Triple Spark Ignition Technology

Chapter-1

INTRODUCTION
A conventional 4 Stroke engine has a Single Spark Plug located at one end of the
combustion chamber and hence the combustion is inefficient leading to sub optimal mileage and
sub optimal performance & can even have problems with oil flow. Hence forth there was a
requirement to change engines' design, fuelling, ignition, production and quality to achieve the
following objectives. Uniform power delivery in all operating conditions:-

1. A high degree of drivability

2. First rate standards of reliability

3. Long service life.

With a view to overcome the above limitations a new patent was introduced that is
known as DTS-I technology i.e. “Digital twin spark ignition” and now Triple Spark Ignition
Technology is introduced.

DIGITAL TRIPLE SPARK IGNITION TECHNOLOGY has three spark plugs. It

consists of one master plug and two slave plug. Three spark plug helps in faster and better
combustion. It is used in four valve 4-stroke petrol engine. Fig 1.1 shows outer design of triple
spark ignition engine.

Figure 1.1Triple spark Engine

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Chapter-2

History & Evolution

Spark Plug

conventional
DTS-I DTS-SI Triple Spark
(Single spark)

2.1 Convention (Single spark) Technology

Conventional engine consist of single spark located in the middle of combustion

chamber. This engine is of two types-

1. Two stroke engine, and

2. Four stroke engine

Figure 2.1 Single spark conventional engine

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2.2 DTS-I Technology

Everyone might have heard of the motorcycles powered by DTSI and DTS-SI
technology. So here is a quick look at what this technology is?

DTSI stands for Digital twin spark ignition. The technology is currently used in Bajaj
motorcycles in India because they have patent rights. Digital twin spark ignition technology
powered engine has spark plugs at either sides of the combustion chamber. Engines powered by
DTSI technology will have greater combustion rate because of twin spark plugs located around
it. DTSI technology enables the engine to combust fuel at double rate than normal, this enhances
both engine life and makes it fuel-efficient i.e. better as regards mileage.

Aside of making the engine fuel efficient, the technology also enriches the power of
the bike. The technology also results in smoother operation, adjusts the engine to varied
temperature fluctuations and makes the motorbike resistant too breakdown. Overall, the bikes
with the technology are supposed to live longer, run smoother with high fuel efficiency.

Figure 2.2 Conventional & DTS-I Engine

DIGITAL TWIN SPARK ignition engine has two Spark plugs located at opposite ends of the
combustion chamber and hence fast and efficient combustion is obtained. The benefits of this
efficient combustion process can be felt in terms of better fuel efficiency and lower emissions.
The ignition system on the Twin spark is a digital system with static spark advance and no

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moving parts subject to wear. It is mapped by the integrated 4 digital electronic control box
which also handles fuel injection and valve timing. It features two plugs per cylinder.

This innovative solution, also entailing a special configuration of the hemispherical

combustion chambers and piston heads, ensures a fast, wide flame front when the air-fuel
mixture is ignited, and therefore less ignition advance, enabling, moreover, relatively lean
mixtures to be used. This technology provides a combination of the light weight and twice the
power offered by two-stroke engines with a significant power boost, i.e. a considerable "power-
to-weight ratio" compared to quite a few four-stroke engines.

The actual picture inside the engine of Bajaj Pulsar Bike is –

Figure 2.3 Cross section of Bajaj pulsar DTS-I engine

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2.3 DTS-SI technology

DTS-Si stands for digital twin spark - swirl ignition, it is similar to DTS-i technology
difference being the cylinder has grooves which causes turbulence of the air fuel mixture
entering the cylinder making it 'swirl' hence better combustion takes place, giving better
efficiency and power.

The DTS-SI - Digital Twin Spark Swirl Ignition

Technology is a Revolution in the modern motorcycling era in the country today and we
would be the first to offer it to our consumers. This offers phenomenal performance
augmentation and is patented by Bajaj Auto.

Twin Spark plugs for faster and better combustion:-

Currently one spark plug at one end of the combustion chamber is the conventional
practice. The flame front created by the spark takes some time to reach the farthest portion of
the combustion chamber. This leads to slower burning of the Air-fuel mixture and creates
limitations in optimizing the combustion chamber characteristics. Two spark plugs at either ends
of the combustion chamber help in faster and better combustion. This combustion process of
Twin Spark plugs is being patented by Bajaj Auto Ltd. (Digital Twin Spark ignition)

2.3.1Ignition with a Digital C.D.I

A Digital CDI with an 8 bit microprocessor chip handles the spark delivery. The
programmed chip’s memory contains an optimum Ignition timing for any given engine rpm,
thereby obtaining the best performance characteristics from the combustion chamber. Working
together with the TRICSIII system, it delivers Optimum Ignition Timing for varying load
conditions.
2.3.2 TRICSIII

