Droplet temperature measurement based on 2-color laser-induced exciplex fluorescence

Measurements of liquid phase temperature distributions in liquid–vapor co-existing conditions (such as in evaporating sprays) are important to understand the physics of droplet evaporation. The techniques based on laser-induced fluorescence are not suitable for evaporating case since both liquid and vapor phases emit fluorescence with the same wavelength. In this study, the fluorescence from liquid and vapor phases was separated by use of laser-induced exciplex fluorescence (LIEF) technique. Two fluorescence bands from the liquid phase fluorescence spectra were detected simultaneously, and their intensity ratio was correlated to the liquid phase temperature. For the LIEF imaging system, FB-DEMA-n-hexane was selected as it was a typical LIEF system for the vapor concentration diagnostic, and thus easily to be extended to a simultaneous diagnostic on the vapor concentration and the droplet temperature. The fluorescence spectra were obtained in the temperature range from 303 to 423 K. The effects of liquid temperature, liquid pressure, dopant concentration and laser energy on the temperature measurement were investigated. The results show a good linear relationship between the fluorescence ratio and the temperature function. Increasing the dopant concentration can raise the signal-to-noise ratio but deteriorate temperature sensitivity. The optimal range of the dopant concentration was found between 0.1 % and 0.5 %. After calibration, the technique was applied to a monosized droplet stream, and the measurement results demonstrated excellent measurement accuracy with error below 1 % in the range of 303–423 K.