Cooled railplug
The railplug is a plasma ignitor capable of injecting a high energy plasma jet into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine or continuous combustion system. An improved railplug is provided which has dual coaxial chambers (either internal or external to the center electrode) that provide for forced convective cooling of the electrodes using the normal pressure changes occurring in an internal combustion engine. This convective cooling reduces the temperature of the hot spot associated with the plasma initiation point, particularly in coaxial railplug configurations, and extends the useful life of the railplug. The convective cooling technique may also be employed in a railplug having parallel dual rails using dual, coaxial chambers. 10 figs.
- Research Organization:
- University of Texas
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG05-91ER12115
- Assignee:
- Univ. of Texas System, Austin, TX (United States)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5,513,605/A/
- Application Number:
- PAN: 8-294,175
- OSTI ID:
- 228061
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: 7 May 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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