Throttle Responsive Ignition Control System IIIrd generation. It is a means of

controlling the Ignition by operating the Throttle. Depending on the needs of the Rider whether
it be cruising, acceleration or max speed, the ignition requirements constantly change. Based on
a particular amount of Throttle opening, the Magnetic field generated by the Magnet opens or
closes the Reed switch. The Reed switch is connected to the Digital CDI, which signals the CDI
to change/switch, the desired Ignition Advance Timing Maps. This helps in achieving a good
balance between drive ability and Optimum Ignition Spark advance, resulting in an almost

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perfect Ignition Spark advance for every Throttle opening and Engine rpm.
Constant Velocity (CV) Carburetor: The CV carburetor continues to provide high level of
performance.

In this technology you will find two spark plugs to ignite the charge in the combustion
chamber. This is overcome by the DTS-I by having 2 spark sources on the opposite sides which
reduces the flame travel as stated above. Hence no detonation.

Because the ignition rate is double; the power is generated much faster and after
combustion product and gases expands more faster which in turns push the piston more
powerfully and we get better pickup and because approximately all the fuel being ignited at once
we get better fuel efficiency as well Bajaj R&D says that combustion chambers having low
turbulence give rise to propagation of a flame front, which is akin to that of a gradually
expanding balloon. This results in a slower rate of combustion and thus slower rate of pressure
rise. The end result is lower efficiency. When high turbulence is generated and combustion takes
place, the surface of the ballooning flame front fragments itself, with projection like fingers, and
this increases its surface area, thereby improving combustion further shown in figure 2.4.

Figure 2.4 Cut section of DTS-Si Engine

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2.3.3Swirl Ignition

The effects of swirl and tumble on combustion in spark-ignition engines

A review has been made of rotating flow (swirl and tumble) in premixed spark-ignition
engines and its effects on turbulence generation and flame propagation. Rotating flow can
significantly increase turbulence intensity during the combustion period. This in turn can lead to
a reduced burning period and increased thermal efficiency. Rotating flow, possibly in
combination with squish, can be particularly important for combustion of lean mixtures or with
alternative fuels of low laminar flame speed.

In general, rotating flow can substantially increase flame propagation speed, reduce
cyclic variations, and expand the lean limit as shown in figure 2.5, though excessive rotational
motion can have deleterious effects on induction system flow resistance and also on heat
transfer and thermal efficiency. Much research work has been devoted to swirl (rotational
motion around an axis parallel to the axis of the cylinder), but in recent years increasing
attention has been paid to tumble (rotational motion around an axis perpendicular to the cylinder
axis).

Figure 2.5 Two types of induction effect

Swirl and tumble have distinctive characteristics and can interact differently with piston
motion and squish. The optimum rotating flow field may be a combination of the two kinds of
rotational motion. The principle features of the mean velocity and turbulence fields associated
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with these rotational motions are reviewed, as well as the mechanisms for decay, generation,
transport and enhancement of in-cylinder turbulence. Substantial advances in experimental
method and in numerical simulation are leading to better understanding of the effects of swirl
and tumble on engine performance.

2.4 Some primary features of DTSI and DTS-SI technologies are:

1. The engine becomes powerful and fuel-efficient.

2. The expected life of the motorcycle increases.

3. Bikes powered by the technologies are very well resistant to breakdowns and temperature
fluctuations.

4. The throttle response considerably enhances.

As of now, only Bajaj manufactures bikes with both the technology, as it is the only
manufacturer in India holding patent over the technology for small bikes. One classic example
of DTS-SI powered bike is XCD 125. This was all about DTSI and DTS-SI as shown in figure
2.6 and 2.7.

Figure 2.6 Valve to Produce Swirl Induction Effect

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Figure 2.7 Swirl Induction

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Chapter-3

Working and Constructional Details

3.1 Need of Triple spark ignition in 4-stroke petrol engine

1. To get complete ignition of rich mixture

I.e. for optimal combustion

2. More power

3. Better fuel efficiency

4. Lesser Emission

5. Overall smooth functioning of the Engine

3.2 Arrangement of spark plug

To make use of three spark plugs, the pulsar engine houses a pent roof combustion
chamber which in turn allows to house three spark plugs in the engine chamber. Out of the three
plugs, the primary plug is the center one and is mounted in an angle and enters the chamber at
the top-center. The other two secondary plugs are mounted below, each opposite each other and
one of them being vertically underneath the primary plug as shown in figure 3.1 and 3.2.

