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Laser ignited engines: progress, challenges and prospects

Geoff Dearden and Tom Shenton

Open Access Open Access

Abstract

Laser ignition (LI) has been shown to offer many potential benefits compared to spark ignition (SI) for improving the performance of internal combustion (IC) engines. This paper outlines progress made in recent research on laser ignited IC engines, discusses the potential advantages and control opportunities and considers the challenges faced and prospects for its future implementation. An experimental research effort has been underway at the University of Liverpool (UoL) to extend the stratified speed/load operating region of the gasoline direct injection (GDI) engine through LI research, for which an overview of some of the approaches, testing and results to date are presented. These indicate how LI can be used to improve control of the engine for: leaner operation, reductions in emissions, lower idle speed and improved combustion stability.

© 2013 Optical Society of America

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Figures (6)
Fig. 1
Fig. 1 Ignition plasma light emission: (a) temporal profile from a spark plug with 92 mJ energy & (b) from a focused 10 mJ, 6 ns Nd:YAG laser; (c) Laser (top) & electric (bottom) spark [12].

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Fig. 2
Fig. 2 Schematic of one system developed at UoL for LI of a 4-cylinder PFI petrol engine [18].

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Fig. 3
Fig. 3 Photographs of UoL LI system, as illustrated in Fig. 2: (a) Laser and optics train (b) Engine mounted turning mirrors; (c) Optical plug window removed after engine LI testing [18].

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Fig. 4
Fig. 4 (a) Comparison of COVIMEP variation for LI and SI: (a) over a range of ignition timings at 1500 rpm, 2.62 bar BMEP in a GDI SCE; (b) over a range of loads at 1500 rpm, and ignition timing for MBT in a GDI SCE (stoichiometric mixture, λ = 1, in both cases) [25].

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Fig. 5
Fig. 5 (a) Mass fraction burn curves for LI and SI at 1500 rpm, 2.62 bar BMEP, λ = 1, with the ignition timing for LI and SI at 36° BTDC; (b) Comparison of COVIMEP variation for LI and SI for a range of ignition angle timings at 1500 rpm, λ = 1.3, 2.62 bar BMEP in a GDI SCE [25].

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Fig. 6
Fig. 6 Types of optical fibre considered for LI, from left to right: step index; graded index; multi-layer hollow glass; hollow core; photonic crystal (or band-gap).

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Equations (4)

Equations on this page are rendered with MathJax. Learn more.

d min = 4f M 2 λ 0 π D L
IMEP= W i V d
W i = ∮ P∂V
C O V I M E P = σ I M E P 〈 I M E P 〉
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