Presenter(s)

Lily Carolyn Behnke

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Description

The use of biomass derived fusel alcohol mixtures as a blending agent with gasoline has the potential to lower the greenhouse gas emissions from passenger vehicles. In this work, a computational approach based on experimental data was utilized to predict the properties of a multitude of fusel blends at various blending percentages with gasoline. Fusel blends composed of isobutanol, isopentanol, 2-phenyl ethanol, and ethanol are demonstrated to provide comparable efficiency gains, increased energy density, and lower Reid vapor pressure values than ethanol when blended with gasoline. The results were analyzed on the basis of the potential efficiency increase of blends at 10%, 20%, and 30% by volume into a gasoline base fuel, and demonstrate that fusel blends have the opportunity to be optimized to maximize efficiency gain while minimizing increases to blending vapor pressure and decreases to energy density. Random forest regression analysis was used to describe the relative importance of the fusel blends regarding properties of interest. Furthermore, ordinary least squares analysis was performed to indicate each fusel alcohol’s positive or negative impact on the merit score. With the objective of implementing renewable fuel sources into gasoline, fusel blends can be used as a solution to further improve upon the overall performance of gasolines.

Publication Date

4-22-2020

Project Designation

Independent Research

Primary Advisor

Joshua S. Heyne

Primary Advisor's Department

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Keywords

Stander Symposium project, School of Engineering

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

Affordable and Clean Energy; Climate Action

The Potential of Biomass Derived Fusel Alcohol Mixtures for Improved Engine Performance

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