Figure 3.1 Arrangement of spark plug

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Figure 3.2 Arrangement of Spark plugs inside the combustion chamber

3.3 Constructional Details

The construction of DTS-i engine is same as that of the conventional 4-Stroke engine. It
consists of following parts:
1. Piston
2. Cylinder
3. Crankshaft
4. Connecting rod
5. Fly wheel
6. Carburetor
7. 3-sparkplug
8. 2-ports
9. 4-valves
Here the only change made is that the 3 spark plugs are used. The master plug takes
the centre place and the two salve plug position across the lateral axis of the engine head.

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3.4 Working

The working of Triple spark ignition engine is very similar to 4-stroke engine but
here the only modification done is we are using three spark plugs in the combustion chamber of
which require less time to reach the farthest position of the combustion chamber and optimize
the combustion chamber characteristics.

There are some advance technology used in Digital Triple spark ignition engine
which makes it more powerful than the conventional single sparkplug 4-stroke engine like:

1. Tricks III technology

2. CDI technology

3. Use of ECU

3.4.1 TRICS III.

Throttle Responsive Ignition Control System 3rd generation. It is a means of

controlling the Ignition by operating the Throttle. Depending on the needs of the Rider whether
it be cruising, acceleration or max speed, the ignition requirements constantly change. Based on
a particular amount of Throttle opening, the Magnetic field generated by the Magnet opens or
closes the Reed switch. The Reed switch is connected to the Digital CDI, which signals the CDI
to change/switch, the desired Ignition Advance Timing Maps. This helps in achieving a good
balance between drivability and Optimum Ignition Spark advance, resulting in an almost perfect
Ignition Spark advance for every Throttle opening and Engine rpm.

3.4.2 Ignition with a Digital C.D.I.

A Digital CDI with an 8 bit microprocessor chip handles the spark delivery. The
programmed chip’s memory contains an optimum Ignition timing for any given engine rpm,
thereby obtaining the best performance characteristics from the combustion chamber. Working
together with the TRICSIII system, it delivers Optimum Ignition Timing for varying load
conditions.

3.4.3 ECU

An engine control unit (ECU), now called the power train control module (PCM), is a
type of electronic control unit that controls a series of actuators on an internal combustion

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engine to ensure optimal engine performance. It does this by reading values from a multitude
of sensors within the engine bay, interpreting the data using multidimensional performance
maps (called lookup tables), and adjusting the engine actuators accordingly.
In a nutshell, ECU is what controls the whole engine. It controls fuel injection, emissions,
ignition timing if so equipped.

3.5 Mathematical Model

3.5.1Governing equations of the cycle model:

1. The energy equation in crank angle basis is written as:

Δ = − = ɵ
+ = −

2. To determine instantaneous cylinder volume, pressure, and burned and unburned gas
temperatures, the following governing equations have been used

−1 1
( )= 1+ 1− [1 − (1 − ) ]}
2

3. Equations to determine the burnt mass fraction

= + −

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Where,
= area of flame front
= the characteristics burning time
= length scale of characteristic flame
= laminar flame speed
= volume of combustion chamber
= internal energy
= crank angle
3.6 The Advantages are:-
It causes less vibrations and noise. Long life of the engine parts such as piston rings and
valve stem. It decreases in the specific fuel consumption. No overheating. It also increases the
thermal efficiency of the Engine & even bears high loads on it. It also facilitate better starting of
engine even in winter season & cold climatic conditions or at very low temperatures because of
increased Compression ratio.

Because of twin Sparks the diameter of the flame increases rapidly that would result in
instantaneous burning of fuels. Thus force exerted on the piston would increase leading to better
work output.

3.7 The Disadvantages are:-

There is high NOx emission. If one spark plug gets damaged then we have to replace all
three. The cost is also relatively more. Since high voltage sparks are continuously produced the
heat due to sparking need to be cooled effectively

The engine tends to overheat and loose power at higher speeds as compared to a single
plug engine. Use of Electronic circuit makes the operation more complicated.

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Chapter-4

COMPARISION& DISCUSSION
4.1 Flame Propagation

Figure 4.1: Flame Propagation

Figure 4.1 shows flame propagation in single spark, twin spark and triple spark ignition
conditions. In single spark ignition the spark plug is centrally located to achieve best possible
flame propagation for combustion process; In dual or twin spark mode the plugs are located at
some distance from diametrical ends; In triple spark ignition mode one primary plug is centrally
located and other two secondary plugs are located similar to twin spark ignition mode in the
cylinder head.
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The following observation can be made by it:

1. Combustion process takes place faster in twin spark plug mode and fastest in triple spark plug
mode as compared to single spark plug mode.
2. Combustion is about 27% faster in triple spark as compared to twin spark and 50% faster as
compared to single spark.

