Fuel Injection and Spray Research

This animated image is a result of the high penetrating power of X-rays which make it possible to permeate the outer steel structure and capture the internal components of fuel injectors in motion.

Dynamic Imaging of Injector Operation

The high-penetrating, powerful X-rays go through the outer steel structure to get a picture of the fuel injector parts as they move. The high X-ray flux at Argonne’s APS makes this possible. These measurements are critical for the development of computational spray models, since they can precisely measure the time-dependent geometry of the fuel passages inside the injector. Injector manufacturers also use these measurements since they can reveal whether a particular component is functioning as designed. Measurements such as these have revealed wobbling of the needle valve inside an operating injector—which can lead to spray asymmetry, decreased fuel efficiency and increased emissions—linking needle motion with spray structure.

Funding

This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Vehicle Technologies Program under Gurpreet Singh.

April 2010