Graduate Studies, UNL
Embargoed Master's Theses
First Advisor
Rajib Saha
Second Advisor
Jitender Deogun
Committee Members
Sasitharan Balasubramaniam, Shruti Daggumati Bolman
Date of this Version
11-2025
Document Type
Thesis
Citation
A thesis presented to the faculty of the Graduate College at the University of Nebraska in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science Major: Computer Science
Under the supervision of Professors Rajib Saha and Jitender Deogun
Lincoln, Nebraska, November 2025
Abstract
This thesis evaluates the long-term feasibility of using a 30% ethanol fuel blend (E30) in non-flex-fuel vehicles compared with the conventional 10% ethanol blend (E10). Ninety-four state vehicles of diverse make, models, and engine types were equipped with on-board diagnostic (OBD) trackers to continuously collect performance data over a twelve-month period, with another twelve months of monitoring planned. The study analyzes engine performance metrics, fuel trims, oxygen sensor readings, coolant and catalyst temperatures, throttle control, and diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs), alongside a detailed economic assessment of fuel cost savings. Vehicles fueled with E30 demonstrated stable engine performance and emissions compatibility, with long-term fuel trims adjusting appropriately to ethanol’s stoichiometric requirements. No systemic increases in DTCs were observed. Although E30 resulted in decrease in fuel economy for some scenarios, this was offset by a 16.3% price advantage, resulting in substantial cost savings. Scaling projections show that widespread adoption of E30 in non-flex-fuel vehicles could increase ethanol demand approximately by over 2.4 billion gallons and reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 7.7 megatons CO2 annually. These findings support E30 as a practical, low-risk strategy for reducing fossil fuel reliance and emissions without major hardware modifications and provide a technical foundation for policy discussions regarding broader ethanol integration.
Advisors: Rajib Saha and Jitender Deogun
Comments
Copyright 2025, Mahfuze Subhani. Used by permission