Application of Exciplex Chemical Sensor for Visualization of Liquid- and Vapor-Phase Fuel Distribution

Two-dimensional slices of the cross-sectional distributions of fuel images in the combustion chamber were visualized quantitatively using a laser-induced exciplex fluorescence technique. A new exciplex visualization system consisting of 5% N,N-dimethylaniline (DMA)5%1,4,6-trimethylnaphthalene (TMN) in 90% isooctane (2,2,4-trimethylpentane) fuel was employed. In this method, the vapor phase was tagged by the monomer fluorescence while the liquid phase was tracked by the exciplex fluorescence with good spectral and spatial resolution. The 308 nm (XeCl) line of an excimer laser was used to excite the doped molecules in the fuel and the resulting fluorescence images were obtained with an intensified charge coupled device (ICCD) detector as a function of time. The results demonstrate that at the end of the compression stroke, the liquid fuel was almost vaporized and a dense stratified vapor phase charge developed near the two spark plugs.