The Interaction of Fuel Droplets With Heated Interposed Surfaces in IC Engines

This paper reports an experimental study aimed at characterizing the effects of the topography of surfaces impacted by the fuel sprays on the process of mixture preparation. The experiments consider a simplified flow configuration and include heated targets with different surface roughness and temperatures, relevant for IC engines.

The analysis addresses the onset of splash, which involves the identification and characterization of different disintegration mechanisms. The characterization is performed in terms of crown morphology, temporal evolution and secondary droplet characteristics, for different boiling regimes. The results are interpreted to better understand the influence of the nature of the surface in the efficiency of the disintegration mechanisms.