SFA International

Specialty Fuel Additives for Hydrocarbon Fuels

SFA News and Press Releases

 

The Haze That Kills

This editorial appeared in the Houston Chronicle, Sunday October 25, 2009.  It is lays out the problems caused by particulate matter from all types of pollution.  Click on the above title to download the editorial.

Cummins issues No Objection Letter

August 2009

SFA received a No Objection Letter for use of FuelSpec® combustion catalysts for use in all Diesel engines manufactured by Cummins.  Cummins is a major U.S. manufacturer of high-speed Diesel engines for trucks.  The letter can be viewed on the Support page of this web site.

EPA Registration of FuelSpec® 113 and FuelSpec® 114

July 2009

SFA is pleased to announce that it has received Registration of its FuelSpec® 113 and 114 product lines allowing sale of combustion catalysts for on-road use in the United States.  The Registration can be viewed on the "Support" page of this web site.

FuelSpec® 113 is available in three concentrations of iron; 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0%.  This product is for >1,000 ppm sulfur fuels and industrial applications.  FuelSpec® 114 is available in two concentrations of iron; 0.5%, 1.0%.  This product combines iron with a lubricity agent and is designed for fuels containing <1,000 ppm sulfur.  These fuels include gasoline and LED (low emission Diesel).

Caterpillar issues No Objection Letter

July 2009

SFA received a No Objection Letter for use of FuelSpec® combustion catalysts for use in all Diesel engines manufactured by Caterpillar.   Caterpillar is a major U.S. manufacturer of Diesel engines ranging from high speed engines for transportation use to medium speed engines for various industrial applications.  The letter can be viewed on the Support page of this web site.

Preliminary test data indicate FuelSpec® combustion catalysts can reduce fuel consumption and significantly lower exhaust emissions including NOx and particulate matter.  More information will be posted on the Library page as it is available.

Wärtsilä Finland Oy issues No Objection Letter

June 2009

SFA received a No Objection Letter for use of FuelSpec® 116 and 117 combustion catalysts from Wärtsilä for use in medium-speed Diesel engines.   Wärtsilä is the largest manufacturer of compression-ignited reciprocating engines in the world.  The letter can be viewed on the Support page of this web site.

Preliminary test data indicate FuelSpec® combustion catalysts can reduce fuel consumption and significantly lower exhaust emissions including NOx and particulate matter.  More information will be posted on the Library page as it is available.

EPA Registration of SFA Products

April 2009

SFA International is pleased to announce that it has received notification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency of registration of two of its products.  A copy of the EPA letter can be viewed by clicking on this link.  These products are:

FuelSpec® 191 Sludge Dispersant - EPA No. 235120002

FuelSpec® 195 Lubricity Agent - EPA No. 235120004

These products can be sold for specific use in over-the-road applications.  This includes trucks, buses and automobiles.

FuelSpec® 191 Sludge Dispersant can be used to clean fuel tanks removing water and sludge.  The product can be added at low rates to maintain water and sludge removal.

FuelSpec® 195 Lubricity Agent is a tested and proven lubricity agent that prevents galling of metal products caused by the non-lubricating nature of LED fuels submitted to hydrodesulfurization in the refining process.  Operators frequently add lubricants such as power steering fluid to their fuel to reduce damage caused by these fuels.  FuelSpec® 195 Lubricity Agent is a much better product that burns cleanly in the combustion process and does not contribute to pollution.

It is economically effective compared with other oils not suited for this purpose.

SFA Patent Portfolio

U. S. Patent No. 7,524,340, April 28, 2009

"Catalyst and method for Improving Combustion Efficiency in Engines, Boilers, and Other Equipment Operating on Fuels"

A method for using a unique particle size range of the colloidal dispersion catalyst in industrial applications including combustion turbines with improved performance over larger particle size ranges.

U. S. Patent No. 7,229,482, June 12, 2007

"Method of Reducing Smoke and Particulate Emissions from Steam Boilers and Heaters Operating on Solid Fossil Fuels"


A method of reducing smoke and particulate emissions from steam boilers and process heaters operating on solid fuel by adding a fuel additive which contains an oil-dispersible iron compound and an over-based magnesium compound to the solid fuel. New studies reveal that SFA's combustion catalyst products can reduce NOx in coal exhaust gases by up to 80%.

U. S. Patent No. 6,986,327, January 17, 2006

"A Method of Reducing Smoke and Particulate Emissions from Steam Boilers and Heaters Operating on Liquid Petroleum Fuels."

A method of reducing smoke and particulate emissions from steam boilers and process heaters operating on liquid petroleum fuel by adding a fuel additive which contains an oil-dispersible iron compound and an over-based magnesium compound to liquid fuel.

U. S. Patent No. 6,881,235, April 19, 2005

"Method of Reducing Smoke and Particulate Emissions from Spark-Ignited Reciprocating Engines Operating on Liquid Petroleum Fuels."

A method of reducing smoke and particulate emissions from an exhaust gas from a spark-ignited reciprocating engine by adding a fuel additive which contains an oil-soluble iron compound and an over-based magnesium compound to liquid petroleum fuel.

A patent based on U. S. Patent No. 6,881,235 has issued in Saudi Arabia.

