Laser Diagnostics and Optical Measurement Techniques in Internal Combustion Engines R-406

The increasing concern about CO2 emissions and energy prices has led to new CO2 emission and fuel economy legislation being introduced in world regions served by the automotive industry. In response, automotive manufacturers and Tier-1 suppliers are developing a new generation of internal combustion (IC) engines with ultra-low emissions and high fuel efficiency.

To further this development, a better understanding is needed of the combustion and pollutant formation processes in IC engines. As efficiency and emission abatement processes have reached points of diminishing returns, there is more of a need to make measurements inside the combustion chamber, where the combustion and pollutant formation processes take place. However, there is currently no good overview of how to make these measurements.

Based on the author’s previous SAE book, Engine Combustion Instrumentation and Diagnostics, this book focuses on laser-based optical techniques for combustion flows and in-cylinder measurements. Included are new chapters on optical engines and optical equipment, case studies, and an updated description of each technique.

The purpose of this book is to provide, in one publication, an introduction to experimental techniques that are best suited for in-cylinder engine combustion measurements. It provides sufficient details for readers to set up and apply these techniques to IC engines and combustion flows.

A video shows the high speed optical measurement of in-cylinder fuel injection process in a high pressure direct injection diesel engine with optical access at Brunel University. The movie was recorded at 10,000fps by a high speed video camera sychronised to a laser operating at the repetition rate. In each cycle, there were two fuel injections with a short time delay between them. Autoignition combustion started shorted after the start of the second injection. With this technique, the effect of fuel injection pressure, split and multiple injections, fuel properties, EGR and intake conditions on in-cylinder mixing and combustion can be studied.