Abstract The low temperature flowability of a middle distillate petroleum fuel oil boiling within the range of about 250* to about 700*F. at atmospheric pressure is improved by adding to the fuel oil from about 0.1 to about 3 weight percent of an essentially saturated hydrocarbon fraction which is substantially free of normal paraffinic hydrocarbons and which has a number average molecular weight in the range of about 600 to about 3,000, together with a flow-improving additive such as a copolymer of ethylene and an unsaturated ester, wherein said copolymer has less than six methyl terminating side branches per 100 methylene groups, the weight ratio of said saturated hydrocarbon fraction to said copolymer flow-improving additive being in the range of about 25:1 to 1:1.
Fuel composition as defined by claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of said substantially normal-paraffin-hydrocarbon-free hydrocarbon fraction to said random copolymer is from about 1:1 to about 25:1.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
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Fuel composition as defined by claim 1 wherein said copolymer has been prepared in an inert solvent by free radical catalysis at a temperature of about 70* to 130*C. using a catalyst having a half life at 130*C. under 1 hour.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
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Fuel composition as defined by claim 1 wherein said copolymer is a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
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Fuel composition as defined by claim 1 wherein said copolymer is a terpolymer of ethylene, vinyl acetate, and aliphatic alcohol diester of fumaric acid.