315results about "Engine ignition" patented technology

Sequenced pulses of light from an excitation laser with at least two resonator cavities with separate output couplers are directed through a light modulator and a first polarzing analyzer. A portion of the light not rejected by the first polarizing analyzer is transported through a first optical fiber into a first ignitor laser rod in an ignitor laser. Another portion of the light is rejected by the first polarizing analyzer and directed through a halfwave plate into a second polarization analyzer. A first portion of the output of the second polarization analyzer passes through the second polarization analyzer to a second, oscillator, laser rod in the ignitor laser. A second portion of the output of the second polarization analyzer is redirected by the second polarization analyzer to a second optical fiber which delays the beam before the beam is combined with output of the first ignitor laser rod. Output of the second laser rod in the ignitor laser is directed into the first ignitor laser rod which was energized by light passing through the first polarizing analyzer. Combined output of the first ignitor laser rod and output of the second optical fiber is focused into a combustible fuel where the first short duration, high peak power pulse from the ignitor laser ignites the fuel and the second long duration, low peak power pulse directly from the excitation laser sustains the combustion.

A spark delivery system for generating a spark using a laser beam is provided, and includes a laser light source and a laser delivery assembly. The laser delivery assembly includes a hollow fiber and a launch assembly comprising launch focusing optics to input the laser beam in the hollow fiber. The laser delivery assembly further includes exit focusing optics that demagnify an exit beam of laser light from the hollow fiber, thereby increasing the intensity of the laser beam and creating a spark. Other embodiments use a fiber laser to generate a spark. Embodiments of the present invention may be used to create a spark in an engine. Yet other embodiments include collecting light from the spark or a flame resulting from the spark and conveying the light for diagnostics. Methods of using the spark delivery systems and diagnostic systems are provided.

In the apparatus of the invention, a first excitation laser or other excitation light source is used in tandem with an ignitor laser to provide a compact, durable, engine deployable fuel ignition laser system. Reliable fuel ignition is provided over a wide range of fuel conditions by using a single remote excitation light source for one or more small lasers located proximate to one or more fuel combustion zones.In the embodiment of the invention claimed herein, the beam from the excitation light source is split with a portion of it going to the ignitor laser and a second portion of it being combined with either the first portion after a delay before injection into the ignitor laser.

An internal combustion engine is provided that basically comprises a combustion chamber, an electric discharge unit and a controller. The combustion chamber receives a mixture of fuel and air that is caused to undergo compression self ignition. The electric discharge unit is provided inside the combustion chamber to generate an electric discharge for conducting combustion inside the combustion chamber. The controller is configured to control a voltage applied to the electric discharge unit. The controller is configured to control the electric discharge unit such that a non-thermal plasma can be formed without incurring a transition to arc discharging, and to control the quantity and distribution of an activated air-fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber in accordance with an operating condition of the internal combustion engine.

A device and method for conditioning and / or volumetric heating fuel within an intermittent combustion engine in order to enhance fuel combustion and emission performance is provided. Such a device can include a fuel injector configured to eject a fuel spray having a trajectory within a combustion chamber, an energy source capable of emitting electromagnetic energy, and an optical fiber configured to transmit electromagnetic energy emitted from the energy source into the combustion chamber, and is also configured to cause fuel conditioning.

The invention relates to an annular discharge based transient state plasma igniter. An insulation sleeve is located in an insulation protection sleeve, and one end of the insulation sleeve is located in a cathode. An anode conduction rod is located in the insulation sleeve, and one end of the anode conduction rod is arranged in a center hole of the cathode. One end of the insulation protection sleeve is arranged in a fixing base. The anode is located in the cathode. The transient state plasma igniter is provided with a mixed gas channel. According to the invention, high-energy nanosecond pulse is used to discharge electricity to form a local high temperature area, and a large quantity of active particles are activated to ignite combustible mixed gas in an extremely short period of time. The ignition area is large, and the mixed gas can be ignited by multiple points; the ignition time is extremely short, and the ignition delay time is shorter; the ignition energy can be well coupled with the gas mixture, macromolecule hydrocarbon fuel in the ignition area is ionized as active particles with low activation energy, so that the chemical reaction of the mixed gas is faster, the reaction time is shorter, and the ignition success rate is high.

