Plasma Jet Ignition

Robert Harris bob at bobthecomputerguy.com
Sun Feb 21 18:51:11 GMT 1999


Re-reading my Heywood and have become re-in-love with the concept of plasma
jet ignition.   Essentially, a normal CD ignition fires the plug in a cavity
connected to the main chamber by an orifice.  Once the arc is established, a
second low voltage high current capacitive discharge is routed into the arc.  

This high power discharge creates a high temperature plasma so rapidly that
the pressure in the cavity increases substantially, causing a supersonic jet
of plasma to erupt into the main chamber.  It enters as hemispherical blast
wave followed by a turbulent jet of plasma.

The flame starts out as a turbulent flame in contrast with a laminar flame (
conventional ignition )  The benefits are faster flame development - therefore
less advance needed, lean stable limit extended, lean misfire virtually
eliminated,   The size of the blast wave and turbulent jet depend on the
cavity size, orifice area, energy deposited and whether or not hydrocarbons
are present in the cavity.  It seems that as a result of the plasma ( both
conventional and plasma jet ) breakdown, free hydrogen radicals penetrate up
to 5 times further into the combustible mixture and at much higher
temperatures than the other plasma products.

This is excellent for igniting high compression, supercharged or fuel engines.

What I am thinking is using a non fouler spark plug extension and a
conventional non MSD CD ignition.   Then using a diode stack, connect a second
low voltage high current source to the plug.  Thus when the first timed arc
occurs, and the voltage drops, the second, untimed energy source can unload
into the arc establishing the plasma explosion.  

Any current thoughts ( Heywood is about 10 years old ) and others may have
written more recently?   Anyone actually build such an animal or have
experience with it?  Thanks in advance.

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