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Title: Cooled railplug

Abstract

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.

Inventors:
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
University of Texas
OSTI Identifier:
228061
Patent Number(s):
5513605
Application Number:
PAN: 8-294,175
Assignee:
Univ. of Texas System, Austin, TX (United States)
DOE Contract Number:  
FG05-91ER12115
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 7 May 1996
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS; INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES; PLASMA GUNS; DESIGN; PLASMA JETS; FLUID INJECTION; TEMPERATURE CONTROL; SERVICE LIFE; COMBUSTION CHAMBERS

Citation Formats

Weldon, W F. Cooled railplug. United States: N. p., 1996. Web.
Weldon, W F. Cooled railplug. United States.
Weldon, W F. Tue . "Cooled railplug". United States.
@article{osti_228061,
title = {Cooled railplug},
author = {Weldon, W F},
abstractNote = {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.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1996},
month = {5}
}