Provided is an aero-engine air rotational flow plasma igniter. An insulating sleeve and a supporting sleeve are installed inside a shell, the insulating sleeve is arranged on one side of a separating plate inside the shell, the supporting sleeve is arranged inside the shell, and an air chamber is formed between the outer surface of the supporting sleeve and the inner surface of the shell. An anode sleeve is sleeved at one end, provided with the supporting sleeve, of the shell. A swirler is arranged inside the anode sleeve, and the end surface of the swirler makes contact with the end surface of the supporting sleeve. A cathode installation base is arranged inside the insulating sleeve, and the end surface of the cathode installation base makes contact with a cathode binding post in a coaxial cable. The external thread end of a cathode is fixed inside the cathode installation base and sequentially penetrates through the supporting sleeve and the swirler from top to bottom, and the arc end of the cathode extends out of the lower end surface of the swirler. The aero-engine air rotational flow plasma igniter does not change the structure and the position of an electric spark igniter originally installed in an engine combustor, penetrates through the outer duct of an engine, is installed on the outer wall of the combustor vertically, improves reliability of products, and has the advantages of being small in size, light in weight, simple in structure, and convenient to use and maintain.

This invention relates to a corona discharge ignitor used to ignite air / fuel mixtures in automotive applications and the like. To suppress an arc from forming when a voltage is applied to the ignitor, the corona discharge ignitor has various shapes and configurations, such as angular depressions or grooves, at the tip of the insulator. The shape and configuration of the tip provides a smaller radius which creates a more intensified electric field and provides better combustion.

A corona igniter 20 includes an electrode gap 28 between the central electrode 22 and the insulator 32 and a shell gap 30 between the insulator 32 and the shell 36. The gaps 28, 30 are filled with a filler material 40 to prevent corona discharge 24 in the gaps 28, 30 and to concentrate the energy at a firing tip 58 of the central electrode 22. The filler material 40 may be electrically insulating or conductive. The shell gap width ws may be greatest at a shell lower end 92. The shell gap 30 may also be in a turnover region between a shell upper end 44 and the insulator 32, in which case the filler material 40 is injection molded around the turnover region. During operation of the igniter 20, the filler material 40 provides a reduced voltage drop across the gap 28, 30.

A laser based ignition system for stationary natural gas engines, a distributor system for use with high-powered lasers, and a method of determining a successful ignition event in a laser-based ignition system are provided. The laser based ignition (LBI) system for stationary natural gas engines includes a high power pulsed laser providing a pulsed emission output coupled to a plurality of laser plugs. A respective one of the plurality of laser plugs is provided in an engine cylinder. The laser plug focuses the coherent emission from the pulsed laser to a tiny volume or focal spot and a high electric field gradient at the focal spot leads to photoionization of the combustible mixture resulting in ignition.

Disclosed is an elongating arc plasma jet ignition device. A swirler is fixed to the bottom of an inner cavity of a shell; a positive pole is located in the shell and fixedly connected with the swirler; the lower end of an insulation sleeve is installed in a central hole of the swirler, and an air chamber is formed in the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the middle of the insulation sleeve and the inner surface of the shell. A negative pole is embedded on a negative pole installation base, and the arc end of the negative pole extends out of the lower end of the insulation sleeve to be located in the positive pole. An arcing distance 2-8 mm long is kept between the arc end of the negative pole and a nozzle of the positive pole; an air inlet pipe is located at the upper end of the shell and communicated with the space of the air chamber formed between the insulation sleeve and the shell. The taper angle beta of the arc end of the negative pole is 40 degrees. The taper angle alpha of a contraction section of the positive pole is 60-90 degrees. Eight swirling holes with the spiral angle of 45 degrees are evenly distributed in an end surface of the swirler, and work media passing through the swirler generate swirling flow. The elongating arc plasma jet ignition device has the advantages of being high in flame spreading speed, high in penetrating power and rich in active air plasma.

