A Novel Spark-Plug for Improved Ignition in Engines with Gasoline Direct Injection (GDI)
K. Linkenheil1, H.-O. Ruoß1, T. Grau1, J. Seidel1, and W. Heinrich2
Published in:
IEEE Trans. on Plasma Science, vol. 33, no. 5, pp. 1696-1702 (2005).
Abstract:
Gasoline direct injection (GDI) is one of the future engine concepts offering a significant increase in efficiency of automotive engines. In this technique, the gasoline spray is directly injected into the combustion chamber, which yields a strongly inhomogeneous air-gasoline mixture. Hence, it is difficult to maintain reliable ignition using a conventional spark-plug. In this paper, a novel spark-plug based on a coaxial microwave resonator is presented. First, the design of the resonator is described. Then its capability of generating plasma in the pressure range up to 5 bar (3750 torr) is evaluated. Finally, some results of gasoline ignition experiments in a combustion chamber are presented.
1 Robert Bosch Company, D-70839 Gerlingen-Schillerhöhe, Germany
2 Ferdinand-Braun-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik (FBH), D-12489 Berlin, Germany
Index Terms
Automotive applications, coaxial resonator, microwave plasma, plasma torch, spark plug.
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