U. S. Patent No. 6,866,010, March 15, 2005

"Method of Reducing Smoke and Particulate Emissions from Compression-Ignited Reciprocating Engines Operating on Liquid Petroleum Fuels."

A method of reducing smoke and particulate emissions from an exhaust gas from a compression-ignited reciprocating engine by adding a fuel additive that contains an oil-soluble iron compound and an over-based magnesium compound to liquid petroleum fuel.

Foreign patents based on this patent have issued in Brazil, Canada, China, Great Britain, India, Korea, Mexico, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia.

European Patent No. 1277827, May 28, 2008

The foreign filing under the European Patent Cooperative Treaty for U.S. Patent 6,866,010 for use of the iron - magnesium catalyst in compression ignited engines has issued. This patent gives intellectual property protection for the invention in twenty-four European countries. Those countries include most of continental Europe.

New SFA Distributors

SFA is pleased to announce the following distributors have joined SFA's sales force during 2009.  These are:

Global Fuel Technologies, LLC

Global Fuel Technologies (GFT) is a new company organized to sell specialty fuel additives and related products world-wide.  GFT has a network of sales contacts throughout the world that will promote sales of SFA products. 

John S. Honey, Jr., president, brings a wealth of experience from investment banking and business syndications to the business and holds a degree in economics.  Mr. Honey resides in Orlando, FL.  

G.O.A. Enterprises, LLC

G.O.A. Enterprises of Dallas, TX will focus on marine and industrial customers.  The president of G.O.A., Sindee Gillespie, is well connected in the marine industry through trade groups and personal contacts.  

Originally from Canada and a long line of entrepreneurs, S. L. (Sindee) Gillespie has been self-employed (or more accurately, gainfully unemployed) her entire working life spending many years as a manufacturers agent of transmission line hardware, selling to the provincial hydro-electric utilities.  Since moving to the United States just over 10 years ago, her focus has been sales, marketing and business development for start-up companies.  It was her interest in environmental issues that led her to seek a product that provided the opportunity for world-wide distribution while at the same time, offer a positive solution to the pollution issues we are currently facing.

Microbond, LLC

Microbond is owned by Scott Forney, chemical engineer and former quarterback for the University of Texas football team.  Scott was introduced to SFA's combustion catalyst technology several years ago and is owner of the often cited 2000 Ford F-250 truck in several papers.  Scott became sufficiently convinced of the technology that he decided to organize Microbond and start selling the product.

Microbond is developing markets at the retail level and has introduced the catalyst in pint (half liter) measured bottles. 

U.S. Energy Independence - A Plan for Energy Independence by 2020

September 2008

This book, written by Walter May, president of SFA International, has gone to press and will be available on the SFA web site. It is available in hard copy and in an electronic file version. It will be available at book sellers across the United States by the end of October, 2008.

The book contains data on sources of energy and where it is consumed in the United States. Proposals are set forth for short and long term solutions for new sources of energy and changes that will be required to convert away from use of petroleum fuels. Suggestions are put forth for ways to avoid the regression to high fuel consumption we experienced in the 1980's.

It is hoped that the ideas put forth in this book will stimulate serious thought and lead to policies that will help us reach energy independence.

President of SFA Gives Paper at American Chemical Society, Fuels Division Meeting in Philadelphia, August 21, 2008

Hydrocarbon Fuel Chemistry: Effects of Sulfur on Combustion Reaction Rates. Paper ID 1207537

SFA International has discovered an unusual correlation between sulfur levels in fuel and fuel savings in Diesel engines with its patented iron-magnesium catalyst system. There is a strong correlation between fuel savings and the logarithm of parts per million sulfur. A hypothesis was presented that aliphatic molecules in the fuel burn faster than asphaltenic molecules which contain sulfur. This hypothesis was tested mathematically and found to correspond very well with Texas Commission on Environmental Quality fuel requirements for engine tests and observed fuel savings with the catalyst.

SFA Develops a New High Magnesium Concentration Sulfonate Product Line

February, 2008

SFA International announces a new 30% magnesium sulfonate product line for use in combustion turbine applications. This product is similar to the old M-14 type product with much higher concentrations of magnesium. It has the same clear brown appearance, exceptional tolerance to water and excellent miscibility in crude oil and other fuels. This product has contaminant metal specifications required to meet combustion turbine manufacturer requirements in fuels and additives for their engines.

This new product as a much lower viscosity and density than M-14. SFA has formulated a series of products that are identical to products based on M-14 in weight of magnesium per unit of weight, volume and drum of product. As a result, these new products are totally interchangeable with M-14 based formulations.

SFA can provide these products in a range of concentrations from 11% to 30% in quantities ranging from individual drums to container quantities.

SFA Increases Concentration of Magnesium in its Carboxylate Product Lines

February, 2008

SFA International announces the increase of concentration of magnesium in its carboxylate product lines for combustion turbines and steam boilers to 35%. This will allow for more efficient use of freight and storage in use of these products. The new product has the same low viscosity as in our previous 30% magnesium product.

SFA can provide this product in a range of concentrations from 11% to 35% in quantities ranging from individual drums to container quantities.

Top of page