Swift Fuels, LLC

Swift Enterprises, Ltd.

John J Rusek

Jonathon D Ziulkowski

Mary-Louise R Rusek

Justin D Zink

Donald L Bower

Philip J Catania

The present invention provides high-octane fuel, and a method of producing same. These fuels may be formulated to have a wide range of octane values and energy, and may effectively be used to replace 100 LL aviation fuel (known as AvGas), as well as high-octane, rocket, diesel, turbine engine fuels, as well as two-cycle, spark-ignited engine fuels.

Renewable engine fuel and method of producing same

A method of producing from a biomass mesitylene-isopentane fuel is provided. A biomass may be fermented to form acetone. The acetone is converted in a catalytic reactor to mesitylene and mesityl oxide. The mesitylene is separated in a phase separator and the organic face containing mesityl oxide is sent to a dehydration reactor, then to a demethylation reactor, and finally to a hydrogenation reactor from which isopentane is recovered. This isopentane is then mixed with the mesitylene to form the final mesitylene-isopentane fuel. The catalytic reaction with acetone employs catalysts of either niobium, vanadium or tantalum.

Biogenic fuel and method of making same

The present invention provides non-petroleum high-octane fuel which may be derived from biomass sources, and a method of producing same. The method of production involves reducing the biomass feedstocks to sugars, fermenting the sugars using microorganisms or mutagens thereof to produce ethanol or acetic acid, converting the acetic acid or ethanol to acetone, and converting the acetone to mesitylene and isopentane, the major components of the engine fuel. Trimerization of acetone can be carried out in the presence of a catalyst containing at least one metal selected from the group consisting of niobium, iron and manganese. The ethanol can be converted to mesitylene in a dehydration reaction in the presence of a catalyst of zinc oxide/calcium oxide, and unreacted ethanol and water separated from mesitylene by distillation. These ethanol-based fuels may be formulated to have a wide range of octane values and energy, and may effectively be used to replace 100 LL aviation fuel (known as AvGas), as well as high-octane, rocket, diesel, turbine engine fuels, as well as two-cycle, spark-ignited engine fuels.

The present invention provides non-petroleum high-octane fuel derived from biomass sources, and a method of producing same. The method of production involves reducing the biomass feedstocks to sugars, fermenting the sugars using microorganisms or mutagens thereof to produce ethanol or acetic acid, converting the acetic acid or ethanol to acetone, and converting the acetone to mesitylene and isopentane, the major components of the renewable engine fuel. Trimerization of acetone can be carried out in the presence of a catalyst containing at least one metal selected from the group consisting of niobium, iron and manganese. The ethanol can be converted to mesitylene in a dehydration reaction in the presence of a catalyst of zinc oxide/calcium oxide, and unreacted ethanol and water separated from mesitylene by distillation. These ethanol-based, biomass-derived fuels are fully renewable, may be formulated to have a wide range of octane values and energy, and may effectively be used to replace 100 LL aviation fuel (known as AvGas), as well as high-octane, rocket, diesel, turbine engine fuels, as well as two-cycle, spark-ignited engine fuels.

The present invention provides fully renewable turbine and diesel fuels created from biomass sources. In one embodiment, the fully renewable turbine fuel is comprised of mesitylene and at least one alkane. Preferably, the turbine fuel comprises from about 50 to 99 wt % mesitylene and from about 1 to 50 wt % of at least one alkane. In another embodiment the diesel fuel comprises mesitylene, octadecane, and optionally octane or nonane. Preferably, the diesel fuel comprises from about 50 to 99 wt % mesitylene, and from about 1 to 50 wt % octadecane. These biomass derived fuels may be formulated to have a wide range of cetane values and differing freezing and boiling points. A preferred biogenic turbine fuel comprises one or more synthetic paraffinic kerosenes (SPK) and/or hydroprocessed renewable jet (HRJ) fuel; and between about 8 to 25 vol % of mesitylene. Another preferred biogenic turbine fuel is a blend of about 50% petroleum-based fuel; and about 50% of one or more of synthetic paraffinic kerosenes (SPK) and/or hydroprocessed renewable jet fuel (HRJ), and mesitylene.

Biogenic turbine and diesel fuel

The present invention provides fully renewable turbine and diesel fuels derived completely from biomass sources. In one embodiment the fully renewable turbine fuel is comprised of mesitylene and at least one alkane. Preferably, the turbine fuel comprises from about 50 to 99 wt % mesitylene and from about 1 to 50 wt % of at least one alkane. In another embodiment the diesel fuel comprises mesitylene, octadecane, and optionally octane or nonane. Preferably, the diesel fuel comprises from about 50 to 99 wt % mesitylene, and from about 1 to 50 wt % octadecane. These biomass derived fuels may be formulated to have a wide range of cetane values and differing freezing and boiling points.

The present invention provides fully renewable engine fuels derived completely from biomass sources. In one embodiment the fully renewable engine fuel is comprised of one or more low carbon number esters, one or more pentosan-derivable furans, one or more aromatic hydrocarbon, one or more C-Cstraight chain alkanes derivable from polysaccharides, and one or more bio-oils. In addition, the fuel may contain triethanolamine. Such a lower octane renewable fuel may be utilized, for example, in automobile fuel, 100 LL aviation fuel applications, and turbine engine applications. These ethanol-based, fully renewable fuels may be formulated to have a wide range of octane values and energy, and may effectively be used to replace 100 LL aviation fuel (known as AvGas), as well as high octane, rocket, diesel, and turbine engine fuels. In another embodiment, there is provided a synthetic high octane aviation fuel comprising isopentane and mesitylene, and process of producing same from a biomass.

Renewable engine fuel

A direct hydrogen peroxide fuel cell for stable and efficient production of electric current by direct reduction of hydrogen peroxide via a cathode comprising a metal phthalocyanine electrocatalyst, coupled with oxidation of fuel by means of ion transfer across an ion-conducting polymer electrolyte, is provided. In addition, a hydrogen peroxide concentration meter is provided, which may be utilized, for example, for measuring the concentration of hydrogen peroxide in solutions that may contain strong electrolytes or in automated systems such as those to be used with the present fuel cell.

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West Lafayette, IN, United States of America

John J Rusek