Comparison between background oriented Schlieren (BUS) technique and scattering method for the spray characteristics of evaporating oxygenated fuels

The purpose of this paper is to compare image measurement of the evaporating spray of oxygenated fuels such as DME and biodiesel spray by using the background oriented Schlieren (BUS) technique and scattering method. In this work, the macroscopic characteristics of oxygenated fuel sprays by using BUS technique were compared with the results of scattering method. In order to analyze the vapor phase images of fuel spray in the constant-volume chamber, the BUS technique is employed to visualize the evaporating fuel spray in a constant-volume chamber with high-pressure injection system. The fuel spray characteristics with evaporating phenomena were visualized to compare the spray macroscopic behaviors such as penetration length and the area of spray axial plane. The results showed that BUS technique is an effective method for the visualization and measurement of macroscopic characteristics of evaporating fuel spray compared to the results of scattering method. (C) 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.