Large discharge-volume, silent discharge spark plug

Patent · 01 January 1995

OSTI ID:870172

Kang, Michael ^[1]

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1. Los Alamos, NM

A large discharge-volume spark plug for providing self-limiting microdischarges. The apparatus includes a generally spark plug-shaped arrangement of a pair of electrodes, where either of the two coaxial electrodes is substantially shielded by a dielectric barrier from a direct discharge from the other electrode, the unshielded electrode and the dielectric barrier forming an annular volume in which self-terminating microdischarges occur when alternating high voltage is applied to the center electrode. The large area over which the discharges occur, and the large number of possible discharges within the period of an engine cycle, make the present silent discharge plasma spark plug suitable for use as an ignition source for engines. In the situation, where a single discharge is effective in causing ignition of the combustible gases, a conventional single-polarity, single-pulse, spark plug voltage supply may be used.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 5469013
• OSTI ID: 870172
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/313/
alternating
annular
apparatus
applied
arrangement
barrier
causing
center
center electrode
coaxial
coaxial electrode
combustible
combustible gas
combustible gases
conventional
conventional single
cycle
dielectric
dielectric barrier
direct
discharge
discharge plasma
discharge-volume
discharges
effective
electrode
electrodes
engine
engines
forming
gases
ignition
microdischarges
occur
pair
period
plasma
plug
plug-shaped
providing
self-limiting
self-terminating
shielded
silent
silent discharge
single
single-polarity
single-pulse
situation
source
spark
spark plug
substantially
suitable
supply
unshielded
voltage
voltage supply
volume