Optical Detection of Absolute NO and OH Concentration inside Diesel Combustion Chamber

Conventional methods for combustion gas concentration measurement are typically based on gas sampling, sample treatment and subsequent analysis. These procedures could affect the species concentrations in particular when temporal variations of process parameters are under study. Moreover, in these methods, the concentration measurements are usually performed at standard temperature and pressure. In order to overcome these limitations, in-situ and real-time concentration measurement techniques are needed.

In this paper, an in-situ technique with high spatial and temporal resolution, based on ultraviolet-visible absorption spectroscopy, was proposed. This technique allowed the simultaneous determination of NO and OH absolute concentrations inside optically accessible diesel combustion chamber. Temporal and spatial distribution of OH and NO was evaluated.