An experimental study has been performed for identifying the role of injector nozzle hole convergence and cavitation in diesel engine combustion and pollutant emissions. For doing so, five nozzles were tested under different operating and experimental conditions. The critical cavitation number of each nozzle was analyzed. With this value, an estimation of the mixing process at different conditions obtained. This data is used to explain the combustion results which are analyzed in terms of the apparent combustion time, rate of heat release, in-cylinder pressures, adiabatic temperatures and soot and NO, emissions. Special emphasis is put in developing an expression to explicitly link the mixing process and the injection rate with the rate of heat release. The results show that the fuel-air mixing process can be improved by the use of both convergent and cavitating nozzles, thus lowering the soot emissions. The NO, production, being dependent of the injection rate and the mixing process, does not necessarily increase with the use of more convergent nozzles. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.