Effects of dwell time of split injection on mixture formation and combustion processes of diesel spray

The effects of dwell time on the mixture formation and combustion processes of diesel spray are investigated experimentally. A commercial multihole injector with a 0.123 mm hole diameter is used to inject the fuel. The injection procedure is either a single or split injection with different dwell times, whereas the total amount of injected fuel mass is 5.0 mg per hole. Three dwell times are selected, that is, 0.12, 0.32 and 0.54 ms, with a split ratio of 7:3 based on previous findings. The vapour phase is observed, and the mixture formation pertaining to the equivalence ratio is analysed using the tracer laser absorption scattering (LAS) technique. A high-speed video camera is used to visualise the spray combustion flame luminosity, whereas a two-colour pyrometer system is used to evaluate the soot concentrations and flame temperature. An analysis of the mixture formation based on the spray evaporating condition reveals a more concentrated area of the rich mixture within a 0.32 ms dwell time. In the shortest dwell time of 0.12 ms, the equivalence ratio distribution decreases uniformly from the rich mixture region to the lean mixture region. In the case involving a shorter dwell time, a suitable position for the second injection around the boundaries of the first injection is obtained by smoothly growing the lean mixture and avoiding the large zone of the rich mixture. Therefore, the shortest dwell time is acceptable for mixture formation, considering the overall distribution of the equivalence ratios. Spray combustion analysis results show that the soot formation rate of the single injection and 0.32 ms dwell time case is high and decreases quickly, implying a rapid reduction in the high amount of soot. Consequently, 0.12 ms can be considered the optimal dwell time due to the ignition delay and relatively low soot emission afforded.

Numerical investigation of soot emission sources in a direct-injection spark-ignition engine based on comprehensive breakup model validation

Direct injection system is widely adopted in spark-ignition engines to achieve higher thermal efficiency, but it accompanies a penalty in particulate emission, especially when engine is not fully warmed-up. Split injection strategy is known to be an effective measure to reduce engine-out particulate emissions. To better understand the role of split injections, this study aims to analyze the effect of split injection strategy on the sources of soot formation using computational fluid dynamics simulation. To accurately predict changes in particulate mass and number associated with split injection strategy, it is vital that spray models be carefully validated against the experimental data since spray dynamics govern the formation of soot emission sources, such as local fuel-rich mixtures and wall-deposited fuel-films. To this end, a set of spray experiments for free sprays is performed to measure liquid penetration length and droplet size distribution, and hence a comprehensive validation is conducted for spray breakup models. Then, engine simulations are carried out to predict the change in soot sources according to split injection, and the trend of simulation results is compared against the measured engine-out particulate mass and number. Simulation results indicate that breakup model validation using both penetration length and droplet size data is critical for predicting fuel spray dynamics and formation of sources of soot emission. It is also revealed that the piston wetting decreases as the number of injections increases because less amount of fuel is injected when piston is closer to the injector. Lastly, the late evaporation of heavy gasoline components from fuel-film appears to be a significant contributor to soot precursors formation.

Characterization of the stability indices of a methanol induced partially premixed diesel dual fuel operation under varying split injection profiles: An experimental endeavour

The present investigation attempts to explore the prospects of the engine operational stability of a methanol induced partially premixed dual fuel operation under split injection strategy operating on a conventional single cylinder diesel engine coupled with a dedicated CRDI. The operation of such LTC regimes often deals with the stability concerns which are primarily characterized as the harshness of the operations and the non-repeatability of the combustion cycles. These two markers of operational stability have been mapped in this study through a comprehensive set of metrics of maximum pressure rise rate (ROPRmax) and Coefficient of Variation of Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (COVIMEP), Peak Pressure (COVPP) and Crank Angle of 50% mass fraction burn (COVCA50). The parametric investigation has been carried out at three different injection timings and pilot mass percentages at predefined methanol injection durations. The results have shown tremendous reductions in the non-repeatability of the combustion cycles and the harshness of the engine operation under split injection strategy, indicated by the lower scores of the stability indicators in comparison to the baseline single injection operation. Subsequently, the lowest scores of the maximum pressure rise rate and the Coefficient of Variation of indicated mean effective pressure, peak pressure and CA50 for the entire scope of investigation were registered as 0.62bar/CA, 0.75%, 0.48% and 1%, which were apparently observed as 65.5%, 86.36%, 94% and 53% lower than the corresponding scores registered in the baseline single injection operation.