A process is provided for enhancing homogeneous combustion and improving ignition in rotary and reciprocating piston IC engines. Physical embodiments supporting this process have secondary chambers embedded in the cylinder periphery to initiate radical ignition (“RI”) species generation in an earlier cycle for use in the main chamber combustion of a later cycle. These communicate with the main chamber via small conduits. Coordinated with the progressions facilitated by these secondary chambers are novel control measures for regulating the quantities of RI species ultimately generated for and conveyed to the later cycle. The pre-determinable presence of RI species so supplied then alters or adds controlled variety to the dominant chain-initiation reactions of the main combustion ignition mechanism of the later cycle. This presence does so by lowering both the heat and the fuel ratios required for starting and sustaining combustion. While this presence dominates in RI mode embodiments, this presence can also assist ignition and combustion in embodiments that are instead dominated by the spark ignition (“SI”) and compression ignition (“CI”) modes. The process results in improved combustion with increased efficiencies, decreased emissions and a wider range of fuel tolerances.

An igniter (20) of a corona ignition system emits a non-thermal plasma in the form of a corona (30) to ionize and ignite a fuel mixture. The igniter (20) includes an electrode (32) and a ceramic insulator (22) surrounding the electrode (32). The insulator (22) surrounds a firing end (38) of the electrode (32) and blocks the electrode (32) from exposure to the combustion chamber (28). The insulator (22) presents a firing surface (56) exposed to the combustion chamber (28) and emitting the non-thermal plasma. A plurality of electrically conducting elements (24) are disposed in a matrix (26) of the ceramic material and along the firing surface (56) of the insulator (22), such as metal particles embedded in the ceramic material or holes in the ceramic material. The electrically conducting elements (24) reduce arc discharge during operation of the igniter (20) and thus improve the quality of ignition.

A laser based ignition system for stationary natural gas engines, a distributor system for use with high-powered lasers, and a method of determining a successful ignition event in a laser-based ignition system are provided. The laser based ignition (LBI) system for stationary natural gas engines includes a high power pulsed laser providing a pulsed emission output coupled to a plurality of laser plugs. A respective one of the plurality of laser plugs is provided in an engine cylinder. The laser plug focuses the coherent emission from the pulsed laser to a tiny volume or focal spot and a high electric field gradient at the focal spot leads to photoionization of the combustible mixture resulting in ignition.

In a laser ignition apparatus, a focusing optical element is configured to focus a pulsed laser light to a predetermined focal point in a combustion chamber of an engine. An optical window member is arranged on the combustion chamber side of the focusing optical element so as to separate the focusing optical element from the combustion chamber. A catoptric-light focal point, at which a catoptric light is to be focused, is positioned on the anti-combustion chamber side of a combustion chamber-side end surface of the optical window member. The catoptric light results from the reflection of the pulsed laser light by a pseudo mirror that is formed by the optical window member when the combustion chamber-side end surface thereof is fouled with contaminants. Further, the catoptric-light focal point falls in a region where no solid material forming either the focusing optical element or the optical window member exists.

The invention provides a microwave plasma ignition combustion system of an internal combustion engine. The microwave plasma ignition combustion system comprises a microwave ignition device and a combustion chamber, wherein the microwave ignition device feeds microwave pulse with preset frequency into the combustion chamber; the microwave pulse is used for puncturing and igniting combustible mixed gas in the combustion chamber. The microwave plasma ignition combustion system provided by the invention has the advantages that since the microwave pulse with preset frequency is fed into the combustion chamber, the resonance effect is realized in the combustion chamber, and a strong-current magnetic field is generated, so that the combustible mixed gas in the combustion chamber is punctured and ignited, further the lean burn limit of the engine is expanded, the lean burn capability of the engine is improved and stable lean burning is realized.

A corona igniter 20 includes a central electrode 34 for receiving a high radio frequency voltage from a power source and emitting a radio frequency electric field to ionize a fuel-air mixture and provide a corona discharge 22. The corona igniter 20 includes an insulator 38 extending along the central electrode 34 longitudinally past the central electrode 34 to an insulator firing end 40. The insulator tiring surface 42 and the center axis A present an angle α of not greater than 90 degrees therebetween, for example the insulator firing surface may be concave. The central electrode 34 may also include a firing tip 50, in which case the insulator firing surface 42 surrounds all sides of the firing tip 50. The geometry of the insulator firing surface 42 concentrates and directs the corona discharge 22.

