YENEPOYA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Seminar Report
On
LASER IGNITION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL
COMBUTION ENGINE

Presented By : Sachin Suresh Patole

Guided By : Prof . J. W. Pinto
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 CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Conventional spark plug ignition and drawbacks
 Laser
 Laser ignition system and ND: Yag laser
 Parts of laser ignition system
 Working of laser ignition system
 Comparison Of spark plug and laser ignition
 Why laser ignition
 Advantages and Application
 Conclusion
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 INTRODUCTION
 The research is going on the usage of laser for the combustion
process in the combustion chamber. “Laser ignition” is an emerging
technology, still under development.

 Nowadays, applications of different lasers span quite broadly from

diagnostics tools in science and engineering to biological and
medical uses.

 The objective is to present the current state of the relevant knowledge

on fuel ignition and discuss select applications, advantages, in the
context of combustion of engines.

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 conti….
 There is a ways in which laser light can interact with a combustible
mixture to initiate an ignition event
 By far the most commonly used technique is the Non-resonant
Breakdown of combustion primarily because of its freedom in selecting
the laser implementation.
 However, issues related to immediate interfacing between the light and
the chamber and shaping of the laser focus volume, and selection of
spatially optimum ignition point remain amongst the important
engineering design challenges.
 One of the potential advantages of the lasers lies in its flexibility to
change the ignition location.
 Also multiple ignition points can be achieved rather comfortably as
compared to conventional electric ignition systems using spark
plugs

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 CONVENTIONAL SPARK PLUG
IGNITION

 Conventional spark plug

ignition has been used for
many years.
 For ignition of air-fuel mixture
the mixture is compressed and
at the right moment high
voltage is applied to electrodes
of spark plug and spark
induces.
 The spark plug is located at the
top of the combustion chamber
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 DRAWBACKS CONVENTIONAL
SPARK IGNITION
 Location of spark plug is not flexible as it require.

 It requires frequent maintenance to remove carbon deposits.

 Leaner mixtures cannot be burned.

 Degradation of electrodes at high pressure and temperature.

 Flame propagation is slow.

 Multi point fuel ignition is not possible.

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 LASER
(Light Amplification By stimulated emission of radiation)

Laser: A laser is a device that emits light through a process of

optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of
electrometric radiation. the first laser was build in 1960

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Ruby laser
 LASER IGNITION SYSTEM
Laser
 Ignition requires certain conditions to be met for two basic steps to take place, spark

formation and subsequent ignition

There
 is mechanism by virtue of which Laser ignition is able to ignite the air-fuel mixture. Which

is..

Non-resonant breakdown (NRB):

In these the laser spark was created By focusing a pulsed laser to a

sufficiently small spot size, the laser beam creates a high intensity and high electric fields in the

focal region. Which helps to burn the fuel

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 ND:YAG LASER
(Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet)
 Laser can produce high power in infrared spectrum at1064nm
 They are used for cutting, welding And marking of metals and
other Materials.

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 PARTS OF LASER IGNITION
SYSTEM

1) POWER SOURCE
 The main source of power is Battery which is connected to laser.

 The average power requirements for a laser spark plug are relatively
modest.

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2) COMBUSTION CHAMBER WINDOW
• Since the laser ignition system is located outside the combustion

chamber a window is required to optically couple the laser beam.

The window must:

• Withstand the thermal and mechanical stresses from the engine.

• Withstand the high laser power

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3) OPTIC FIBER WIRE
It is used to transport the laser beam from generating
unit to the focusing unit.

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4)FOCUSING UNIT
 A set of optical lenses are used to focus the laser beam
into the combustion chamber.
 The focal length of the lenses can be varied according to
where ignition is required. The lenses used may be either
combined or separated.

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WORKING OF LASER IGNITION
SYSTEM

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 ENGINE TEST RUNS WERE CARRIED OUT WITH
TWO DIFFERENT APPROACHES.
1) SEPARATED OPTICS:

 First, a plane window was inserted into the cylinder head of the
engine.

 A focusing lens was placed in front of that window in order to focus

the laser beam down into the combustion chamber.

2) COMBINED OPTICS:

 a more sophisticated window was deployed. A lens-like curvature was

engraved directly into the window.

 By using such a special window no further lens was required.

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 The laser ignition has a laser transmitter with a fibre optics
cable.
 Its strike the laser beam to focusing lens that would be consume
a much smaller space than current spark plug
 The lenses focus the beams into an intense pinpoint of light and
when the fuel is injected into the engine the laser is fired and
produces enough heat to ignite the fuel
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SET UP OF LASER IGNITION

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COMPARISION OF SPARK PLUG AND
LASER IGNITION

Spark ignition system Laser ignition system

I. Less intense spark I. More intense spark
II. Leaner mixture cannot be II. Leaner mixture can burn
burned effectively
III. Flame propagation is slow III. Flame propagation is faster
IV. Multi point fuel ignition is IV. Easier possibility of multipoint
not feasible ignition
V. It causes more NOx V. Less NOx emission
emission

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COMPARISION OF SPARK PLUG
AND LASER IGNITION

SPARK IGNITON LASER IGNITION

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 WHY LASER IGNITION?

 Laser promise less pollution and also less fuel consumption

 The laser also produce more stable consumption so you need to

put less fuel into the cylinder therefor increase efficiency.

 Optimal wire and laser setup is much smaller than the current
spark plug model allowing for different design opportunities.

 Laser can reflect back from inside the cylinder which helps to
compete combustion of fuel

 Laser use will reduce erosion.

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ADVANTAGES OF LASER IGNITION
SYSTEM

 Location of spark plug is flexible as it does not require certain

position.

 It does not require maintenance to remove carbon deposits because

of its self-cleaning property.

 High pressure and temperature does not affect the performance

 No any Degradation of spark plug at high pressure and temperature.

 Compare to conventional spark plug Flame propagation is high.

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 APPLICATION
(MAZDA RX-9 16X ROTARY LASER IGNITION CAR)

 According to the latest international reports, Mazda’s upcoming

rotary sports car could feature laser ignition technology.
 would replace the spark plug ignition system which is currently
applied to every petrol car on the market. 4/22/18 22
 CONCLUSION

 The almost free choice of the ignition location within the

combustion chamber.

 Significant reductions in fuel consumption as well as reductions

of exhaust gases.

 At present, a laser ignition plug is very expensive compared to a

standard electrical spark plug ignition system.

 But potential and advantages certainly make the laser ignition

more attractive in many practical applications.
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 REFERENCE

1)Shantanu M. Khandebharad1, Rahul S. Benade2 , “LASER IGNITION

FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES” Spvryan’s International
Journal of Engineering Sciences & Technology (SEST) ISSN : 2394-0905.
2) Gurgude Shubham1, Mistry Aniket2,Rathod Akshay3, Shirsath Aniket4
Kiran Shivade5“A review on laser induced ignition of gasoline direct
injection engines” International journal of advanced technology of
engineering and technology. Vol.No 4 Issue No 3, march 2016

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THANK -YOU

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 SOME OF THE DATA FROM EXPERIMENT
(Spvryan’s International Journal of Engineering Sciences &Technology (SEST) ISSN : 2394-
0905 )
Mr.Shantanu M. Khandebharad, Rahul S. Benade

The key technical data of the test engine are listed.

No. of cylinders 1
Fuel used petrol
Injector Multi-hole
Wavelength of flame 1064nm
Max. pulse energy 160mj
Pulse duration 6ns
Power consumption 1000 volts
Beam diameter 6mm
Stroke 85mm
Bore 88 mm 4/22/18 26