A study on the relationship between internal nozzle geometry and injected mass distribution of eight ECN Spray G nozzles.

Gasoline direct injection (GDI) nozzles are manufactured to meet geometric specifications with length scales onthe order of a few hundred microns. The machining tolerances of these nominal dimensions are not always knowndue to the difficulty in accurately measuring such small length scales in a nonintrusive fashion. To gain insight intothe variability of the machined dimensions as well as any effects that this variability may have on the fuel spraybehavior, a series of measurements of the internal geometry and fuel mass distribution were performed on a set ofeight nominally duplicate GDI “Spray G” nozzles provided by the Engine Combustion Network. The key dimensionsof each of the eight nozzle holes were measured with micron resolution using full spectrum x-ray tomographicimaging at the 7-BM beamline of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. Fuel densitydistributions at 2 mm downstream of the nozzle tips were obtained by performing x-ray radiography measurementsfor many lines of sight. The density measurements reveal nozzle-to-nozzle as well as hole-to-hole density variations.The combination of high-resolution geometry and fuel distribution datasets allows spray phenomena to be linked tospecific geometric characteristics of the nozzle, such as variability in the hole lengths and counterbore diameters,and the hole inlet corner radii. This analysis provides important insight into which geometrical characteristics ofthe nozzles may have the greatest importance in the development of the injected sprays, and to what degreethese geometric variations might account for the total spray variability. The goal of this work is then to further theunderstanding of the relationship between internal nozzle geometry and fuel injection, provide input to improvecomputational models, and ultimately aid in optimizing injector design for higher fuel efficiency and lower emissionsengines.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4766

High Speed Shadowgraphy of Transparent Nozzles as an Evaluation Tool for In-Nozzle Cavitation Behavior of GDI Injectors

Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI) systems have become a rapidly developing technology taking up a considerableand rapidly growing share in the Gasoline Engine market due to the thermodynamic advantages of direct injection. The process of spray formation and propagation from a fuel injector is very crucial in optimizing the air-fuel mixture of DI engines. Previous studies have shown that the presence of some cavitation in high-pressure fuel nozzles can lead to better atomization of the fluid. However, under some very specific circumstances, high levels of cavitation can also delay the atomization process; spray stabilization due to hydraulic flip is the most well-known example. Therefore, a better understanding of cavitation behavior is of vital importance for further optimization of next generation fuel injectors.In contrast to the abundance of investigations conducted on the inner flow and cavitation patterns of diesel injectors, corresponding in-depth research on the inner flow of gasoline direct-injection nozzles is still relatively scarce. In this study, the results of an experiment performed on real-size GDI injector nozzles made of acrylic glass are presented. The inner flow of the nozzle is visualized using a high-power pulsed laser, a long-distance microscope and a high- speed camera. The ambiguity of dark areas on the images, which may represent cavitation regions as well as ambient air drawn into the nozzle holes, is resolved by injecting the fuel both into a fuel or gas filled environment. In addition, the influence of backpressure on the transient flow characteristics of the internal flow is investigated. In good agreement with observations made in previous studies, higher backpressure levels decrease the amount of cavitation inside the nozzles. Due to the high temporal and spatial resolution of the experiment, the transient cavitation behavior during the opening, quasi-steady and closing phases of the injector needle motion can be analyzed. For example, it is found that cavitation patterns oscillate with a characteristic frequency that depends on the backpressure. The link between cavitation and air drawn into the nozzle at the beginning of injection is alsorevealed.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4639

Experimental Investigation of Droplet Injections in the Vicinity of the Critical Point: A comparison of different model approaches

The disintegration process of liquid fuel within combustion chambers is one of the most important parameters forefficient and stable combustion. Especially for high pressures exceeding the critical value of the injected fluids the mixing processes are not fully understood yet. Recently, different theoretical macroscopic models have been introduced to understand breakdown of the classical two phase regime and predict the transition from evaporation to a diffuse-mixing process. In order to gain deeper insight into the physical processes of this transition, a parametric study of free-falling n-pentane droplets in an inert nitrogen atmosphere is presented. Atmospheric conditions varied systematically from sub- to supercritical values with respect to the fluid properties. An overlay of a diffuse lighted image with a shadowgram directly in the optical setup (front lighted shadowgraphy) was applied to simultaneously detect the presence of a material surface of the droplet as well as changes in density gradients in the surrounding atmosphere. The experimental investigation illustrates, that the presence of a material surface cannot be shown by a direct shadowgram. However, reflections and refractions caused by diffuse ambient illumination are able to indicate the presence of a material surface. In case of the supercritical droplet injections in this study, front lighted shadowgraphy clearly revealed the presence of a material surface, even when the pre-heated droplets are released into a supercritical atmosphere. This detection of the droplet interface indicates, that the droplet remains subcritical in the region of interest, even though it is injected into a supercritical atmosphere. Based on the adiabatic mixing assumption recent Raman-scattering results in the wake of the droplet are re-evaluated to compute the temperature distribution. Presented experimental findings as well as the re-evaluation of recent Raman scattering results are compared to thermodynamic models to predict the onset of diffuse-mixing and supercritical disintegration of the droplet. Additionally, a one dimensional evaporation model is used to evaluate the validity of the adiabatic mixing assumption in the estimation of the droplet temperature. The presented findings contribute to the understanding of recent theoretical models for prediction of spray and droplet disintegration and the onset of diffuse-mixing processes.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4635

