Oxidation of 1-butanol and a mixture of n-heptane/1-butanol in a motored engine

The oxidation of neat 1-butanol and a mixture of n-heptane and 1-butanol was studied in a modified CFR engine at an equivalence ratio of 0.25 and an intake temperature of 120 °C. The engine compression ratio was gradually increased from the lowest point to the point where significant high temperature heat release was observed. Heat release analyses showed that no noticeable low temperature heat release behavior was observed from the oxidation of neat 1-butanol while the n-heptane/1-butanol mixture exhibited pronounced cool flame behavior. Species concentration profiles were obtained via GC–MS and GC-FID/TCD. Quantitative analyses of the reaction products from the oxidation of neat 1-butanol indicate that 1-butanol is consumed mainly through H-atom abstraction. Among the H-atom abstraction reactions, it is observed that the H-atom abstraction from the α-carbon of 1-butanol is particularly favored. The investigation on the oxidation of the mixture of n-heptane/1-butanol showed that the oxidation of 1-butanol is facilitated at low temperatures through the radical pool generated from the oxidation of n-heptane.