Numerical Validation of the Ethanol Spray Produced by a Direct Injection Injector for Different Pressure Conditions

Abstract

This study presents a methodology to validate CFD simulations of the spray fuel injection using an experimental bench and optical measurement tools along with the Shadowgraph Technique. The parameter used for validating the experiments is the penetration rate, under situations of 6 bar and 100 bar injection pressures. The results show a penetration rate difference lower than 3% between the numerical model and the physical test. The visual plots, considering the shape and angles of the spray, also matched. Once validated, the numerical model could be applied to dynamic models of internal combustion engines and used to elaborate injection strategies for future projects.