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Analysis of Combustion and Emissions Characteristics of Butanol Isomers in a Single Cylinder Heavy Duty Compression Ignition Engine

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dc.contributorMidkiff, Clark
dc.contributorDrabo, Megbougna
dc.contributorCarpenter, Joseph
dc.contributorKrishnan, Sundar
dc.contributor.advisorSrinivasan, Kalyan
dc.contributor.authorGray, Justin
dc.date.accessioned2025-06-10T16:31:56Z
dc.date.available2025-06-10T16:31:56Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.descriptionElectronic Thesis or Dissertationen_US
dc.description.abstractInternal combustion (IC) engines are essential in transportation, agriculture, and power generation, yet they are significant contributors to harmful environmental pollutants, including nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) and particulate matter. Compression ignition (CI) engines, widely favored for their superior thermal efficiency compared to spark ignition (SI) engines, predominantly rely on diesel fuel, exacerbating environmental and health concerns due to their high NOₓ and black smoke emissions. While electrification of the medium- to heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) sector through battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles holds promise, widespread adoption is hindered by challenges such as limited driving ranges and inadequate recharging infrastructure. As a viable alternative, renewable fuels such as biobutanols have garnered attention for their potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate environmental impacts. Among these, n-butanol, with its oxygenated structure and favorable combustion properties, emerges as a promising candidate to replace diesel in dual-fuel CI engines. However, its low reactivity and high combustion sensitivity at standard intake temperatures present challenges for direct ignition. Dual-fuel combustion, wherein butanol is ignited using a diesel pilot injection, provides an effective solution, allowing for substantial diesel replacement without requiring powertrain modifications. This dissertation investigates the combustion characteristics of n-butanol and iso-butanol in dual-fuel CI engines, focusing on their performance relative to conventional diesel. A series of experiments were conducted under controlled conditions, including sweeps of start-of-injection (SOI) timing, pilot energy substitution (PES) ratios, rail pressure, and boost pressure. The results highlight optimal operating points for minimizing engine-out emissions such as NOₓ, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons. Key findings demonstrate that a fixed SOI of 40° before top dead center (bTDC) yields the lowest NOₓ emissions for both n- and iso-butanol. PES and rail pressure optimizations further refine the balance between emissions and combustion efficiency, while boost pressure studies reveal that lower levels enhance fuel conversion efficiency by reducing CO emissions. The results provide a comprehensive understanding of how dual-fuel combustion of butanol isomers can enhance engine performance, reduce environmental impact, and maintain operational efficiency in MHDVs. This research contributes valuable insights into the viability of n-butanol and iso-butanol as cleaner, renewable alternatives to diesel, supporting pathways to sustainable and efficient transportation solutions.en_US
dc.format.mediumelectronic
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.other1127462
dc.identifier.urihttps://ir.ua.edu/handle/123456789/16615
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Alabama Libraries
dc.relation.hasversionborn digital
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Electronic Theses and Dissertations
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Libraries Digital Collections
dc.rightsAll rights reserved by the author unless otherwise indicated.en_US
dc.titleAnalysis of Combustion and Emissions Characteristics of Butanol Isomers in a Single Cylinder Heavy Duty Compression Ignition Engineen_US
dc.typethesis
dc.typetext
etdms.degree.departmentUniversity of Alabama. Department of Mechanical Engineering
etdms.degree.disciplineMechanical engineering
etdms.degree.grantorThe University of Alabama
etdms.degree.leveldoctoral
etdms.degree.namePh.D.

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