4.2 Brake thermal efficiency v/s load

Figure 4.2 Load Vs BTE

Figure 4.2 shows variation of brake thermal efficiency with load for single plug, twin plug and
triple plug mode
Following observation can be made from it:
Brake thermal efficiency is maximum for triple spark mode
Variation increases more the increase in load.
Similar trend can also be seen in dual plug mode but variation is lesser than triple plug mode.

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4.3 Brake specific fuel consumption v/s load

Figure 4.3 Load Vs BSFC

Figure 4.3 shows Changes in brake specific fuel consumption with load for single plug, twin
plug and triple plug modes.

Following observation can be made from it:

BSFC is very high at the initial stage for all three engines.

It is maximum for single spark engine and minimum for the triple spark engine.

4.4 Volumetric Efficiency v/s Load

Figure 4.4 Volumetric Efficiency V/s Load

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Figure 4.4 shows changes in Volumetric Efficiency with load for single plug, twin plug and
triple plug modes.

Following observation can be made from it:

Initially volumetric efficiency is maximum for single spark engine and minimum for triple spark
engine. In all the cases it increases with the increase in the load.

4.5Unburnt Hydrocarbon emission v/s Load

Figure 4.5 UBHC V/s Load

Figure 4.5 Shows changes in unburnt hydrocarbon with load for single plug, twin plug and triple
plug modes.

Following observation can be made from it:

UBHC emissions are higher in single spark engine because of incomplete combustion.

Triple spark engines have lesser and better UBHC emission due to better and faster completion
of combustion.

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4.6 CO emission v/s Load

Figure 4.6 CO emission v/s Load

Figure 4.6 changes in CO emission with load for single plug, twin plug and triple plug modes.

Following observation can be made from it:

CO emissions are highest for the single spark engine due to incomplete combustion.

It is least for the triple spark engine.

CO emissions decrease with load in all three conditions because at high temperature CO gets
oxidized.

4.7 NOx Emission v/s load

Figure 4.7 NOx emission Vs Load

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Figure 4.7 shows changes in NOx emissions with load for single plug, twin plug and triple plug
modes.

Following observation can be made from it:

NOx emissions are higher for twin and triple Plug engine at initial conditions.

It increases with the load till 2.1 kg in all three engines.

Curve of triple plug engine tends to approach minimum value due to liquid cooling.

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Chapter-5

Conclusions
Following conclusions are made:

1. Combustion process in triple spark engine takes place 27% faster than twin spark and 50%
than single spark engine due to faster flame propagation.

2. Brake thermal efficiency of twin spark engine is 5.1% higher and BTE of triple spark engine
is about 13% higher than single spark engine.

3. Volumetric efficiency of triple spark engine is about 3.63% lesser and it is about 1.3% less for
twin spark engine as compared to single spark engine.

4. The UBHC emission in triple spark engine is reduced by 29% and in twin spark engine it is
reduced up to 13% as compared to the single spark engine.

5. The CO emission in triple spark engine and twin spark engine are also reduced to a great
extent.

6.NOx emissions are increased by 3.3% in triple spark engine and 13% in twin spark engine as
compared to single spark engine at full load.

It is observed experimentally that triple spark engine is clearly a winner amongst all the
three types, which gives max performance in terms of efficiency and exhaust emissions. So it is
suggested that triple spark and twin spark technology should be preferred in comparison with
single spark technology.

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Chapter-6

References
1. International Journal of Current Engineering and Technology ISSN 2277 – 4106
Available at http://inpressco.com/category/ijcet

2. Narasimhabailkeri, Krishna Prasad and Shrinivasa Rao B.R ,(2013) Comparative study of
Performance of Dual plug and single plug S.I engine at different compression ratios,
International Journals Of Advanced Research In Engineering And Technology (IJARET),
Volume 4, Issue 5, pp. 188-197.

3. Baker P. and Watson H. Mpi air/fuel mixing gaseous and liquid plg. SAE Technical Papers,
01(246), 2005.

4.Ajay K. Singh, A. Rehman,( 2013) The Effect of Dual Spark Plug on Engine Performance
Parameter in Two Stroke Gasoline Engine, International Journal of Applied Research and
Studies (iJARS) ISSN: 2278-9480 Volume 2, Issue 7.

5. H. Rapp, Anthony DeFilippo, SamvegSaxena,Jyh-Yuan Chen, Robert W. Dibble,

AtsushiNishiyama, AhsaMoon, and Yuji Ikeda,(2012) Extending Lean Operating Limit and
Reducing Emissions of Methane Spark-Ignited Engines Using a Microwave-Assisted Spark
Plug, Hindawi Publishing Corporation, Journal of Combustion, Volume 2012, Article ID
927081, doi:10.1155/2012/927081.

6. www.wikipedia.org

7. www.Bajajauto.com

8. www.google.com

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