Within the framework of the ENERXICO project, advanced modelling tools for high-fidelity combustion simulations have been developed to study the use of renewable fuels in future sustainable transportation systems. Such models need detailed validation data from highly controlled experiments to assess the prediction capabilities.

Among the activities related to combustion, an experimental campaign with renewable fuels (HVO, OMEx, OME1 as well as reference dodecane and Diesel) has been carried out with Spray A and Spray D nozzles including high speed schlieren and OH* imaging, as well as Diffuse Back Illumination. Two renewable fuels were tested, namely Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and two oxymethylene dimethyl ethers (OME), with the general structure CH3–O–(CH2–O)n–CH3. 

Figure 1. Overall view of the experimental facility used to measure characterize renewable fuel combustion. The cylinder in the center is the spray vessel, with different optical accesses and cameras around that make possible to quantify the flame relevant parameters

All this experimental methodology as well as the available data has been uploaded to the Combustion page within the ENERXICO website to be consulted by all interested. It can be found here.

Figure 2. Comparison of schlieren visualization recordings of fuel under investigation in the Enerxico project. Images correspond to experiments under the same operating conditions and timing after start of injection with the fuel denoted in the corresponding figure caption.