A spark delivery system for generating a spark using a laser beam is provided, and includes a laser light source and a laser delivery assembly. The laser delivery assembly includes a hollow fiber and a launch assembly comprising launch focusing optics to input the laser beam in the hollow fiber. The laser delivery assembly further includes exit focusing optics that demagnify an exit beam of laser light from the hollow fiber, thereby increasing the intensity of the laser beam and creating a spark. Other embodiments use a fiber laser to generate a spark. Embodiments of the present invention may be used to create a spark in an engine. Yet other embodiments include collecting light from the spark or a flame resulting from the spark and conveying the light for diagnostics. Methods of using the spark delivery systems and diagnostic systems are provided.

Internal combustion engine with at least one cylinder, in which the combustion of a homogeneous air / fuel mixture compressed in the cylinder by a piston is initiated by a time-controlled external ignition, the air / fuel ratio of the air / fuel mixture in the combustion chamber (25) being greater than 1.9 and, for the time-controlled external ignition, at least one laser light source (10), at least one optical transmission apparatus (11) and at least one coupling optic (12) for the focussing of laser light into a combustion chamber (25) being provided.

In the apparatus of the invention, a first excitation laser or other excitation light source is used in tandem with an ignitor laser to provide a compact, durable, engine deployable fuel ignition laser system. Reliable fuel ignition is provided over a wide range of fuel conditions by using a single remote excitation light source for one or more small lasers located proximate to one or more fuel combustion zones.In two embodiments the beam from the excitation light source is split with a portion of it going to the ignitor laser and a second portion of it being combined with either the first portion after a delay before injection into the ignitor laser or combined with the output of the ignitor laser. In another embodiment alternating short and long pulses of light from the excitation light source are directed into the ignitor laser. In a fourth embodiment the excitation light source is a laser with more than one resonating cavity; beams from one resonating cavity are directed into an ignitor laser and beams from the other resonating cavity are directed into a beam combiner where they are combined with the output of the ignitor laser. In a fifth embodiment an excitation light source capable of producing alternating beams of light having different wavelengths is used to pump the ignitor laser.

Methods and systems are provided for enabling engine diagnostics, including visual inspections of an engine cylinder, using existing hardware from a laser ignition system. Light pulses from a laser ignition device are received at a photodetector during non-combusting conditions and used to generate images of an inside of the cylinder that can be assessed by a service technician. An electric motor of the vehicle system can be used during a service mode of the vehicle to rotate the engine to, and hold the engine at, specified engine positions that enable the technician to perform selected diagnostic tests.

A resonator assembly is described having a longitudinal axis and generator section, an inductance section, a capacitance section, and an ignition section arranged in sections in a common housing along the longitudinal axis. The housing surrounds all the above-mentioned sections and has an opening in the region of the ignition section, and the housing is made of an electrically conductive material or has at least one conductive surface. An electrical series circuit comprising an inductance section and capacitance section constitutes electrically an oscillatable dipole to which the housing acts as a return conductor.

There is provided a semiconductor laser pumped solid-state laser device for engine ignition that can stably provide optical energy required for ignition across a wide temperature range. In the semiconductor laser pumped solid-state laser device for engine ignition, a plurality of semiconductor lasers 21, 22, 23, and 24 are used that have locking ranges, a temperature width thereof divided into a plurality of temperature ranges corresponding to a variation width of an ambient temperature, and that have the respective wavelengths falling within an absorption wavelength band of a solid-state laser medium 5 of the solid-state laser device in the temperature width of each locking range, to pump the solid-state laser medium 5 by multiplexing emitted lights from the plurality of semiconductor lasers 21, 22, 23, and 24 using a multiplexing mechanism to irradiate the solid-state laser medium 5.

A device and method for conditioning and / or volumetric heating fuel within an intermittent combustion engine in order to enhance fuel combustion and emission performance is provided. Such a device can include a fuel injector configured to eject a fuel spray having a trajectory within a combustion chamber, an energy source capable of emitting electromagnetic energy, and an optical fiber configured to transmit electromagnetic energy emitted from the energy source into the combustion chamber, and is also configured to cause fuel conditioning.

