Visualization of Fuel-Air Mixing Processes in a Small D.I. Diesel Engine Using the Liquid injection Technique

Simplified visualization of the fuel spray developing process in a small D.I. diesel engine was made by the liquid injection technique. In this technique, a liquid fuel was injected into another liquid to simulate injection into a high pressure gaseous atmosphere. For obtaining spray characteristics in the liquid similar to a diesel spray in a high-pressure gaseous atmosphere, the similarity principles based on the Reynolds number of the fuel flow at a nozzle hole and empirical equations of the spray penetration including the breakup length were introduced in this study. Especially, the injector was newly designed for the liquid injection technique based on these similarity principles. The behavior of the spray in a swirling flow was investigated. The spray with different breakup length shows different behavior in the same swirling flow. The spray with higher injection pressure shows a larger spray angle, lower dispersion by the swirling flow before impingement with a combustion chamber wall, but wider distribution along the wall after the impingement. The effect of a combustion chamber shape on the spray developing process was also investigated.