I visualized the flash-boiling atomization of liquid jets released into a low pressure environment at frame rates of up to five million frames per second. Such a high temporal resolution allowed us to observe for the first time the bubble expansion mechanism that atomizes the jet. To visualize the dynamics in detail, I focused closely to the outflow of the nozzle using a long distance microscope objective. I documented an abrupt transition from a laminar to a fully external flashing jet by systematically reducing the ambient pressure. I performed experiments with different volatile liquids and using nozzles with different inner diameters. The inner diameters of the nozzles varied from 30 to 480 µm. Perfluorohexane (PFnH) was our main working fluid, but also methanol, ethanol and 1-bromopropane were tested. Surprisingly, minimum intensity profiles revealed spray angles close to θs ~360°, meaning drops are ejected in all directions. Also, I measured speeds of bubble expansion up to 140 m/s. That is 45 times faster than the upper bound for inertial growth speed in complete vacuum from the Rayleigh-Plesset equation. I also calculated the trajectories of the ejected droplets as well as the drop speed distribution using particle tracking. I expect that our results bring new insight into the flash-boiling atomization mechanism.

Fuel direct injection represents one of the key turning points in the development of the Diesel engines. The appeal of this solution has been growing thanks to the parallel advancement in the technology of the injection hardware and in the knowledge of the physics involved in the spray formation and combustion. In the present thesis, the effect of partial needle lift and injection rate shaping has been investigated experimentally using a multi-orifice Diesel injector. Injection rate shaping is one of the most attractive alternatives to multiple injection strategies but its implementation has been for long time impeded by technological limitations. A novel direct-acting injector prototype made it possible to carry out the present research: this injector features a mechanical coupling between the nozzle needle and the piezo-stack actuator, allowing a fully flexible control on the nozzle needle movement and enabling partial needle lift as well as the implementation of alternative injection rate shapes typologies. Different optical diagnostics were applied to study the spray development and combustion in a novel continuous flow test chamber that allows an accurate control on a wide range of thermodynamic conditions (up to 1000K and 15MPa). In addition, hydraulic characterization tests were carried out to analyze the fuel flow through the injector nozzle. Partial needle lift has been found to affect the injection event, reducing the mass flow rate (as expected) but also causing a reduction in the effective orifice area and an increase on the spreading angle. Moreover, at this condition, higher hole-to-hole dispersion and flow instabilities were detected. Needle vibrations caused by the needle interactions with fuel flow and by the onset of cavitation in the needle seat are likely the causes of this behavior. Injection rate shaping has a substantial impact on the premixed phase of the combustion and on the location where the ignition takes place. Furthermore, the results proved that the modifications in the internal flow caused by the partial needle lift are reflected on the ignition timing. On the other hand, the analysis of the experimental data through a 1D spray model revealed that an increasing mass flow rate (e.g. ramp or boot injection rate profiles) causes an increase in the fuelair equivalence ratio at the lift-off length and a consequent higher soot formation during the diffusive phase of the combustion. Finally, the wide range of boundary conditions tested in all the experiments served to draw general conclusions about the physics involved in the injection/combustion event and, in some cases, to obtain statistical correlations. / Bardi, M. (2014). PARTIAL NEEDLE LIFT AND INJECTION RATE SHAPE EFFECT ON THE FORMATION AND COMBUSTION OF THE DIESEL SPRAY [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/37374

This thesis studies the influence of internal nozzle flow characteristics over a large spectrum of experimental conditions and diagnostics. Experiments were carried out for two nozzle geometries---cylindrical and conical single hole nozzles---and three different fuels. Two of the fuels are pure components---n-heptane and n-dodecane---while the third fuel consists of a three-component surrogate to better represent the physical and chemical properties of diesel fuel. Measurements include a complete hydraulic characterization consisting of instantaneous injection rate and spray momentum flux measurements; a high-speed visualization of isothermal liquid spray; a high-speed visualization of the evaporative inert spray, imaging liquid and vapor phases simultaneously and finally, a high-speed visualization of the high temperature reactive spray, imaging vapor phase and OH* chemiluminescence for each injection event. All high-temperature diagnostics were performed in a continuous flow test chamber that allows an accurate control on a wide range of thermodynamic conditions (up to 1000 K and 15 MPa). The experimental findings from this work, and the large database obtained (available for download at: http://www.cmt.upv.es/DD01.aspx), could be used to validate CFD models that could help the community understand the fundamental driving mechanisms behind these observations. / En esta tesis se estudia la influencia del flujo interno sobre un amplio espectro de condiciones y diagnósticos experimentales. Se realizaron experimentos para dos geometrías de tobera---toberas cilíndrica y cónica de un único orificio---y tres combustibles. Dos de los combustibles son puros---n-heptano y n-dodecano--- mientras el tercero es un combustible sustituto que consiste en una mezcla de tres componentes que busca representar mejor las propiedades físicas y químicas del diesel. Las medidas incluyen una caracterización hidráulica completa, compuesta por tasa de inyección y cantidad de movimiento instantáneas; una visualización de alta velocidad del chorro líquido isotermo; una visualización de alta velocidad del chorro inerte evaporativo, con captura simultánea de las fases líquida y vapor y, finalmente, una visualización del chorro reactivo a alta temperatura, con captura de la fase vapor y la quimioluminiscencia del radical OH* para cada evento de inyección. Todos los diagnósticos en condiciones de alta temperatura fueron realizados en una maqueta de alta presión y temperatura de flujo constante que permite controlar con precisión un rango amplio de condiciones termodinámicas (hasta 1000 K y 15 MPa). Los resultados experimentales y la gran base de datos obtenida en este trabajo (disponible en: http://www.cmt.upv.es/DD01.aspx), podrían ser utilizados para validar modelos CFD detallados que podrían ayudar a la comunidad científica a entender mejor los mecanismos fundamentales que producen los resultados observados. / Aquesta tesi estudia la influència del flux intern sobre un gran espectre de condicions i diagnòstics experimentals. Es van realitzar experiments per a dos geometries de tovera---toveres ci¿líndrica i cónica amb un únic orifici---i tres combustibles. Dos dels combustibles són purs---n-heptà i n-dodecà--- mentre el tercer combustible consisteix en una mescla de tres components que formen un combustible substitut que busca representar millor les propietats físiques i químiques del dièsel. Les mesures inclouen una caracterització hidràulica completa, composta per taxa d'injecció i quantitat de moviment instantanis; visualització d'alta velocitat del doll líquid isoterme; visualització d'alta velocitat del doll inert evaporatiu, capturant simultàniament les fases líquid i vapor i, finalment, una visualització del doll reactiu a alta temperatura, capturant la fase vapor i la quimioluminiscència del radical OH per a cada esdeveniment d'injecció. Tots els diagnòstics en condicions d'alta temperatura van ser realitzats en una insta¿lació d'alta pressió i temperatura amb flux constant que permet controlar amb precisió un ampli rang de condicions termodinàmiques (fins a 1000 K i 15 MPa). Els resultats experimentals i la gran base de dades obtinguda en aquest treball (disponible a la web en: http://www.cmt.upv.es/dd01.aspx), podrien ser utilitzats per tal de validar models CFD detallats que podrien ajudar a la comunitat científica a entendre millor els mecanismes fonamentals que produeixen aquestes observacions. / Viera Sotillo, JP. (2017). Experimental study of the effect of nozzle geometry on the performance of direct-injection diesel sprays for three different fuels [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/81857