Space-filling models of the butane molecule

Butane is either of two colorless, odorless, gaseous hydrocarbons, members of the series of paraffinic hydrocarbons. The compound in which the carbon atoms are linked in a straight chain is denoted normal butane, or n-butane; the branched-chain form is isobutane. Commercially, n-butane can be added to gasoline to increase its volatility. Transformed to isobutane in a refinery process known as isomerization, it can be reacted with certain other hydrocarbons such as butylene to form valuable high-octane constituents of gasoline. Pure forms of butane, especially isobutane, are used as refrigerants and have largely replaced the ozone-layer-depleting halomethanes in refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioning systems. The operating pressure for butane is lower than for the halomethanes. Contributor: Junjie Chen, ORCID: 0000-0001-5055-4309, E-mail address: [e-mail], Department of Energy and Power Engineering, School of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Henan Polytechnic University, 2000 Century Avenue, Jiaozuo, Henan, 454000, P.R. China

丁烷（Butane）包含两种无色无臭的气态烃类同分异构体，均属于烷烃（paraffinic hydrocarbons）同系列。其中碳原子以直链形式连接的异构体被命名为正丁烷（normal butane，简称n-butane）；带有支链的异构体则为异丁烷（isobutane）。工业应用中，正丁烷可掺入汽油以提升其挥发性。通过炼油厂的异构化（isomerization）工艺将正丁烷转化为异丁烷后，可与丁烯等特定烃类发生反应，生成高附加值的汽油高辛烷值组分。丁烷的纯品，尤其是异丁烷，可用作制冷剂，目前已在冰箱、冰柜及空调系统中大规模替代消耗臭氧层的卤代甲烷（halomethanes）类物质。丁烷的工作压力低于卤代甲烷类制冷剂。供稿人：陈俊杰，ORCID：0000-0001-5055-4309，电子邮箱：[e-mail]，河南理工大学机械与动力工程学院能源与动力工程系，世纪大道2000号，焦作，河南，454000，中华人民共和国