay 25 percent to 40 percent more than they pay for bunker fuel because of the higher cost of producing the low-sulfur fuel and setting up new distribution sites, Prices for the most common bunker fuel are currently around $440-552 per metric ton. The market estimate that low sulfur cost per metric ton is approximately $600.00.
With regards to compliance options, ship operators can either use low-sulfur fuel or continue using bunker fuel and add scrubbers that trap sulfur in the exhaust system before the sulfur emissions are released in the atmosphere. The scrubbers cost $3 million to $10 million per ship. Carriers installing scrubbers believe they can recover the cost in about two years by continuing to use bunker fuel instead of the more expensive low-sulfur fuel.
Ships with scrubbers are still in the minority with 360 ships having installed scrubbers as of August 2017 and 494 vessels by May 2018 out of a total of around 60,000 commercial vessels on the world's seas.
The technology on which scrubbers are based is very basic. They work by dissolving or absorbing pollutants from a gas stream into a scrubbing liquid that is then treated and discharged (open loop) or neutralized and reused (closed loop). However, the actual scrubber installation is quite cumbersome and complex and includes the scrubber, water and process pumps, piping, tanks, fans, separators, dosing units, valves, containment systems, and monitoring equipment. A scrubber also requires substantial power, and for the majority of vessels, will need the installation of additional generating capacity. Further, funnels, deck compartments and cargo hold will need to be modified.
Compared to the design and production of sulfur reduction bunker fuel and crude oil loaded with sulfur contents, the current technology exists, but it is very expensive and delicate process.
Nano technology research on fuel has been going on for more than 15 years and today, it contributes hugely to the production of fuel-grade distillate from petroleum residues. This process is profitable, expensive and extremely efficient.
Nanotechnology processes have been developed to separate out and extract the molecular Sulfur from fuel oil and bring the Sulfur content to less than 0.5%. These processes have been verified to comply with global standards. Because of the refining, the nano-fuel oil delivers more calorific output and allows engines to run at lower exhaust gas temperatures and to leave negligible residues. The processing equipment to deliver the nano-fuel oil is affordable, the installation and operation is cost-effective, and the final cost of the nano-fuel is only about 5% more than ordinary high Sulfur fuel oil. The processing plant can be installed either onshore or onboard.
Nanotechnology offers a far more elegant and progressive solution than scrubbing. It removes the problem at the source, rather than wrestling with it when it can be too late. It does not require cumbersome installations and the associated downtime, or increased power generation, or convoluted piping, or the worry about effluents and water capacity and maintenance. The process is already in use offshore, in power plants and factories.
The present invention uses nano technology to reduce sulfur contents in bunker fuel or crude oil. It is an object of the present invention for the nano technology to reduce the sulfur contents between 80-85% from its current level in bunker fuel or crude oil. This design is cheaper to produce and easier to replicate. The design of the present invention is 50-60% less in operational cost than what is on the market currently, with no environmental pollution. The basic cost of the current process is $300-350 per Metric ton.
It is an object of the present invention for the catalyst of the present invention to break up certain ion bonds in the bunker fuel or crude oil which allow for the breaking of the long hydrocarbon molecular chain, the effect of which is a substantial drop in viscosity and specific gravity/density and shorter molecular chains (hence a “lighter oil” such as gas oil and lighter products); and breaking of the ionic bond of sulfur which allows it to become free and can coagulate to the bottom. It is an object of the present invention to add a further catalyst to the blend to separate asphaltenes and suspended “burnt carbon” from very heavy fuel oil or extra heavy crude oils. It is an object of the present invention for other nanomaterials to be added to the mix and concurrently remove excess amounts of Vanadium, Sodium, or Aluminum.
The present invention relates to the use of a chemical composition comprising poly acrylonitrile, mesophase pitch, zinc, acid and lignin to reduce sulfur in bunker fuel or crude oil. It is an object of the present invention for the chemical composition to reduce 80-85% of sulfur in bunker fuel or crude oil. It is an object of the present invention for the acid to comprise aluminum chloride. It is an object of the present invention for the acid to consist of aluminum chloride.
It is an object of the present invention for the chemical composition to be added to the bunker fuel or crude oil in a reactor type machine that is designed to mix the chemical composition and the bunker fuel or crude oil into a solution. It is an object of the present invention for computer software to be used with the reactor type machine.
It is an object of the present invention for the computer to specifically measure and mix each dosage of the chemical composition at a specific time in the mixing process.
It is an object of the present invention for the chemical composition to be used with waste oil.
In an embodiment of the present invention, using 1 gallon of Crude oil or Bunker fuel, the chemical composition comprises: approximately 24 grams of Poly Acrylonitrile, approximately 10 grams of Mesophase pitch, approximately 11.5 grams of Zinc, approximately 5.5 grams of acid, and approximately 9 grams of lignin. In a preferred embodiment, the acid is aluminum chloride. In a preferred embodiment, the measurement of the of the chemical composition is very precise since it is measure with a computer, and mixing with each dosage is done at a specific time in the mixing process.
