Gasoline Water Direct Injection (GWDI): Optical Investigations on Fuel-Water Emulsions in the Injection System

Authors

B. Blau, Hochschule Trier

Summary

Water injection for gasoline engines is long known as a powerful technique to further decrease emissions and fuel consumption. With gasoline-water direct injection (GWDI), a mixture or emulsion of fuel and water is formed in a mixing device within the injection system and introduced to the engine cylinders by high-pressure injectors. This work presents experimental results regarding the droplet size distribution of water in fuel emulsions flowing in two different GWDI systems. The systems are operated on a dedicated test bench under engine-relevant conditions and the emulsion is examined with a shadowgraphy imaging system together with a pressure-resistant optical access. The results will contribute to understanding the influence of the system components and operating conditions on gasoline-water emulsion droplet size distributions.