Corona Ignition ACIS
Corona Ignition ACIS
Corona Ignition ACIS
Abstract
Federal-Moguls Advanced Corona Ignition System (ACIS) is present-
ly under development internally, at customers, and fundamental experi-
ments at IAV. The purpose of these activities is to determine the efcacy of
the technology, characteristics of performance, and the ultimate industrial
feasibility of the technology.
Pressure vessel testing has shown consistency with earlier works regard-
ing corona formation/pressure relationships, while also providing evidence
of preferential formation with tip sharpness. Rapid compression machine
(RCM) work has shown potential correlation with simulation work demon-
strating radical formation patterns yet still has demonstrable benet for
reduction in ignition delay in a variety of fuel-air mixtures at various ignition
timings.
1. Introduction
The concept of utilizing corona for the purpose of igniting fuel-air mixtures
has been around for many decades. For example, patents have been
granted for such concepts in the early 1960s in the U.S. Although interest-
ing, corona ignition lacked the existence of essential market drivers and
complementary technologies to make industrialization neither technically
nor economically feasible.
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In the decades since, numerous researchers in various organizational en-
tities have continued to pursue corona ignition based on the assumptions
that (1) a large, volumetric ignition source will be superior to a single point
ignition source, and (2) initiation in a spatial model will not suffer from
initial heat losses due to proximity effects related to the ignition source,
and therefore have less ignition delay. The phenomena of corona incep-
tion and its use as an ignition source are well documented and will not
be re-examined here. However, researchers have expanded the body of
work to include the mechanics of ame formation, as well as the formation
of radicals relative to streamer length and hypotheses from said work.
The combination of this body of work, emissions regulations, and the im-
plementation of technologies such as direct injection, electronic engine
control, and exhaust gas recirculation have made an environment where
the proper execution of corona ignition can be both technically and com-
mercially feasible.
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The objective of this paper is not intended to be an exhaustive review
of all types of testing and strategies encountered. Many of these details
are considered condential. However, details regarding the following are
discussed:
3. Part load performance enhancement through lean and dilute limit ex-
tensions
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Figure 1: Density and voltage effects on corona formation
Even allowing for some igniter inefciencies, the results tend to suggest
a narrowing of the stable range between CIV, arc onset, and CEV across
the range of relevant densities. Furthermore, it tends to suggest the need
for a strategy to maximize corona effectiveness at elevated densities and
voltage input levels.
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Figure 2: Experimental setup for Schlieren experiments at the pressure
vessel
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Figure 3: Density and voltage effects on corona formation (root mean
square images calculated from 100 single images)
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caused by the corona discharge. Nevertheless, it is conceivable that the
corona-induced turbulence can contribute to the initial ame development
at least for quiescent mixtures, as prevailing in the RCM investigations
described in subchapter 2.2. In a real engine application, it is assumed
that the gas dynamic structure produced by corona discharge is insigni-
cant when compared to the level of charge motion and turbulence inside
the engine.
In a rst step, the measurements have been conducted with a fully ho-
mogenized methane-air mixture, to examine the basic mechanisms of the
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ame initialization. Additionally, charge motion has been deactivated to
minimize the side effects of turbulence. Figure 5 shows the examined op-
erating points (chamber conditions at ignition timing). For each point, a
variation of the air-fuel ratio for representation of stoichiometric, lean, and
rich combustion has been performed. In a next step, there are planned
experiments with direct gasoline injection during the compression stroke,
for an evaluation of the benets of corona ignition under stratied mixture
conditions.
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1.6
OH* chemiluminescence
1.4 natural luminocity
1.2 rate of heat release
normalized intensity in -
1.0
flame intensity
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
TDC
-0.2
-10 -5 0 5 10 15
time in ms
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the corona streamers do not start simultaneously on all electrodes. This
is probably caused by tolerances in the electrode tip geometry (tip sharp-
ness) and thus slight differences in the generated electric eld. 0.33 ms
after ignition onset, the streamers reach their maximum protrusion, and
lead to a large-area ame initialization along their surface. In direct vicinity
of the prong tips, where the electrical eld is highest, the inammation
appears more intensive. The ame front propagation is faster than on the
streamer heads.
