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With increasingly stringent emissions regulations and concurrent requirements for enhanced engine thermal efficiency, a comprehensive characterization of the automotive gasoline fuel spray has become essential. The acquisition of accurate and repeatable spray data is even more critical when a combustion strategy such as gasoline direct injection is to be utilized. Without industry-wide standardization of testing procedures, large variablilities have been experienced in attempts to verify the claimed spray performance values for the Sauter mean diameter, Dv90, tip penetration and cone angle of many types of fuel sprays. A new SAE Recommended Practice document, J2715, has been developed by the SAE Gasoline Fuel Injection Standards Committee (GFISC) and is now available for the measurement and characterization of the fuel sprays from both gasoline direct injection and port fuel injection injectors.

A review was conducted of the various fuel injector flow rate measurement methods that are commercially available. The scope of the review was primarily focused on the gasoline applications of Port Fuel Injection (PFI) and Direct Injection Spark Ignition (DISI), but Diesel applications were reviewed as well. These flow meters were compared at the Powertrain & Fuel Subsystems Laboratory (PFSL) of Ford Motor Company. The purpose of this paper is to review the capabilities of each flow meter that is commercially available for use in injector characterization benches and engine test beds.