VS

LASER IGNITION
SYSTEM

Guided Presented
By By
Mr. Ch. PraveenAsst prof) G. Sravan
 VS

LASER IGNITION FOR INTERNAL

COMBUSTION ENGINES

Guided Presented
By By
Mr. Ch. PraveenAsst prof) G. Sravan
 CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
CONVENTIONAL SPARKING PLUG IGNITION
DRAWBACKS OF CONVENTIONAL IGNITION
SYSTEM
WHAT IS A LASER?
LASER Ignition
Types of Laser Ignition
SETUP OF LASER IGNITION
Working principle
FLAME PROPAGATION IN COMBUSTION
CHAMBER
 CONTENTS
Why Laser Ignition?
Comparative Advantages of Laser Ignition
Additional advantages of Laser Ignition
Comparison of SP AND LI
Future Research Needs and Shortcomings
Summary
Conclusion
 INTRODUCTION
 Internal combustion engines play a dominant role in transportation and energy

production.
 In technical appliances such as internal combustion engines, reliable ignition is

necessary for adequate system performance.

 Unfortunately, conventional spark plug ignition shows a major disadvantage with

modern spray-guided combustion processes since the ignition location cannot be

chosen optimally.
 A laser ignition source has the potential of improving engine combustion with

respect to conventional spark plugs.

 ABSTRACT
Economic as well as environmental constraints demand a further reduction
in the fuelconsumption and the exhaust emissions of motor vehicles. At the
moment, directInjected fuel engines show the highest potential in reducing
fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Unfortunately, conventional spark
plug ignition shows a major disadvantage with modern spray-guided
combustion processes since the ignition location cannot be chosen optimally.

It is important that the spark plug electrodes are not hit by the injected fuel
because otherwise severe damage will occur.Additionally, the spark plug
electrodes can influence the gas flow inside the combustion chamber. It is
well know that short and intensive laser pulses are able to produce an ”optical
breakdown” in air. ThisPlasma is heated by the incoming laser beam and a
strong shock wave occurs. The expanding hot plasma can be used for the
ignition of fuel-gas mixtures.
 ABSTRACT
Economic as well as environmental constraints demand a further reduction
in the fuelconsumption and the exhaust emissions of motor vehicles. At the
moment, directInjected fuel engines show the highest potential in reducing
fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Unfortunately, conventional spark
plug ignition shows a major disadvantage with modern spray-guided
combustion processes since the ignition location cannot be chosen optimally.

It is important that the spark plug electrodes are not hit by the injected fuel
because otherwise severe damage will occur.Additionally, the spark plug
electrodes can influence the gas flow inside the combustion chamber. It is
well know that short and intensive laser pulses are able to produce an ”optical
breakdown” in air. ThisPlasma is heated by the incoming laser beam and a
strong shock wave occurs. The expanding hot plasma can be used for the
ignition of fuel-gas mixtures.
 CONVENTIONAL SPARKING
PLUG IGNITION
 Conventional spark plug ignition has been used for many years.

 For ignition of a fuel-air mixture the fuel-air mixture is compressed and at the right

moment a high voltage is applied to the electrodes of the spark plug.

 Standard Spark Plug Ignition in an Internal
Combustion Engine
 Current internal combustion gasoline engines use spark plugs to ignite the air/fuel
mixture in each cylinder (located at the top of the combustion chamber).
 DRAWBACKS OF CONVENTIONAL
IGNITION SYSTEM
 Location of spark plug is not flexible as it requires shielding of plug from immense

heat and fuel spray.

 Leaner mixtures cannot be burned, ratio between fuel and air has to be within the

correct range.
 Flame propagation is slow.

 Erosion of spark plug electrodes.

 Degradation of electrodes at high pressure and temperature.

 WHAT IS A LASER?
 A laser is a device that emits electromagnetic radiation through a process of optical
amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons.
 The term ‘laser’ is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation
 LASER Ignition
 Laser ignition, or laser-induced ignition, is the process of starting combustion by the stimulus
of a laser light source.
 Laser ignition uses an optical breakdown of gas molecules caused by an intense laser pulse to
ignite gas mixtures.
 The beam of a powerful short pulse laser is focused by a lens into a combustion chamber and
near the focal spot and hot and bright plasma is generated, see fig.
 Types of Laser Ignition
 Basically, energetic interactions of a laser with a gas may be classified into

