Victor M. Salazar

Schlieren measurements in the round cylinder of an optically accessible internal combustion engine.

This paper describes the design and experimental application of an optical system to perform schlieren measurements in the curved geometry of the cylinder of an optically accessible internal combustion engine. Key features of the system are a pair of cylindrical positive meniscus lenses, which keep the beam collimated while passing through the unmodified, thick-walled optical cylinder, and a pulsed, high-power light-emitting diode with narrow spectral width. In combination with a high-speed CMOS camera, the system is used to visualize the fuel jet after injection of hydrogen fuel directly into the cylinder from a high-pressure injector. Residual aberrations, which limit the systems sensitivity, are characterized experimentally and are compared to the predictions of ray-tracing software.

CFD and Optical Investigations of Fluid Dynamics and Mixture Formation in a DI-H2ICE

This paper reports the validation of a three-dimensional numerical simulation of the in-cylinder processes during gas-exchange, injection, and compression in a direct-injection, hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine. Computational results from the commercial code Fluent are compared to experimental data acquired by laser-based measurements in a corresponding optically accessible engine. The simulation includes the intake-port geometry as well as the injection event with its supersonic hydrogen jet. The cylinder geometry is typical of passenger-car sized spark-ignited engines. Gaseous hydrogen is injected from a high-pressure injector with a single-hole nozzle. Numerically and experimentally determined flow fields in the vertical, central symmetry plane are compared for a series of crank angles during the compression stroke, with and without fuel injection. With hydrogen injection, the fuel mole-fraction in the same data plane is included in the comparison as well. The results show that the simulation predicts the flow field without injection reasonably well, with increasing numerical-experimental disagreement towards the end of the compression stroke. The injection event completely disrupts the intake-induced flow, and the simulation predicts the post-injection velocity fields much better than the flow without injection at the same crank-angles. The two-dimensional tumble ratio is evaluated to quantify the coherent barrel motion of the charge. Without fuel injection, the simulation significantly over-predicts tumble during most of the compression stroke, but with injection, the numerical and experimental tumble ratio track each other closely. The evolution of hydrogen mole-fraction during the compression stroke shows conflicting trends. Jet penetration and jet-wall interaction are well captured, while fuel dispersion appears under-predicted. Possible causes of this latter discrepancy are discussed.Copyright

A Computational Study of the Mixture Preparation in a Direct–Injection Hydrogen Engine

This paper reports the validation of a three-dimensional numerical simulation of the mixture preparation in a direct-injection hydrogen-fueled engine. Computational results from the commercial code CONVERGE are compared to the experimental data obtained from an optically accessible engine. The geometry used in the simulation is a passenger-car sized, four-stroke, spark-ignited engine. The simulation includes the geometry of the combustion chamber as well as the intake and exhaust ports. The hydrogen is supplied at 100 bar from a centrally located injector with a single-hole nozzle.The comparison between the simulation and experimental data is made on the central vertical plane. The fuel mole concentration and flow field are compared during the compression stroke at different crank angles. The comparison shows good agreement between the numerical and experimental results during the early stage of the compression stroke. The penetration of the jet and the interaction with the cylinder walls are correctly predicted. The fuel spreading is under predicted which results in differences in flow field and fuel mixture during the injection between experimental and numerical results. At the end of the injection, the fuel distribution shows some disagreement which gradually increases during the rest of the simulation.Copyright

A Computational Study of the Mixture Preparation in a Direct Injection Hydrogen Engine

This paper reports the validation of a three-dimensional numerical simulation of the mixture preparation in a direct-injection hydrogen-fueled engine. Computational results from the commercial code CONVERGE are compared to the experimental data obtained from an optically accessible engine. The geometry used in the simulation is a passenger-car sized, four-stroke, spark-ignited engine. The simulation includes the geometry of the combustion chamber as well as the intake and exhaust ports. The hydrogen is supplied at 100 bar from a centrally located injector with a single-hole nozzle.The comparison between the simulation and experimental data is made on the central vertical plane. The fuel mole concentration and flow field are compared during the compression stroke at different crank angles. The comparison shows good agreement between the numerical and experimental results during the early stage of the compression stroke. The penetration of the jet and the interaction with the cylinder walls are correctly predicted. The fuel spreading is under predicted which results in differences in flow field and fuel mixture during the injection between experimental and numerical results. At the end of the injection, the fuel distribution shows some disagreement which gradually increases during the rest of the simulation.Copyright