Reasons for this behavior can be seen in a higher radical density due to
the locally higher electric eld strength [2], and an increased heat trans-
fer by adjacent reaction zones in direct proximity. Furthermore, the faster
ame propagation could be promoted by local turbulences induced to the
mixture by the corona discharge, as observed in the pressure vessel. With
increasing combustion development, the ame front transitions more and
more from the characteristic star-shape into a spherical shape, as present
at spark plug ignition. From this point, the ame propagation is only deter-
mined by the chamber and mixture properties.
Figure 8: Ignition and ame core formation for ACIS ignition (time after
ignition timing)
Comparing the results with a standard spark plug ignition, the benet of
the higher ignition volume of the corona becomes clearly evident in a sig-
nicantly reduced ignition delay (see gure 9). In addition, the propagation
of the initial ame front of the corona ignition is with 4 to 5 ms approxi-
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mately 1.5 times higher than with spark plug ignition. In addition to the
very high radical density and the local turbulence induced by the corona
discharge, the turbulent ame character of the multiple ignition sites com-
bustion also promotes faster ame propagation.
However, the advance in ame initialization with the corona ignition can-
not be maintained for the entire combustion process. Once the single
ame fronts of ACIS ignition merge to one spherical ame front (around
6 ms after ignition timing), the combustion conditions are identical with
spark ignition. Temporal and spatial distance from corona discharge is too
high to still contribute to mixture inammation. At this point less than 5 %
of fuel mass is converted. As the main heat release proceeds under same
conditions for both ignition systems, the overall combustion duration can-
not be improved by the corona ignition. This becomes particularly obvious
when comparing the heat release for spark and ACIS ignition with aligned
combustion phasing.
220 50 1.2
IGN 1 IGN 2 + 8 ms TDC
1.0
heat release in -
180 40
pressure in bar
stroke in mm
0.8
140 30 0.6
100 20 0.4
0.2
60 10
0.0
20 0 -0.2
-20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20
stroke time in ms Spark Ignition (IGN1)
pressure ACIS, same ignition timing (IGN1)
heat release ACIS, same HR50 timing (IGN2)
Figure 9: Comparison of ame core formation for ACIS vs. spark ignition
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As mentioned above, all the other examined variants (chamber conditions
and air-fuel ratio) yield qualitatively similar results, so that an exhaustive
explanation of those is disregarded in this paper.
In the rst series of engine tests, the ACIS system is benchmarked against
a high-energy conventional ignition system (> 120 mJ). The fuel-air mix-
ture is reduced until combustion stability is considered unacceptable. As
shown in gure 10, there is little difference in combustion stability from
lambda 1 to 1.4. However, a considerable reduction in ignition delay is
measured resulting in the ability to retard ignition timing by about 5 de-
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grees. As the lambda ratio is increased beyond 1.5, the conventional
system begins to exhibit instability far in excess of the 3 % COV limit.
In contrast the ACIS ignited engine continued on to nearly lambda = 1.8
before COV exceeded the 3 % limit. The disparity in ignition delay is also
increased at these levels.
In-cylinder video from a second customer engine test of the ignition and
combustion events demonstrates the effect (see gures 11 and 12). At
time of ignition, combustion initiates at arc in the conventional system,
while multiple initiation sites are recorded along streamers. This initial
phase of combustion can explain both the reduction in ignition delay and
the extension of lean limit.
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Figure 12: Comparison of ACIS (left) vs. spark ignition (right) 23 CA
after ignition timing at 800 rpm/1.5 bar IMEP
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Spark Ignition
ACIS Ignition
Figure 14: BSFC vs. EGR rate for ACIS system on four-cylinder engine
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EGR limit, and the best fuel consumption gures were recorded at loads
of 2, 5, 8 and 10 bar. In gure 15, the baseline (or zero point) is the single
plug ignition system at its best dilute fuel economy at the indicated load.
At 5, 8 and 10 bar, ACIS performs signicantly better than a single plug
system, demonstrating between 2 and 5 % improvement, and about 1 %
over the three-plug system. The single exception is at the 2 bar point,
where the three-plug system has a slight advantage over ACIS. A possible
reason for the anomaly is related to lower turbulence at time of ignition
when compared to the higher loads, reducing the advantages of the highly
distributed radical formation. By geometry, the three-plug system has initi-
ation points spaced further apart, and could possibly have a better spatial
effect at lower turbulence levels. More study and optimization needs to be
applied here.
