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Laser
Ignition of an IC Test Engine using an Nd: YAG Laser
and the Effect of Key Laser Parameters on Engine Combustion
Performance
ALAC
(Advanced Laser Applications Conference and Exposition)
2005 Proceedings Volume 3: Product Engineering & Manufacturing.
Pages 104-111 ISBN: 1554-2971
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Robert
Dodd(1), Jack Mullett(1), Stephan Carroll (1), Geoffrey
Dearden (1), Tom Shenton(1), Kenneth Watkins(1), Georgios
Triantos(1), Steve Keen(2).
1)
The University of Liverpool (Dept. of Engineering, PO
Box 147, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool, L69 3GH, UK) email:rddodd@liv.ac.uk
2) GSI Lumonics (Cosford Lane, Swift Valley Rugby, Warwickshire,
CV21 1QN, UK)
Abstract:
The use of laser energy to ignite gas
and liquid based fuel-air mixtures has been the subject
of a number of studies and laboratory experiments at a fundamental
level over the past 30 years. Yet, the practical implementation
of this laser application has still to be fully realised
in a real world engine environment. Laser Ignition (LI),
as a replacement for Spark Ignition (SI) in the internal
combustion (IC) engines of automotive vehicles, could offer
several potential advantages in terms of extending lean
burn capability, reducing the cyclic variations between
combustion cycles and reducing the overall ignition package
costs, weight and energy requirements. The continued development
of increasingly compact and efficient laser sources and
new associated laser beam delivery techniques have provided
the basis for significant steps forward in research towards
practical proof-of-concept demonstration of LI in engines
for automotive vehicles. This paper reports on some results
of research recently undertaken at the University of Liverpool,
in which a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser operating at 1064 nm
wavelength has been used to successfully ignite and run
(for extended periods) one cylinder of a 4-cylinder internal
combustion (IC) test engine. The variation of several laser
parameters and their effect on the engine performance are
reported; namely, pulse energies of 5-20 mJ, pulse lengths
of 6-15 ns and focused beam waist diameters at the combustion
point of 40-100 m µ . Engine performance was measured in
terms of changes in Coefficient of Variation (COV) in both
Indicated Mean Effective Pressure (IMEP) and the Peak Cylinder
Pressure Position (PPP).
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