Rate of injection measurements of a direct-acting piezoelectric injector for different operating temperatures

Abstract

As the regulations for pollutant emissions in diesel engines are increasingly restrictive, the introduction of the piezoelectric direct-acting injectors seeks to improve the overall efficiency of the injection system, and consequently reduce combustion contaminants. In such systems, the needle lift is governed by the charge, or voltage, applied to the piezo stack, allowing for a more precise control over the fuel injection process. Although it is known that the performance of the piezoelectric crystals depends on its temperature of operation, the effect this has on the rate of injection is still unclear. In this research, a particular setup was used to measure the rate of injection of a direct-acting injector for different operating temperatures. It was mounted into an injection discharge rate curve indicator with a particular holder that has a cooling sleeve connected to a circuit running ethylene glycol, which is driven by a thermoregulator unit. A parametric sweep of different piezo stack control voltages for three rail pressures and operating temperatures was carried out. On the results, when needle lift does not influence internal flow development, the rate of injection was controlled by the injection pressure, with minimal impact from the working temperature, resembling results from conventional hydraulic injectors. At partial needle lift, two operating regions were observed, delimited by a particular voltage level. Above it, the needle throttling was able to control mass fuel flow accurately. But below it, the stabilized rate of injection values decreased drastically. The rate of this decline was dependent only on the injection pressure. The threshold level, named critical voltage, increased linearly with increasing injection pressure and working temperature. Also, to maintain a constant fuel mass flow for decreasing operating temperature, the voltage level of the control signal had to be reduced. These results highlight the importance of monitoring and controlling the operating conditions of the direct-acting injectors, as their performance and efficiency are both influenced by the working temperature of the piezo stack.