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sible through the ability to optimize timing much closer to the knock limit,
without compromising operating safety margins. Furthermore, a reduction
in the variation in maximum cylinder pressure can reduce stresses in the
engine associated with this variability.
Spark Ignition
ACIS Ignition
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eration with IOS helps to mitigate the effects of arcing by controlling the
corona/arc transition, and provides for increased tolerance to cycle-to-cy-
cle variation.
Conclusion
Pressure vessel and RCM testing conrms relationships well established
in previous voltage/pressure/geometrical relationships. New ndings in
the RCM demonstrate and conrm analytical work predicting radical dis-
tribution along streamer length, as well as the orderly and instantaneous
nature of inammation. RCM testing demonstrates a signicant improve-
ment in the 5 % MFB characteristics compared to spark ignition. This is
likely due to both the volume of the ignition source and turbulent nature of
the ame initiated by corona ignition previously documented. However, no
signicant change is quantied in the 10-90 % burn duration.
Engine testing and in-cylinder videos conrm the effect of the voluminous
and turbulent ame from RCM and Schlieren imaging, but show that mix-
ture turbulence has an effect on the pattern of initiation. Although this ef-
fect was not directly studied for this paper, it may be inferred that turbu-
lence at time of ignition has limited impact on combustion, as shown in
the symmetry of ignition delay reduction between RCM and engine data
across a variety of geometries, loads, and fuel types. The benet of ACIS
as an enabling technology is seen in its ability to greatly extend both lean
and dilute limits. ACIS can also work at high engine loads improving com-
bustion at knock limits, and has been shown to reduce cyclic variability
across a wide range of operating conditions.
Outlook
Beside the potential in terms of extending lean and EGR dilute limits, the
voluminous ignition characteristics of ACIS is expected to be benecial
particularly for stratied combustion robustness. In further investigations it
is planned to evaluate the effects of the corona ignition to stratied charge
inammation in detail on the rapid compression machine and on a single
cylinder engine. First tests at IAV show promising results. Also, it is intend-
ed to deeper examine the mechanism of radical induced ignition by con-
tinuing RCM investigations, for example radical supported auto ignition.
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Eike Rindeisch for supporting this paper
with the conduction of the RCM testing work during his diploma thesis
period at IAV. Further thanks to Dr. Jochen Mass for his support in terms
of optical measurement techniques.
References
[1] Akishev, Y., Goossens, O., Callebaut, T., Leys, C., Napartovich,
A. & Trushkin, N. (2001). The Inuence of Electrode Geometry and
Gas Flow on Corona-to-Glow and Glow-to-Spark Threshold Currents
in Air. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, 34, 18.
[2] Breden, D., Raja, L. L., Idicheria, C. A., Najt, P. M. & Mahadevan,
S. (2013). A Numerical Study of High-Pressure Non-Equilibrum
Streamers for Combustion Ignition Application. Journal of Applied
Physics, 114, 8.
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The Authors
Dr. John Burrows
Electronics and Analysis,
ACIS Federal-Mogul Corporation Manchester
Suite 14, Styal Road
Manchester, M22 5TN
United Kingdom
E-mail: [email protected]
Paul-Benjamin Reinicke
Thermodynamics/Boost Systems, DA-M11
Division Development Advanced
IAV GmbH
Carnotstrae 1
10587 Berlin
Germany
E-mail: [email protected]
Kristapher Mixell
ACIS and Ignition Coils
Federal-Mogul Powertrain
47001 Port Street
Plymouth, Michigan 48170
USA
E-mail: [email protected]
Marc Sens
Thermodynamics/Boost Systems, DA-M1
Division Development Advanced
IAV GmbH
Carnotstrae 1
10587 Berlin
Germany
E-mail: [email protected]
106
Michael Riess
Thermodynamics/Boost Systems, DA-M11
Division Development Advanced
IAV GmbH
Carnotstrae 1
10587 Berlin
Germany
E-mail: [email protected]
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