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Multiple-objective optimization of a heavy-duty compression ignition engine fueled by gasoline/hydrogenated catalytic biodiesel (HCB) blends at low loads was performed by employing the KIVA-3V code and genetic algorithm. In addition, the mechanism of multiple-injection and sensitivity of operating parameters on engine performance of the optimal cases were also explored. The results indicated that efficient combustions for G70H30 (70% gasoline and 30% HCB) and G100 (pure gasoline) with ultra-low nitrogen oxides (NOx) and soot emissions could be obtained after optimization. As HCB fraction increases, the ranges of operating parameters become more extensive, and the required initial temperature for optimal cases can be effectively reduced. When the main injection occurs after the ignition caused by pilot injection, main injection moderates the heat release rate (HRR) by creating concentration and temperature stratifications in the spray area simultaneously, and the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rate, pilot, and main start of injections and pilot fraction play dominant roles on engine performance. Moreover, when main injection is much more advanced than the ignition timing, main injection controls the HRR only through the concentration stratification in the reaction zone, and the EGR rate, initial temperature, and pilot faction have dominated effects on engine performance.

The cavitating flow in diesel injector nozzles plays a vital role in spray atomization and formation of fuel–air mixture, since vortex-induced string cavitation has recently been found a much more influence on spray compared to the ordinary geometry-induced film cavitation. In this study, in order to investigating string cavitation and its’ enhancement on spray, the visualization experimental platform for the real-size optical tapered-hole nozzle was built based on the high-pressure common rail fuel injection system. Groups of optical nozzles with different geometries were designed for exploring the couple effects of several nozzle geometric parameters, including nozzle sac chamber depth, nozzle-hole position height and needle lift, on the three-dimension vortex flow structure and then on the string cavitation and spray characteristics. Results indicated that the string cavitation characteristics are tightly associated with couple characteristics of the parameters. The stable and strong string cavitation during the whole injection process can be obtained in the Min-sac nozzle with the high hole position under the low needle lift. The string cavitation extends to the nozzle-hole outlet, and subsequently induces the special hollow cone spray with air in the spray center location and corresponding a larger spray cone angle even under not so high injection pressure.

Aiming at the complicated vortex problem that affects the flow stability of diesel engine nozzles, this paper focuses on the effect of ventilation on the string cavitation patterns in the nozzle hole with a self-built scale-up test bench. Hole-to-hole string cavitation is not stable without bubbles, and the ventilation can improve the situation. Relatively speaking, the position of hole-to-hole string cavitation in the SAC volume changes significantly with the bubble content. In contrast, the needle-originated string cavitation is stable in the vortex channel. Only if there are many bubbles, the cavitation pattern changes to hole-to-hole string cavitation or string cavitation originating from the upper wall of the hole inlet. At this point, the corresponding atomization morphology changes, and the spray angle decreases significantly. It is verified that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the cavitating pattern and the spray angle near the hole.

In this article, optical experiments on string cavitation and residual bubbles inside the real-size transparent tapered diesel nozzle and near-nozzle spray structures were performed based on a high-pressure common rail fuel injection system with a high-speed camera. The tapered nozzle which has high flow efficiency with weak or even no geometric cavitation has been widely used in commercial injectors, while there still exists string cavitation which may also influence the in-nozzle flow and subsequent spray. This article put focus on the tapered nozzle and the result indicated that the in-nozzle string cavitation provided a reasonable explanation for the two bumps of spray cone angles during the opening and closing stages of needle of real diesel engine injection processes. The suction and compression of air bubbles at the start and end stages of injection processes, and the various shot-to-shot near-nozzle spray patterns were captured and analyzed. These different near-nozzle spray patterns were attributed to the distribution of residual bubbles inside the nozzle orifice. The residual bubbles were survived from the last injection or sucked into the nozzle during needle opening stages. Stagnant bubbles were compressed and then accelerated the residual fuel which was close to the injector tip, leading to the formation of mushrooms. This study confirmed that the initial mushroom and the tail were generated by the interactions between the residual/sucked bubbles and the residual/initial fuel, and the leading mushroom was incurred by the combination of the transverse expansion of the jet and the laminar layer theory. This work pointed out and analyzed the new sources of the cycle-to-cycle variation of air/fuel mixture and spray.

Increasing the injection pressure and downsizing the nozzle orifice diameter have been major measures for diesel engines to facilitate fuel–ambient gas mixture formation and combustion processes. The objective of this investigation is to carry out a quantitative analysis on the effects of micro-hole nozzle and ultra-high injection pressure on the mixing and combustion characteristics of diesel spray flame. Hence, laser-induced fluorescence and particle image velocimetry technique was employed to quantitatively access the gas entrainment of diesel spray emerging from nozzle with orifice diameter down to 80 µm under injection pressure up to 300 MPa, together with OH* chemiluminescence imaging and two-color pyrometry techniques to resolve the combustion and soot formation processes. Additionally, numerical simulation on the multi-phase flow inside injector nozzle was conducted to obtain information on internal flow dynamics. Experimental results show that over 80% of the ambient gas entrained into a spray pl...