System and device for the ignition of an internal combustion engine using a lean air-fuel mixture
An improved engine for burning a lean air-fuel mixture includes a main combustion chamber into which the air-fuel mixture is introduced and an auxiliary combustion chamber wherein the air-fuel mixture is initially ignited. A spark plug in the auxiliary combustion chamber has central and side electrodes which define a spark gap. A corona discharge is established in an electrostatic field between the central electrode and a field electrode. The ions in the corona discharge collect on fuel particles in the air-fuel mixture so that these particles are electrically charged and deposited on the field electrode, the walls of the auxiliary combustion chamber, and the side electrode. The fuel particles which come toward the central electrode are electrostatically atomized by the corona discharge and accelerated away. As this is occurring, the electrically charged air-fuel mixture accelerates away from the entrance to the auxiliary combustion chamber with a resulting increase in flow rate and turbulence in the auxiliary combustion chamber. Upon establishment of an electrical arc across the spark gap, the rich air-fuel mixture in the auxiliary combustion chamber is ignited and the resultant flame is directed by the entrance passageway or nozzle into the main chamber in such a manner as to insure ignition and complete burning of the relatively lean mixture in the main chamber during a comparatively longer while.
- Assignee:
- Tokai TRW and Co. Ltd.
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4041922
- OSTI ID:
- 5282654
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
A new spark ignition system for lean mixtures based on a new approach to spark ignition
Spark plug construction for lean mixture burning internal combustion engines
Related Subjects
330101 -- Internal Combustion Engines-- Spark-Ignition
330603* -- Vehicle Design Factors-- Engine System
ATOMIZATION
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
COMBUSTION CHAMBERS
DESIGN
ELECTRODES
ENGINES
FUEL-AIR RATIO
FUELS
IGNITION SYSTEMS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
SPARK GAPS
STRATIFIED CHARGE ENGINES