Effect of excitation on gas centered swirl coaxial injectors

Studies on combustion instability in liquid rocket engines are important in improving combustion efficiency andpreventing combustion chamber losses. To prevent combustion instability, methods such as baffles and cavities are used. The injector is located in the middle of the perturbation-propagation process in the rocket engine, so it is important to study the suppression of combustion instability using the design of the injector. Much research has been focused on the study of liquid excitation in a single injector; however, the actual injector used in a liquid rocket engine is a coaxial injector. In this study, the dynamic characteristics of a gas-centred swirl coaxial injector were investigated by varying the gap thickness and momentum-flux ratio. Spray photographs were captured by synchronizing a stroboscope and digital camera, and a high-speed camera and Xenon lamp were also used. To measure the liquid film, a measurement system was implemented using the electrical conductance method. For excitation of the gas, an acoustic speaker was used to impart a frequency to the gas. The gGas velocity and effect of excitation were measured by hot-wire anemometry. A mechanical pulsator was used for liquid flow excitation. Liquid fluctuation was measured by a dynamic pressure sensor. In both gas and liquid excitation cases, the gain increased as the gap thickness decreased and the momentum-flux ratio increased. From these results, it can be concluded that gap thickness and momentum-flux ratio are major factors in suppressing combustioninstability. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4653

Flashboiling atomization in nozzles for GDI engines

Flashboiling denotes the phenomenon of rapid evaporation and atomization at nozzles, which occurs when fluidsare injected into ambient pressure below their own vapor pressure. It happens in gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines at low loads, when the cylinder pressure is low during injection due to the closed throttle valve. The fuel temperature at the same time approaches cylinder head coolant temperature due to the longer dwell time of the fuel inside the injector. Flash boiling is mainly beneficial for atomization quality, since it produces small droplet sizes and relative broad and homogenous droplet distributions within the spray. Coherently, the penetration depth normally decreases due to the increased aerodynamic drag. Therefore the thermal properties of injectors are often designed to reach flash boiling conditions as early as possible. At the same time, flash boiling significantly increases the risk of undesired spray collapsing. In this case, neighbouring jets converge and form a single jet. Due to the now concentrated mass, penetration depth is enhanced again and can lead to liner or piston wetting in addition to the overall diminished mixture formation.In order to understand the underlying physics, it is important to study the occurring phenomena flashboiling and jet-to-jet interacting i.e. spray collapsing separately. To this end, single hole injectors are built up to allow for an isolated investigation of flashboiling. The rapid expansion at the nozzle outlet is visualized with a microscopic high speed setup and the forces that lead to the characteristic spray expansion are discussed. Moreover, the results on the macroscopic spray in terms of penetration, cone angles and vapor phase are shown with a high speed Schlieren setup. Resulting droplet diameters and velocities are measured using LDA/PDA.As a result, we find a comprehensive picture of flash boiling. The underlying physics can be described and discussed for the specific case of high pressure injection at engine relevant nozzle geometries and conditions, but independently from neighbouring jets. These findings provide the basis to understand and investigate flashboilingand jet-to-jet interaction as distinct, but interacting subjects rather than a combined phenomenon.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4750

Planar droplet sizing: Application to a spray of Jet A1 kerosene

Optical techniques are widely employed for their non-intrusive behavior and are applied to two-phase flowinvestigations. Until now, the most commonly used technique to determine the droplet size is the Phase Doppler Anemogranulometry, although it is time consuming for an overall injector characterization. An imaging technique called Planar Droplet Sizing has been used to offer an alternative and provide a spatially-resolved 2D map of the Sauter Mean Diameter (SMD). The measurement is based on the ratio between laser-induced fluorescence and scattered light intensities which are assumed to be proportional respectively to the droplet volume and droplet surface area. However, previous studies revealed that the dependence of fluorescence intensity on the droplet volume can be altered by the absorption of light in the liquid. The scattered light intensity depends on the scattering angle and intensity variations within the field of view must be avoided.The aim of this study is to make the PDS technique operational for a Jet A-1 kerosene spray. A strong absorption of liquid kerosene appears under UV excitation at 266 nm making the technique unsuitable. Under visible excitation at 532 nm, a fluorescent tracer (Pyrromethene 597) must be added to the kerosene to enhance the fluorescence signal. To prevent scattered light intensity variations within the field of view, an optimal scattering angle close to 115° is required. An image processing algorithm is proposed in order to reduce the effects ofmultiple scattering.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4698

Experimental and Computational Investigation of binary drop collisions under elevated pressure

Spray systems often operate under extreme ambient conditions like high pressure, which can have a significant influence on important spray phenomena. One of these phenomena is binary drop collisions. Such collisions, depending on the relative velocity and the impact parameter (eccentricity of the collision), can lead to drop bouncing, coalescence or breakup. This experimental and computational study is focused on the description of the phenomenon of drop bouncing, which is caused by a thin gas layer preventing the drops coalescence. To identify the main influencing parameters of this phenomenon, experiments on binary drop collisions are performed in a pressure chamber. This experimental system allows us to investigate the effect of an ambient pressure (namely the density and viscosity of the surrounding gas) on the bouncing/coalescence threshold.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4758

Fuel spray vapour distribution correlations for a high pressure diesel fuel spray cases for different injector nozzle geometries.

