Fuzzy logic approach to GDI spray characterization

Advanced numerical techniques, such as fuzzy logic and neural networks have been applied in this work to digital images acquired on a mono-component fuel spray (iso-octane), in order to define, in a stochastic way, the gas-liquid interface evolution. The image is a numerical matrix and so it is possible to characterize geometrical parameters and the time evolution of the jet by using deterministic, statistical stochastic and other several kinds of approach. The algorithm used works with the fuzzy logic concept to binarize the shades gray of the pixel, depending them, by using the schlieren technique, on the gas density. Starting from a primary fixed threshold, the applied technique, can select the ' gas' pixel from the 'liquid' pixel and so it is possible define the first most probably boundary lines of the spray. Acquiring continuously the images, fixing a frame and a sample rate, a most fine thresho ld can be select and, at the limit, the most probably geometrical parameters of the jet can be detected.