Apparent Soot Size and Concentration in Combusting Diesel Jets at High Gas Pressures and Temperatures Measured by Combining Quasi-Simultaneous LII, Elastic Light Scattering and Light Extinction

A method for measuring apparent soot particle size and concentration in turbulent combusting diesel jets with elevated and inhomogeneous optical density is presented and discussed. The method is based on the combination of quasi-simultaneous Laser Induced Incandescence (LII), Elastic Scattering (ELS) and Light Extinction (LE) measurements exhibiting a high potential for spatially resolved measurements of carbonaceous particles in flames and residual gases at a given instant. The method evaluates the LII signal by calculating the laser fluence across the flame and compensating for signal trapping, allowing measurements where laser extinction between the flame borders reaches values up to 90%. The method was implemented by measuring particle size and concentration in the middle sagittal axis of optically dense, combusting diesel jets at a certain time after the start of combustion. Experiments were carried out in the Chalmers High Pressure, High Temperature spray rig under conditions similar to those prevailing in direct injected compression ignition engines. Measurements of apparent particle size and concentration together with volume fraction conferring an instantaneous single-shot case and an average measurement from several consecutive jets are presented and discussed.