one of the following four schemes as described in

1. Thermal initiation

2. Non-resonant breakdown

3. Resonant breakdown

4. Photochemical mechanisms
Laser Ignition System for an Internal
Combustion Engine
Laser ignition will replace the spark plug seen in current gasoline engines.
SETUP OF LASER IGNITION
 Working principle
 The laser ignition system has a laser transmitter with a fiber-optic cable powered by the car’s
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:
FLAME PROPAGATION IN COMBUSTION
CHAMBER
 Why Laser Ignition?
 Regulations on NOx emissions are pushing us toward leaner air/fuel ratios (higher
ratio of air to fuel).
 These leaner air/fuel ratios are harder to ignite and require higher ignition
energies. Spark plugs can ignite leaner fuel mixtures, but only by increasing
spark energy. Unfortunately, these high voltages erode spark plug electrodes so
fast, the solution is not economical. By contrast, lasers, which ignite the air-
fuel mixture with concentrated optical energy, have no electrodes and are not
affected.
 Natural gas is more difficult to ignite than gasoline due
to the strong carbon to hydrogen bond energy.
 Lasers are monochromatic, so it will be much easier to ignite natural
gases and direct the laser beam to an optimal ignition location.
 Because of the requirement for an increase in ignition energy, spark plug life will
decrease for natural gas engines.
 Laser spark plug ignition system will require less power than traditional spark
plugs, therefore outlasting spark plugs.
 Ignition sites for spark plugs are at a fixed location at the top of the combustion
chamber that only allows for ignition of the air/fuel mixture closest to them.
 Lasers can be focused and split into multiple beams to give multiple ignition
points, which means it can give a far better chance of ignition.
 Why Laser Ignition? (continued)
 Lasers promise less pollution and greater fuel efficiency, but making small, powerful lasers
has, until now, proven hard. To ignite combustion, a laser must focus light to approximately
100 gigawatts per square centimeter with short pulses of more than 10 millijoules each.

 Japanese researchers working for Toyota have created a prototype laser that brings laser
ignition much closer to reality. The laser is a small (9mm diameter, 11mm length) high
powered laser made out of ceramics that produces bursts of pulses less than a nanosecond in
duration.

 The laser also produces more stable combustion so you need to put less fuel into the
cylinder, therefore increasing efficiency.

 Optical wire and laser setup is much smaller than the current spark plug model, allowing for
different design opportunities.

 Lasers can reflect back from inside the cylinders relaying information such as fuel type and
level of ignition creating optimum performance.

 Laser use will reduce erosion.

 Comparative Advantages of Laser
Ignition
Spark ignition system Laser ignition system
 Less intense spark  More intense spark

 Leaner mixtures cannot be burned  Leaner mixture can burn

 Flame propagation is slow effectively

 Multi point fuel ignition is not  Flame propagation is faster

feasible.  Easier possibility of multipoint

 It causes more NOx emission ignition.

 Less NOx emission
 Additional advantages of Laser
Ignition:
It does not require maintenance to remove carbon

deposits because of its Self cleaning property.

Precise ignition timing possible.

High load/ignition pressures possible => increase in

efficiency.
Easier possibility of multipoint ignition.
COMPERISION S.P AND L.I
110

100 Spark ignition between

fuel spray
(Percent)

Laser ignition between

fuel spray
90
Laser ignition within
fuel spray

80
Consumption Smoothness Emissions
 Future Research Needs and
Shortcomings
 Cost
 Concept proven, but no commercial system yet available.
 Stability of optical window
 Beam Delivery/Laser induced optical damage
 Particle Deposits
 Intelligent control
 Laser Distribution
 Multiple pulse ignition
 Multiple point ignition
 Single Point Ignition:
 Timing optimization (phasing) vs Thermal Efficiency
 NOx tradeoffs
 Knock margin
 Multipoint Ignition:
 Higher flame speed may provide additional knock margin
as well as a higher burn rate.
 Multipulse Ignition:
 May provide improved ignition, leaner combustion, and lower emissions.
 May provide a way to circumvent beam delivery issue.
 Summary
Laser Ignition has the potential to greatly improve
existing and future artillery systems.
Safer
Environmentally Friendly
Reliable
Automated Operation
Technology Driven System Improvements
Versatile and Flexible
 Conclusion
 Laser ignition system allows almost free choice of the ignition location
within the combustion chamber, even inside the fuel spray.
 Significant reductions in fuel consumption as well as reductions of
exhaust gases show the potential of the laser ignition process.
 Laser ignition is nonintrusive in nature; high energy can be rapidly
deposited, has limited heat losses, and is capable of multipoint
ignition of combustible charges.