Fuel Injector Spray

Characterization and
Dynamic Flow Evaluation
S outhwest Research Institute® (SwRI®), recognized worldwide
as a leader in fuels and lubricants research, offers fuel
injector spray characteristic testing to evaluate high-pressure
common rail (HPCR) injectors, gasoline direct injection (GDI)
injectors, port fuel injection (PFI) injectors, natural gas injectors
(NGI), and various injection nozzles for their spray patterns,
shot-by-shot dynamic flow quantity per stroke, or continuous
flow rate. SwRI conducts spray characterization with real-life
gasoline, diesel, and many other fluids.

Injection of fuel that has not been properly atomized results in

less than optimum combustion, which frequently leads to vehicle

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driveability problems. Fuel injector spray characteristics are
crucial to injection equipment manufacturers, engine developers,
fuels and lubricants formulators, and many other industries. SwRI Real-time particle sizer

assists these industries with high-quality injection spray

measurements and engineering services to achieve desired spray
characteristics, reduced tip deposits, and targeted service life.

Services
With more than 50 years of support to the automotive industry,
SwRI offers a broad spectrum of services for characterizing
injector spray properties, including:

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• Injector flow mapping of solenoid and piezoelectric injectors Normal (left) and abnormal (right) patterns of fuel
injection into an engine combustion chamber
• Shot-by-shot dynamic flow
• Droplet size and spray patterns
• Droplet velocity
• Spray angle High-speed
video
• Cone angle
• Spray penetration
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• High-speed spray video up to 120,000 frames per second

• Temperature impact
• Bulk modulus impact
• Back pressure impact
• Viscosity impact
• Chemical contamination impact
• Particulate contamination impact
• Deposit impact
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Spray visualization Shot-by-shot dynamic flow measurement

 Quality Accomplishments
The Office of Automotive Engineering (OAE) at SwRI is certified to ISO 9001:2008, “Quality Management Systems − Requirements,”
accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2005, “General Requirements for the Competence of Testing and Calibration Laboratories,” and
certified to ISO 14001:2004, “Environmental Management Systems.” The OAE has also achieved Ford Tier 1 status for providing
engineering services and the Engine, Emissions and Vehicle Research Division has received the Ford Q1 Quality Award. In addition,
the Petroleum Products Research Department is a Nuclear Procurement Issues Committee (NUPIC)-approved laboratory and the
Fuels and Lubricants Research Division has maintained its status as an American Chemistry Council (ACC)-approved laboratory.

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Southwest Research Institute is an independent, nonprofit, applied engineering and physical sciences research and development organization using multidisciplinary approaches
to problem solving. The Institute occupies 1,200 acres in San Antonio, Texas, and provides more than 2 million square feet of laboratories, test facilities, workshops and offices
for more than 3,000 employees who perform contract work for industry and government clients.

We welcome your inquiries. Xiaojian Tao, Ph.D., Institute Engineer

For additional information, R&D Manager
please contact: (210) 522-6962
xtao@swri.org

Fuel Systems and Contamination Research

Fuels and Lubricants Research Division

Southwest Research Institute

6220 Culebra Road • P.O. Box 28510
San Antonio, TX 78228-0510

Benefiting government,
fuelinjectorspray.swri.org industry and the public through
swri.org innovative science and technology
An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V
Committed to Diversity in the Workplace