Modelling Injector Flow Including Cavitation Effects for Diesel Applications

In this paper, cavitation and pressure parameters measured in a model diesel injector are compared to data acquired by numerical simulations using a new code developed for the Open-FOAM platform, which uses a barotropic equation of state together with the homogeneous equilibrium assumption. It is a viscid code, allowing both compressible liquid and vapour to be modelled. The mass flow and cavitation probabilities obtained from the simulations are compared to data obtained in experiments performed at AVL’s laboratories, in which the flow through an almost two-dimensional nozzle was examined. The experimental data used include pressure profiles and cavitation images. The model proved to be able to predict cavitation probabilities, mass flows, and the occurrence of super-cavitation in the channel. In addition, it proved to be stable in its dependency on physical parameters, and grid independent.