An ignition laser, includes a laser-active solid-state body, a housing and a combustion chamber window, the housing having an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve. An insert is provided between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve, the insert and the combustion chamber window being joined sealingly and integrally.

A method and apparatus is provided for initiating and stabilizing fuel combustion in applications such as gas turbine electrical power generating engines and jet turbine engines where it is desired to burn lean fuel / air mixtures which produce lower amounts of NOx. A laser induced spark is propagated at a distance from the fuel nozzle with the laser ignitor being remotely located from the high temperature environment of the combustion chamber. A laser initiating spark generated by focusing high peak power laser light to a sufficiently tight laser spot within the fuel to cause the ionization of air and fuel into a plasma is unobtrusive to the flow dynamics of the combustion chamber of a fuel injector, thereby facilitating whatever advantage can be taken of flow dynamics in the design of the fuel injector.

A corona igniter assembly 20 comprises an ignition coil assembly 22, a firing end assembly 24, and a metal tube 26 connecting the ignition coil assembly 22 to the firing end assembly 24. A rubber boot 28 is disposed in the metal tube 26 and compressed symmetrically between a coil output member 30 of the ignition coil assembly 22 and an insulator 42 of the firing end assembly 24. Thus, the rubber boot 28 fills any air gaps and provides a hermetic seal between the ignition coil assembly 22 and the firing end assembly 24 to prevent unwanted corona discharge from forming from those air gaps.

A method is disclosed for producing a corona discharge for igniting an air / fuel mixture in an internal combustion engine. An igniter is provided having a discharge tip that protrudes into a combustion zone. During a first stage of a combustion process, a first primary winding of a RF transformer is driven at a first predetermined voltage level and at a first resonant frequency that is based on a first impedance in the combustion zone prior to onset of combustion, for generating a corona discharge at the tip of the igniter. During a second stage subsequent to the first stage, a second primary winding of the RF transformer is driven at a second predetermined voltage level and at a second resonant frequency that is based on a second impedance in the combustion zone at a time that is subsequent to onset of the combustion process.

The invention discloses a self-designed-and-constructed power supply device for performing plasma ignition with high-energy nanosecond pulse superposed high voltage direct current, which comprises a DC high voltage power supply, a nanosecond pulse power supply and a nanosecond pulse integrated DC circuit. High voltage DC output and nanosecond pulse output are superposed via nanosecond pulse integrated DC circuit to obtain a nanosecond pulse superimposed DC power supply, applied to the load. The self-designed-and-constructed nanosecond pulse superposed direct current power supply device for performing plasma ignition is small in size, compact in structure and low in cost. The high voltage DC power supply and the nanosecond pulse power supply are integrated, which has the advantages of high discharge energy and device miniaturization and facilitates the usage. In the practical application, the power supply device can be used for internal combustion engine ignition and supersonic-speed airspace engine ignition.

The invention discloses a variable-focus engine laser ignition device, wherein the specific structure is that an optical fiber is fixed to a cylinder cover through a laser igniter shell; a primary lens fixing seat and a secondary lens fixing seat are arranged in the laser igniter shell; and a primary lens and a secondary lens are horizontally embedded in the lens fixing seats respectively. The lower end of the secondary lens fixing seat is provided with a protection mirror; a laser beam is emitted into a cylinder through the optical fiber, the primary lens, the secondary lens and the protection mirror and converged on a focus point. Drive mechanisms of three manners are arranged above or below the primary lens fixing seat so that the primary lens generates displacement. According to the invention, the relative position of the laser focus in the cylinder can be adjusted according to the requirements of different work conditions. The laser igniter has a small volume about 1 / 10 that of a spark plug, and one end of the laser igniter connected into an air cylinder only consists of an optical fiber and a lens. Compared with the spark plug, the laser igniter has the characteristics of small energy consumption and high reliability. The laser igniter is in a non-contact ignition manner, thereby avoiding the problem of carbon deposition close to the spark plug electrode.