One of the main problem influencing the combustion process in the cylinder of the marine engine is an fuel spray phenomena. The parameters describing the shape of the fuel spray are named macro parameters. This article presents the research results of the macrostructure parameters of the fuel spray atomized with the marine engine injector. The research were carried out by optical visualization measurement method of Mie scattering. The diameter of nozzle injector was 0.375 mm and L/D coefficient 8.3. In these research were considered different parameters of injection opening pressures and backpressures in the constant volume chamber. Generally conlusions are: the opening pressure influence on maximum spray tip penetration, spray cone angle and influence on speed of the injected fuel. The increase of backpressure into the constant volume chamber causes the reduction of spray tip penetration and the increase of the spray cone angle.

Purpose In the cylinders of a marine diesel engine, self-ignition occurs in a very short time after the fuel injection into the combustion chamber. Therefore, this paper aims to develop a model of diesel fuel spray for the early stage of fuel spray in the marine diesel engine. The main technical aspects such as nozzle diameter of the marine engine injector and backpressure in the combustion chamber were taken into consideration. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, laboratory experimental studies were carried out to determine parameters of fuel spray in an early stage of injection in the marine diesel engine. The optical measuring Mie scattering technique was used to record the fuel injection process. The working space was a constant volume chamber. The backpressure parameters in the constant volume chamber were the same as during the operation of the marine diesel engine. Based on the experimental studies and important Hiroyasu and Arai models of fuel spray presented in literature was proposed new model of fuel spray parameters for marine diesel injectors. Findings In this paper, the proposed new model of the two main parameters described fuel spray evolution”: new model of spray tip penetration (STP) and spray cone angle (SCA). New model propagation of fuel STP in time was included the influence of nozzle diameter and backpressure. The proposed model has a lower error, about 15%–34%, than the model of Hiroyasu and Arai. Moreover, a new model of the evolution over time of the SCA is developed. Research limitations/implications In the future research of fuel spray process must be taken influence of the fuel temperature. Diesel fuel has a different density and viscosity in dependence of fuel temperature. Therefore are predicted of the expansion about influence of fuel temperature, new model of fuel spray for a marine diesel engine. The main limitations occurring in the research are not possible to carry out the research while real operation marine diesel engine. Originality/value An experimental test was carried out for a real fuel injector of a marine diesel engine. Design parameters and fuel injection parameters were selected on the basis of the actual one. In the literature, SCA is defined as a constant parameter for the specific preliminary data. A new model for the early stage of fuel spray of SCA propagation in time has been proposed. The early stage of fuel spray is especially important, because in this time comes in there to fuel self-ignition.

This paper presents the results of the experimental research of the atomized fuel spray with the marine diesel engine injector in the constant volume chamber. The specificity of the phenomena occurring in the marine engine cylinder was the reason to use the optical visualisation method in the studies – the Mie scattering technique. This work presents an analysis of the influence of different geometry of outlet orifice and opening pressures of marine diesel injector on the macrostructure of the fuel spray. In the results, it was observed that the increased L/D ratio of the outlet orifice of the injector caused: an increase in the spray cone angle and a decrease in the spray tip penetration in the early stage of injection. Furthermore, it was defined that the characteristic of spray tip penetration over time was power, whereas the spray cone angle over time was a logarithmic function.