Numerical Analysis of Different Hydrogen Injector Characteristics in a Constant Volume Chamber 2024-01-2693
Hydrogen is anticipated to play a pivotal role as a green energy carrier in both heavy industry and transportation. Utilizing hydrogen directly in internal combustion engines (ICE) could offer several advantages compared to alternative technologies. To achieve this objective, a proper understanding of the physical mechanisms and dynamics involved in the injection of this fuel is needed.
This study applied high-fidelity computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to describe the flow characteristics of hydrogen injection using hollow- and single- and multi-solid-cone injectors and their effect on mixing quality and characteristics in a constant volume quiescent environment. A reference hollow-cone configuration was used to validate the model.
The results indicate that solid-cone configurations achieve greater penetration due to the flow patterns they generate. However, an increase in the number of holes leads to reduced penetration length, projected area, and induced turbulence. Solid-cone configurations exhibit a faster transition to a lean mixture compared to the hollow-cone injector, implying higher mixing efficiency. In particular, the four-hole configuration covers a larger area. While this is favorable for a constant volume quiescent environment, further studies should be conducted in an engine application context to validate these findings.
