Fundamental Studies of Interacting Droplet Combustion of Low Grade Fuels Using Novel Laser Diagnostics

该项目涉及用于喷雾/液滴汽化和燃烧研究的新型激光诊断技术的设计、开发和应用。总体目标是准确确定一个或多个相互作用的燃烧液滴周围气体介质的液滴温度和温度梯度分布等参数，以提供关于其燃烧的基本知识。第一阶段方案的具体目标是：a)改进和进一步发展现有的燃料液滴燃烧试验设备；b)结合数字图像处理技术开发点衍射干涉技术，以确定燃烧液滴周围的气体温度场；c)应用彩虹测温法测量瞬时液滴温度；D)研究自动整合所有这些信息的可行性，以便能够全面重建液滴周围的温度场；以及(E)对与该技术有关的测量误差进行初步评估。最终的潜在产品是一种仪器，它将能够获得关于相互作用的燃烧燃料液滴(特别是低品位燃料)周围热场结构的基本信息，这对于开发可以利用这些燃料的未来燃烧系统至关重要。潜在的应用包括为现有内燃机开发/使用一种新的燃油喷射系统，这将使它们能够以高效率和最低限度的污染物产生使用低品位燃料。这些应用可以显著减少美国对外国石油进口的依赖，并将有助于确保在使用低品位燃料方面的世界竞争力和环境责任。

This program deals with the design, development, and application of novel laser diagnostic techniques for the study of spray/drop vaporization and combustion. The overall objective is accurate determination of such parameters as droplet temperature and temperature gradient profiles of the gas media surrounding one or more interacting burning droplets to provide fundamental knowledge regarding their combustion. The specific objectives of the Phase I program are: a) Improve and further develop an existing test facility for burning fuel droplet streams; b) Develop the point-diffraction interferometric technique in conjunction with digital image processing techniques to define the gas temperature field around a stream of burning drops; c) Apply rainbow thermometry to measure instantaneous liquid droplet temperatures; d) Investigate the feasibility of automatically integrating all this information to allow full reconstruction of the temperature field surrounding the droplets; and, e) Perform a preliminary assessment of measurement errors associated with the technique. The ultimate potential product is an instrument which would enable acquisition of fundamental information regarding the structure of the thermal fields surrounding interacting burning fuel droplets (notably, low-grade fuels) which is of paramount importance in development of future combustion systems which could utilize these fuels. Potential applications include development/use of a novel fuel injector system for existing internal combustion engines which would enable them to use low grade fuels at high efficiency and with minimal production of pollutants. These applications could significantly reduce U.S. dependency on foreign oil imports, and would help ensure world competitiveness and environmental responsibility in the use of low grade fuels.