Abstract
This paper demonstrates the potential for fast absorption spectroscopy measurements in diesel-engine exhaust to track H2O concentration transients. Wavelength-agile absorption spectroscopy is an optical technique that measures broadband absorption spectra between 10kHz and 100 MHz. From these measured spectra, gas temperature and absorber concentration can be determined. The Fourier-domain mode-locking (FDML) laser is becoming recognized as one of the most robust and reliable wavelength-agile sources available. H2O concentration measurements during combustion events at crank angle resolved speeds are beneficial for a wide variety of applications, such as product improvements for industry, control and reliability checks for experimental researchers, and measures of fit for numerical simulations.
The difficulties associated with measuring diesel exhaust compared to in-cylinder measurements are discussed. A full description of the experimental configuration and data processing is explained. Measurements of engine exhaust H2O transients with 10-�s temporal resolution are presented for a range of engine conditions.