The evolution of diesel fuel injection technology, to facilitate strong correlations of in-cylinder spray propagation with injection conditions and injector geometry, is crucial in facing emission challenges. More observations of spray propagation are, therefore, required to provide valuable information on how to ensure that all the injected fuel has maximum contact with the available air, to promote complete combustion and reduce emissions. In this study, high pressure diesel fuel sprays are injected into a constant-volume chamber at injection and ambient pressure values typical of current diesel engines. For these types of sprays the maximum fuel liquid phase penetration is different and reached sooner than the maximum fuel vapour phase penetration. Thus, the vapour fuel could reach the combustion chamber wall and could be convected and deflected by swirling air. In hot combustion chambers this impingement can be acceptable but this might be less so in larger combustion chambers with cold walls. The fuel-ambient mixture in vapourized fuel spray jets is essential to the efficient performance of these engines. For this work, the fuel vapour penetration values are presented for fuel injectors of different k-factors. The results indicate that the geometry of fuel injectors based on the k-factors appear to affect the vapour phase penetration more than the liquid phase penetration. This is a consequence of the effects of the injector types on the exit velocity of the fuel droplets.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4951

Multiple Impinging Jet Air-Assisted Atomization

The growth of the aviation sector triggered the search for alternative fuels and continued improvements in thecombustion process. This work addresses the technological challenges associated with spray systems and theconcern of mixing biofuels with fossil fuels to produce alternative and more ecological fuels for aviation. This workproposes a new injector design based on sprays produced from the simultaneous impact of multiple jets, using anadditional jet of air to assist the atomization process. The results evidence the ability to control the average dropsize through the air-mass flow rate. Depending on the air-mass flow rate there is a transition between atomizationby hydrodynamic breakup of the liquid sheet formed on the impact point, to an aerodynamic breakup mechanism,as found in the atomization of inclined jets under cross-flow conditions. The aerodynamic shear breakupdeteriorates the atomization performance, but within the same order of magnitude. Finally, our experiments showthat mixing a biofuel with a fossil fuel does not significantly alter the spray characteristics, regarded as a stepfurther in developing alternative and more ecological fuels for aero-engines.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4737

Experimental study of liquid-vapor mass transfer in non-reacting and reacting droplet chains

The dynamics of liquid-vapor mass transfer largely determines the performance of internal and gas turbine spraycombustors. The key mechanisms however typically take place on small spatial scales of less than 100 μm which have been difficult to measure. The present work thus aims at the development and application of an experimental technique for the characterization of droplet evaporation with high spatial resolution. Single chains of monodisperse acetone droplets with diameters of 125 and 225 μm are injected into a channel with a cross-section of 60x60 mm² and quartz glass side walls for optical access. The droplet chains are surrounded by a laminar air flow with velocity and temperature of about 0.1 m/s and 300 K, respectively. The distribution of acetone vapor around the droplets is measured using planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF) excited by the 4th harmonic of a Nd:YAG laser at 266 nm. The measurements are performed in thin transversal sections between the droplets in order to avoid signal corruption by halation effects that occur when the laser directly hits the droplets as reported in previous studies. In addition, the spatial resolution of the PLIF setup was enhanced by using proper sheet- forming and imaging optics. The resulting in-plane resolution and out-plane-resolution (i.e. thickness of the laser sheet) are both determined to about 20 μm, which thus allows an accurate characterization of the small-scale vapor distribution near the droplets. Using a separate calibration measurement, quantitative acetone concentrations are obtained for non-reacting conditions. As a complementary technique, the droplet evaporation is measured using shadowgraphy droplet sizing. Both non-reacting and reacting droplet chains are studied. The results for the non-reacting cases show that the droplet chains are surrounded by a column of nearly-saturated acetone vapor with a concentration maximum at the centerline. For increasing radial distances, the vapor concentration decays quickly with a half width of 0.5 mm and reaches almost zero for r>1 mm. It is further seen that the width of the vapor column increases with streamwise distance. For the experiment with a reacting droplet chain, which is continuously ignited by a heating wire at the channel inlet, a cylindrical reaction zone around the chain with a radius of about 1.5 mm is observed. The shadowgraphy measurements show that the rate of droplet evaporation is significantly enhanced for the reacting conditions. This is attributed to the high rate of heat transfer from the flame to the droplets and the resulting enhanced acetone mass transfer to the sink at the reaction zone.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4767