Title: Experimental investigation of electrostatic effects on ethanol and ethanol-diesel blend sprays in atmospheric ambiance

Authors: Daniel S. Elegant, Taekyu Kang, Dimitrios C. Kyritsis

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 W. Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 W. Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. ' Department of Mechanical Science and Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1206 W. Green Street, Urbana, IL 61801, USA

Abstract: An experimental investigation of electrosprays of ethanol-diesel blends and electrostatically assisted injection of ethanol and ethanol-isooctane blends was performed in order to investigate the potential of novel injection techniques for ethanol-containing fuels. An exponential dependence of liquid fuel conductivity on ethanol content was established. Simple, fundamental electrosprays of ethanol-diesel blends containing 5-15% ethanol exhibited micro-dripping atomisation and produced sprays that approached the monodispersity that has been observed for pure ethanol sprays operating in the cone-jet mode. Experiments were also performed with ethanol and ethanol–isooctane blends on a commercially available swirl-type fuel injector that was modified with a conductive cap in order to electrostatically charge the fuel emerging from it. Electrostatically charged ethanol sprays penetrated in the ambient gas significantly less at the early stage of injection, especially for lower injection pressures. In addition, the angle formed by the hollow cone of spray was larger for the charged sprays. Such effects are expectedly diminishing with decreasing alcohol content.

Keywords: diesel; ethanol-diesel blends; electrostatic atomisation; ethanol sprays; electrosprays; liquid fuel conductivity; injection pressures; ethanol–isooctane blends; swirl-type fuel injectors.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2009.024967

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2009 Vol.50 No.1/2/3/4, pp.35 - 49

Published online: 06 May 2009 *

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