Apparatus and method for testing a fuel injector nozzle

A method for testing a fuel injector nozzle, the method comprising:

• placing a fuel injector nozzle having a tip with at least one fuel outlet into a test chamber;
• spraying atomized fluid into the test chamber from the at least one fuel outlet of the fuel injector nozzle;
• detecting the atomized fluid spray at a plurality of positions corresponding to positions of a surface of a sphere having a radius R and a center point C arranged at a center point ct of the tip of the fuel injector nozzle or at a center point cf of an orifice of the at least one fuel outlet;
• measuring a force of a plume of atomized fuel from a first outlet of the fuel injector nozzle at a plurality of first equidistant positions corresponding to the surface of the sphere at the radius R according to a first distribution map that corresponds to a portion of the surface of the sphere at the radius R;
• determining a sensed center of the plume;
• comparing the sensed center of the plume to an expected center of the plume;
• determining a difference between the sensed center of the plume and the expected center of the plume and, if a difference is determined between the sensed center of the plume and the expected center of the plume that is greater than a predetermined threshold value;
• and
• adjusting an orientation of the first distribution map with respect to the fuel injector nozzle such that the difference between the sensed center of the plume and the expected center of the plume is less than the predetermined threshold value.

A method for testing a fuel injector nozzle, the method comprising:

• placing a fuel injector nozzle having a tip with at least one fuel outlet into a test chamber;
• spraying atomized fluid into the test chamber from the at least one fuel outlet of the fuel injector nozzle, the atomized fluid sprayed into the test chamber at a first pressure;
• detecting the atomized fluid spray at a plurality of positions corresponding to positions of a surface of a sphere having a radius R and a center point C arranged at a center point ct of the tip of the fuel injector nozzle or at a center point cf of an orifice of the at least one fuel outlet,
• adjusting the pressure of the fluid supplied to the fuel injector nozzle to a second pressure that is different from the first pressure;
• and
• detecting the atomized fluid spray that is sprayed into the test chamber at the second pressure at a plurality of positions corresponding to positions on the surface of the sphere.