Abstract
The combustion in diesel engines is a complex phenomenon involving two-phase flow, fluid–geometry interactions and fluid–fluid interactions. Diesel engines have seen numerous designs of the combustion chamber and injection system over the years since their invention. The initial developments were primarily based on experimental results and predictive theoretical models. However, recent developments in optical diagnostics have enabled researchers to understand in-cylinder combustion in a much more refined way. The hybrid approaches of computational simulations and optical investigations have contributed immensely to developing cleaner and more efficient diesel engines to meet emission norms. However, adopting renewable fuels would require subtle design and strategic changes in modern diesel engines. Extension of current technologies for adopting renewable fuels having significantly different physiochemical properties requires in-depth knowledge of diesel combustion. The chapter overviews the state-of-the-art optical diagnostics for in-cylinder combustion visualisation in diesel engines. The differences between optical and all-metal engines have been highlighted, and various methods to minimise the gaps have been discussed. A comprehensive literature review on the spray flames in diesel engines has been done to summarise the current understanding of diesel combustion. Various parameters affecting flame evolution have been discussed. The effect of fuel properties and the combustion of biodiesel and methanol have been discussed based on flame visualisation studies.
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Jena, A., Agarwal, A.K. (2023). Understanding Combustion in CI Engines for Adoption of Renewable Fuels. In: Shukla, P.C., Belgiorno, G., Blasio, G.D., Agarwal, A.K. (eds) Renewable Fuels for Sustainable Mobility. Energy, Environment, and Sustainability. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-1392-3_12
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