Ford wants to Replace Sparkplugs with "Lasers"

[orange4boy]

This reminds me of one of the best scenes from Austin Powers:

Dr. Evil: "You know, I have one simple request, and that is to have sharks with frickin laser beams attached to their heads. Now evidently my cycloptic colleague informs me that that can't be done. Can you remind me what I pay you people for? Honestly throw me a bone here."
"What do we have?"
#2: "Sea Bass."
Dr. Evil: Riiiiight.
#2: "They are mutated Sea Bass."
Dr Evil: "Really? Are they ill tempered?"
#2: "Absolutely."
Dr Evil: "That's a start."

Are the auto companies that desperate? Wait...yes, yes they are. And possibly that evil.

My question is how will they keep the lenses clean?

Lasers. That's one tall ladder.

Ford wants to Replace Sparkplugs with Lasers : Gas 2.0

[DonR]

Assuming that it may actually work.

Detonation & pre-ignition are caused by an increase in pressure causing a temp. spike in the combustion mixture. Older engines with a single spark plug located on one side of the cylinder is more suseptible to this than an engine with a centrally located spark plug. Large engines (old airplane engines) benefit from having multiple spark plugs to help even out flame front propigation. This allows the compression ratio to be increased, thereby increasing engine efficiency.

If they split the laser beam like they are talking about, they could effectively have say 5 or 6 "spark plugs". This should allow for an increase in compression ratio without experiencing pre-ignition.

If the laser works & uses no more power than spark plugs, I'd believe you could get an efficiency increase.

Don

[orange4boy]

I agree that there would be an efficiency increase if it worked. I think it would work in the lab. The question is how much will it cost and how reliable would it be considering the dirty place the combustion chamber is?

In an alcohol powered machine, this would probably work better because it's presumably cleaner. A laser needs a clean lens to produce a good beam. How would you keep the lens clean?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by DonR

Large engines (old airplane engines) benefit from having multiple spark plugs to help even out flame front propigation.

Though the main reason is for redundancy: there are actually two entirely separate ignition systems, not just two plugs per cylinder. Still, there must be some increase in efficiency: the standard pre-takeoff check is to switch to one mag, and note the RPM drop...

[cfg83]

Hello -

I am cross-posting related threads :

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tion-9335.html

CarloSW2

[chuckm]

Re:keeping the lens clean - It kind of looks like the focal point of the beam might work in your favor. Using a stratified charge, the focal point (ie spark) may be in the fuel-rich zone near the piston head. In that case, the lens might be in an extremely lean zone. Besides, since the engine was already running leaner than standard, carbon deposits shouldn't form. If you look at pictures of conventional plugs running in a too-lean environment, the plug will be very clean. Melted tip, sure, but clean. Other deposits tend to be symptoms of other problems (oil leak or contaminated gas).

[outsidethebox]

It's funny they laughed at the laser plugs when they first saw them and said no. You guys must be doing a good job for them to reconsider new ideas and possibly better technology. Imagine that there could be a difference in spark plugs that's why I use halo plugs they work better. We can improve on almost everything. Remember Ross Perot when he said you don't have to invent the light bulb just make it better.

[fidalgoman]

Sounds like a gimmick. Remember that the spark plugs purpose is an accurate ignition point just before TDC. They've tried everything from multiple spark plugs (good idea) to microwaves. Modern engine computers calculate plug degradation and other engine variables to assure even combustion timing.

Does anybody remember a few years ago when VW came out with their gasoline fed diesel cycle engine? Though it was a true diesel cycle using gasoline instead with something like 14 or 18:1 compression, they added an igniter (like in an oil furnace, not a spark plug) to assure accurate timing burn of the fuel. No throttle butterfly and timing via direct injection. The prototype engine was said to produce around a hundred horsepower and get over 80 MPG in a field tested Golf. Lots of hype in magazines, then nothing. It apparently worked but who knows it could have been a not passing emissions sort of deal.

[Christ]

It wouldn't pass emissions.. NOx would be way off the charts for a gasoline engine, because of the incessantly lean nature of throttle-less engines.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by outsidethebox

It's funny they laughed at the laser plugs when they first saw them and said no. You guys must be doing a good job for them to reconsider new ideas and possibly better technology. Imagine that there could be a difference in spark plugs that's why I use halo plugs they work better. We can improve on almost everything. Remember Ross Perot when he said you don't have to invent the light bulb just make it better.

Who laughed?

Who said no?

Who here encouraged them?

Do Halo plugs work?

Didn't you used to hawk Pulsestars?

Have you ever improved on anything?

I like Ross.