A Methodology for the Estimation of Hole-to-Hole Injected Mass Based on Spray Momentum Flux Measurement

In the present paper, a new methodology for the estimation of the mass delivered by a single hole of a GDI injector is presented and discussed. The GDI injector used for the activity featured a five-hole nozzle characterized by three holes with the same diameter and two holes with a larger diameter. The different holes size guarantees a significant difference in terms of mass flow. This new methodology is based on global momentum flux measurement of each single plume and on its combination with the global mass measurement made with the gravimetric principle. The momentum flux is measured by means of a dedicated test bench that detects the impact force of the single spray plume at different distances. The sensing device is moved in different positions and, in each point, the force trace averaged over several injection events is acquired. The global mass delivered by the injector is measured by collecting and weighing the fuel flown during a defined number of consecutive injections. By the combination of these two measurements, the estimation of the single hole mass is proposed. The method is validated by means of a dedicated device that is able to collect the mass of the single hole. The method is applied in several operating conditions in terms of injection pressure and actuation time, obtaining encouraging results in terms of hole-to-hole injected mass evaluation capability.