Experimental Study of Spray Characteristics between Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and Crude Oil Based EN 590 Diesel Fuel

The aim of current study was to compare the global fuel spray characteristics between renewable hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and crude oil-based EN 590 diesel fuel. According to previous studies, the use of HVO enables reductions in carbon monoxide (CO), total hydrocarbon (THC), nitrogen oxide (NO_x) and particle matter (PM) emissions without any changes to the engine or its controls. Fuel injection strategies and global fuel spray characteristics affect on engine combustion and exhaust gas emissions. Due to different physical properties of two different fuels, fuel spray characteristics differ.

Fuel spray studies were performed with backlight imaging using a pressurized test chamber imitating real engine conditions at the end of compression stroke. However, the measurements were made in non-evaporative conditions. Various injection parameters such as injection pressures and orifice diameter were tested. The global fuel spray characteristics such as spray tip penetration and spray angle were compared with various injection parameters and two different fuels. Velocities of spray tip penetrations were measured by double frame imaging method.