Laser Fired Low Emission

Futuristic Internal
Combustion Engines
IITK REACH Symposium 2008

Presented by
Dhananjay Kumar Srivastava
Research Scholar

Engine Research Laboratory

Department of Mechanical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Kanpur

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

IITK REACH Symposium 2008

Source: D.K. Srivastava et al. 13th International symposium on power electronics, 2005

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 Introductio
n
As a matter of fact, excellent efficiencies of internal combustion
engines -in the first place of gas engines- of presently close to
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46%.

This requires remarkable technical improvements in general, and

especially with respect to the ignition system employed.

Increase of spark plug voltage Breakdown voltage of the spark

versus rising break mean effective plugs of a large gas engine
pressure BMEP depending on the test duration at
two different BMEP levels
Source: D.K. Srivastava et al. Proc. SPIE Vol. 6053, 605316,Jun. 9, 2006
Paper #
Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur
 Potential Future Ignition
System

Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition

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(HCCI)

Diesel pilot ignition

Laser ignition

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 NOx Emission Potentials
NOX [mg/Nm]
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direct pre chamber laser ignition direct pre chamber

spark ignition diesel pilot ignition

Source: D.K. Srivastava et al. Proc. SPIE Vol. 6053, 605316,Jun. 9, 2006

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 Laser Ignition

An alternative solution to standard spark plug is the use

of
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pulsed laser, focused to create plasma, representing

the laser
ignition.

Laser ignition, or laser-induced ignition, is the process

of
starting combustion by the stimulus of a laser light
source.

Spark creation due to the local deposition of

energy

Ignition itself based on a positive balance

between the
deposited Department
Engine Research Laboratory energy and the lossesEngineering, IIT Kanpur
of Mechanical
 Principle of Laser
Ignition

convex lens
focused laser beam
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laser beam plasma

I>Ithreshold

flame kernel
E>Eignition

mixture burning

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 Advantages of Laser Ignition

Arbitrary positioning of the ignition plasma

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Absence of quenching effects

Absence of erosion effects

Precise ignition timing

Simpler regulation of the ignition energy

Easy possibility of multipoint ignition

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 Challenges

Propagation of laser pulse through fiber optics

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Develope of a compact, robust and economic

laser source

Durability of windows

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 Design of Combustion
Chamber
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Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 Various stages of plasma
growth

6 ns 12 ns 20 ns 45 ns
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7 ns 13 ns 22 ns
50 ns

8 ns 14 ns 25 ns
60 ns

9 ns 15 ns 30 ns
70 ns

10 ns 16 ns 35 ns
80 ns

11 ns 18 ns 40 ns
Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur
 Video of Plasma Growth
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Source: D.K. Srivastava et al. SAE Paper no 2008-28.0033, New Delhi.

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

(m 8
6p
iin=
tn5
1
0
2b
a
r
Minimum Laser Pulse Energy

t
4
M
E
2
PJ)
IITK REACH Symposium 2008

02468 A
/Fl(
re)
Laser energy, required to ignite mixture, decreases with increasing pressure of chamber
Source: M. Weinrotter et al. International J H. E. 30 (2005) 319 326

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 Pressure History in Combustion
Chamber
= 2.5, laser
= 2.5, spark plug

= 3.0, laser
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= 3.0, spark plug

= 3.5, laser

= 3.5, spark plug

Source: D.K. Srivastava et al. SAE Paper no 2008-28.0033, New Delhi.

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 Direct comparison
laser ignition spark plug
ignition
40
p (bar) 2008

40
35 35
30 30
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pinit (bar)
25 25
init

20 20
15 15
10 10
1,40 1,50 1,60 1,70 1,80 1,90 2,00 2,10 2,20 2,30 1,40 1,50 1,60 1,70 1,80 1,90 2,00 2,10 2,20 2,30
A/F rel ( ) 0,00 A/F rel ( ) 0,00
ignition reliability of laser ignition 0,25 ignition reliability of spark plug ignition 0,25
0,50 0,50
0,75 0,75
1,00 1,00

For 100% ignition reliability at 30 bar

A/Frel = 2.05 (laser ignition)
A/Frel = 1.74 (spark ignition)
Source: M. Weinrotter et al. SAE 2005-01-0248

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 Laser Arrangement with
Respect to Engine
Pumping Laser
Source
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Optical Fiber
Laser Adaptor
Laser

ECU ECU

Shaft Shaft
Encoder Encoder

laser per cylinder system one laser for all cylinder system

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 Conclusions

Plasma propagates towards the incoming laser beam

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Plasma had the maximum emission peak 30 ns after the laser

was fired
and laser plasma UV-emission persisted for about 80 ns

Minimum laser pulse energy (MPE) for ignition is decreases

with
increasing initial pressure

The time of pressure rise in case of laser ignition is shorter

than the
spark ignition

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur

 Thanks for Your
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Attention

Engine Research Laboratory Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kanpur