In-cylinder temperature field measurement with laser shearing interferometry for spark ignition engines

The temperature field in combustion chamber of spark ignition engine is measured using laser shearing interferometry and high-speed photography in this paper. A set of experimental facility is set up. The relationship equation between the interference fringe image and temperature distribution is deduced. Changing the shearing interferometry quantity, the two-dimensional temperature field of engine combustion chamber and flame propagation can be measured quantitatively by image processing. The test results indicate that the shearing interferometric method has a strong vibration resistance, and a simple and reliable optical path. The temperature distribution and the temperature gradient are different in different zones. The temperature is highest in the burning zone and the temperature gradient is large. The temperature is lower in the burned zone and the temperature gradient is smaller. The temperature is lowest in the unburned zone but the temperature gradient is large. At the initial period of combustion, the flame propagation velocity is low. In the combustion process, the flame front in the approximate spherical shape pushes toward the unburned zone, and the flame propagation velocity starts to decrease. It rapidly increases until it reaches the maximum value as the combustion process going on, and then it gradually decreases until it has burned in the entire combustion chamber.