This study explores the flame characteristics of gasoline
and a
water-in-gasoline mixture and provides some optimization suggestions
for the control strategy of water-in-gasoline mixture injection in
the internal combustion Rankine cycle engines. The influences of co-flow
temperature, injection pressure condition, and water content on the
flame characteristics were investigated under a controllable high-temperature
thermal atmosphere, including flame pattern, liftoff height, brightness,
and local peak temperature distribution. Results obtained show that
the water content has the most significant effect on the flame characteristics.
The flame pattern gradually changes from slender to lumpy as the water
content rises, while the high-temperature zone increases and becomes
uniform. There is an appropriate water content range of 10–20%
in which the flame characteristics are generally better. Furthermore,
as the water content increases from 20 to 30%, the flame characteristics
deteriorate, with a sharp decrease in the maximum flame temperature
and brightness.