In an internal combustion engine, fuel is distributed in small droplets through injection valves to maximize combustion. When the fuel is pressurized to turn into gas and burn, bubbles form inside the droplets. The researchers at the University of Gothenburg have used femtosecond lasers to study these bubbles.
"The bubbles have a significant impact on the atomisation of biodiesel in engines. Therefore, our research is very important to address fundamental questions about the efficiency of the biodiesel engine," says Dr. Yogeshwar Nath Mishra, who led the study at the University of Gothenburg together with Professor Dag Hanstorp.
Researchers aim to understand how and when bubbles form in fuel droplets. This knowledge could eventually lead to more efficient engines that produce fewer emissions. "Research on biodiesel is crucial in our transition from fossil fuels to combat climate change. In engines, bubbling affects fuel combustion and contributes to the formation of larger droplets that do not evaporate and burn completely, leading to increased emissions," says Dr. Yogeshwar Nath Mishra.
Studying bubble formation in engine injection valves is challenging due to their structure. However, with advanced technology, physicists can study the process in a millimeter-sized drop of biodiesel. A fuel droplet is levitated using a standing sound wave and then energized with a femtosecond laser, which forms gas bubbles. The bubbles' number, growth, and distribution are studied using a high-speed camera.
The results, published in Nature Scientific Reports, provide significant insights into bubble formation, which can be useful in developing more efficient fuels and combustion engines. "Bubble formation is important in industries such as chemical engineering for example carbonated drinks, ultrasonic imaging, boiling processes for heat transfer and processes such as gas release from water bodies and cloud formation. But what we have achieved is basic research. There is still a lot of development to be done before it can be used," says Dag Hanstorp.
Research Report:Bubble dynamics and atomization of acoustically levitated diesel and biodiesel droplets using femtosecond laser pulses
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