9/20/2014 1

Submitted To,
SARDAR VALLABHBHAI NATIONAL INSTIYUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY, SURAT(INDIA)

Prepared By,
Beladiya Bharatkumar B
P12TD020
Guided by,
Mr. V. P. Rathod
Asst. Professor,
M.E.D, SVNIT, Surat
9/20/2014 2
Introduction

Ignition system of any SI engine is responsible to initiate the
combustion of air-fuel mixture inside the combustion chamber


For ensuring good performance and efficiency of the engine as
well as lower emissions, spark is triggered at precisely right instant
in every cycle


Over the years, spark ignition systems have changed significantly
The conventional ignition system contains a battery, a switch, an
ignition coil, a distributor, a triggering device (contact breaker), and
a spark plug
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Ignition System

Ignition systems can be classified based on the methods of

Ignition energy storage
Distributing the voltage
Triggering the ignition timing


The development of electronic controls to trigger ignition and use of
distributor-less ignition system has made the ignition system more
effective and reliable


However ignition systems pose a limitation in the development of future,
efficient SI engines.
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Limitations of Spark Ignition System

Spark Plug Erosion
High Pressure Operation
Spark Location
Heat Losses at the Spark Electrodes

Spark plug erosion is caused by the interaction of electrical discharge
plasma with the electrode surface

There are various mechanisms by which electrodes material can erode
Particle injection,
Vaporization of electrode material, and
Sputtering

The reasons for spark plug erosion can be summarized as :
Removal of material is due to disintegration of the surface material
Spark discharge
Chemical attacks such as oxidation or corrosion
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Alternative Ignition System

Alternative ignition systems have potential to improve the delivery of
ignition energy

However higher spark energies are also associated with the erosion of spark
Electrodes

Electrodes act as a thermal energy sink

A durable, high-energy, electrode-less ignition system with controlled
energy deposition in the plasma, having flexibility to change the ignition
location is a desirable option for overcoming these limitations in lean mixture
fuelled reciprocating IC engines

Laser ignition system, which meets most of these requirements, offers
potential advantages for igniting lean mixtures.
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How does a Laser work?
Lasers are monochromatic, meaning they are very orderly forms of light that have only
one wavelength and one direction.

It all starts with the electrons. By sending energy to a system we can achieve what is
known as population inversion. This means that there are more electrons in the excited
states than those in the lower energy states. As one electron releases energy (a photon),
the other electrons strangely seem to communicate with each other and also begin
releasing photons. This chain reaction of releasing photons is called stimulated
emission. The problem now is that these photons are released in random directions. In
order to make sure this energy is all forced in the same direction, mirrors are
strategically laced within a laser to direct the photons. The photons are directed by
bouncing back and forth between the mirrors, hitting each other and causing more
stimulated emission.

So, by having:
- Population Inversion
- Stimulated Emission
- Strategic Planting of Mirrors

We get:
- Monochromatic , Directional, and Coherent light.
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Types of Lasers
Gas-A Helium-Neon (HeNe) used mostly for holograms such as
laser printing.
Chemical-Lasers that obtain their energy through chemical
reactions. Used mostly for weaponry.
Dye-Uses organic dye as the lasting medium, usually in the form of
a liquid solution. Used in medicine, astronomy, manufacturing, and
more.
Solid-state-Uses a gain medium that is a solid (rather than a liquid
medium as in dye or gas lasers). Used for weaponry
Semiconductor-Also known as laser diodes, a semiconductor laser
is one where the active medium is a semiconductor similar to that
found in a light-emitting diode.
Applications include telecommunication and medicine
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Principle of Laser Ignition
focused laser beam
plasma
I>I
threshold
flame kernel
E>E
ignition
mixture burning
Convex Lens
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How Laser Ignition Works
The laser ignition system has a laser transmitter with a fiber-optic cable powered
by the cars battery. It shoots the laser beam to a focusing lens that would
consume a much smaller space than current spark plugs. The lenses focus the
beams into an intense pinpoint of light, and when the fuel is injected into the
engine, the laser is fired and produces enough energy (heat) to ignite the fuel.
Below is a diagram of the laser arrangement:
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Increase of spark plug voltage
versus rising break mean
effective pressure BMEP
Increase of spark plug voltage versus
rising break mean effective pressure
BMEP
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330
240
70
250
190
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
NO
X
[mg/Nm]
direct direct
direct Pre Chamber
Pre Chamber Laser
Spark Ignition
Diesel Pilot Ignition
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6 ns
7 ns
8 ns
9 ns
10 ns
11 ns
12 ns
13 ns
14 ns
15 ns
16 ns
18 ns
20 ns
22 ns
25 ns
30 ns
35 ns
40 ns
45 ns
50 ns
60 ns
70 ns
80 ns
Various stages of plasma growth
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2 4 6 8
0
2
4
6
8
M
P
E

(
m
J
)
A/F
rel
( )
p
init
= 5 bar
p
init
= 10 bar
p
init
= 20 bar
Laser energy, required to ignite mixture, decreases with increasing pressure of chamber
Minimum Laser Pulse Energy
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0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
5
5.5
6
6.5
7
7.5
8
8.5
9
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Time (ms)
E
x
c
e
s
s

P
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

(
M
P
a
)
= 2.5, laser
= 3.0, laser
= 3.5, spark plug
= 3.5, laser
= 3.0, spark plug
= 2.5, spark plug
Pressure History in Combustion Chamber
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ignition reliability of laser ignition
A/F
rel
( )
1,40 1,50 1,60 1,70 1,80 1,90 2,00 2,10 2,20 2,30
p
i
n
i
t

(
b
a
r
)
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
0,00
0,25
0,50
0,75
1,00
ignition reliability of spark plug ignition
A/F
rel
( )
1,40 1,50 1,60 1,70 1,80 1,90 2,00 2,10 2,20 2,30
p
i
n
i
t

(
b
a
r
)
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
0,00
0,25
0,50
0,75
1,00
For 100% ignition reliability at 30 bar
A/F
rel
= 2.05 (laser ignition)
A/F
rel
= 1.74 (spark ignition)
Direct comparison
laser ignition spark plug ignition
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Graphical comparison of laser and spark ignition with
respect to fuel consumption, smoothness of running and
emissions from test results
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Knock and misfire limits
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Flame propagation in combustion
chamber
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Multiple Ignition Approach
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Advantages of Laser Ignition
A choice of arbitrary positioning of the ignition plasma in the
combustion cylinder.
Absence of quenching effects by the spark plug electrodes.
Ignition of leaner mixtures than with the spark plug
lower combustion temperatures => less NOx emissions.
No erosion effects as in the case of the spark plugs
lifetime of a laser ignition system expected to be significantly longer
than that of a spark plug.
High load/ignition pressures possible => increase in efficiency.
Precise ignition timing possible.
Exact regulation of the ignition energy deposited in the ignition
plasma.
Easier possibility of multipoint ignition.
Shorter ignition delay time and shorter combustion time.
Fuel-lean ignition possible.
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Propagation of laser pulse through fiber optics

Develope of a compact, robust and economic laser
source

Durability of windows
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Plasma propagates towards the incoming laser beam

Plasma had the maximum emission peak 30 ns after the laser was fired
and laser plasma UV-emission persisted for about 80 ns

Minimum laser pulse energy (MPE) for ignition is decreases with
increasing initial pressure

The time of pressure rise in case of laser ignition is shorter than the
spark ignition
Conclusions
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THANK YOU