SBIR-STTR Award

High-Fidelity Design Tools and Technologies for High-Pressure Heavy Fuel Injectors
Award last edited on: 9/11/2018

Sponsored Program
SBIR
Awarding Agency
DOD : Army
Total Award Amount
$599,987
Award Phase
2
Solicitation Topic Code
A17-031
Principal Investigator
Dokyun Kim

Company Information

Cascade Technologies Inc

2445 Faber Place Suite 100
Palo Alto, CA 94303
Location: Single
Congr. District: 16
County: Santa Clara

Phase I

Contract Number: W911QX-17-P-0202
Start Date: 00/00/00    Completed: 00/00/00
Phase I year
2017
Phase I Amount
$99,998
The objective of the proposed SBIR project is to develop a computational tool capable of predicting the atomization of liquid injected through a practical I.C. Engine fuel injector under realistic operating conditions. The goal of the present study is to advance an existing state-of-the-art simulation methodology in several areas to substantially reduce the computational cost while still providing a predictive capability of the atomization process. To achieve this goal, a hybrid volume-of-fluid method (VoF) will be developed that enriches the interface reconstruction with Lagrangian marker particles to improve the ability to capture under-resolved interfacial structures. The breakup of under-resolved liquid structures will be modeled by theoretical instability theory to predict post-breakup droplet sizes. The resulting droplets are then represented in a Lagrangian particle/parcel description and undergo secondary atomization with evaporation. In this modeling approach, a significant reduction in computational cost will be achieved by relaxing the severe resolution requirements of thin ligaments and sheets/bags in high Weber number flows. During Phase I, efforts will be made to develop the subgrid breakup model based on the hybrid VoF method and to validate using the problem of turbulent atomization of liquid fuel with comparison to Direct Numerical Simulation data and experimental measurements.

Phase II

Contract Number: W911QX-19-C-0001
Start Date: 00/00/00    Completed: 00/00/00
Phase II year
2019
Phase II Amount
$499,989
The objectives of the project are to develop and demonstrate a high-fidelity simulation tool to predict and optimize high-pressure heavy fuel injectors. During Phase I research, Cascade Technologies developed a multiscale breakup model that resolves the continuous liquid phase using the geometric Volume-of-Fluid method, and models subgrid interfacial structures (ligaments, sheets and drops) by the discrete Lagrangian model. The numerical method has been validated for academic problems, successfully predicting droplet distributions even for coarse gird resolutions, which leads to a significant reduction in computational cost.In the proposed phase II project, focus will be placed on further development and demonstration of the tool for realistic liquid fuel injectors used for both a dual fuel gas turbine and an I.C engine. Simulations of both systems will be performed in realistic geometries and operating conditions and validated against available experimental data. Finally, we will perform an ensemble of simulations for the Bosch injector (CRIN3) and map a parametric design space to guide injector optimization and quantify performance improvements.