Experimental and Simulation Analysis on Spray Characteristics of Hydrous Ethanol–Gasoline Blends

Abstract

Hydrous ethanol application in engines can not only improve combustion and reduce emissions but also save energy consumption in the production process, which is a potential alternative fuel for engines. However, little research has been conducted on the influences of hydrous ethanol, gasoline, and hydrous ethanol–gasoline blends on spray characteristics, especially the phenomenon of flash boiling. In this investigation, the spray characteristics of hydrous ethanol and gasoline have been conducted using a constant volume chamber system, and the spray characteristics of hydrous ethanol–gasoline blends have been simulated using validated models. The results show that hydrous ethanol fuel is more likely to enter a flash-boiling state in comparison with gasoline. In addition, the spray penetration of hydrous ethanol is higher than that of gasoline, which increases by 10% approximately under the same temperature. Moreover, the spray cone angle of test fuels is between 32 deg and 43 deg and decreases with the increase of back pressure in trend. Besides, the spray projection area of hydrous ethanol and gasoline decreases significantly with the increase of back pressure. In terms of simulation, the spray penetration of E10w, E20w, E50w, and E85w fuels decreases with the increase of back pressure.