Simulation and Experimental Analysis of Diesel Fuel-Injection Systems With a Double-Stage Injector

A double-spring, sacless-nozzle injector was fitted to the distributor-pump fuel-injection system of an automotive diesel engine in order to study its effect on the system performance for two different configurations of the pump delivery valve assembly with a constant-pressure valve and with a reflux-hole valve, respectively. Injection-rate shapes and local pressure time histories were both numerically and experimentally investigated. The NAIS simulation program was used for theoretical analysis based on a novel implicit numerical algorithm with a second-order accuracy and a high degree of efficiency. The injector model was set up and stored in a library containing a variety of system component models, which gave a modular structure to the computational code. The program was also capable of simulating possible cavitation propagation phenomena and of taking the fluid property dependence on pressure and temperature, as well as flow shear and minor losses into account. The experimental investigation was performed on a test bench under real operating conditions. Pressures were measured in the pumping chamber at two different pipe locations and in the injector nozzle upstream of the needle-seat opening passage. This last measurement was carried out in order to determine the nozzle-hole discharge flow coefficient under nonstationary flow conditions, which was achieved for the first time in a sacless-nozzle two-stage injector over a wide pump-speed range. The numerical and experimental results were compared and discussed.