Bye, bye spark plugs, hello lasers?

Wayne Cunningham | Jul 17, 2009

(Credit: Apple)

London's Daily Telegraph newspaper is reporting that Ford is working with the University of Liverpool to develop a laser ignition system for internal-combustion engines. That's right: Engines with lasers strapped to their heads.

The laser beam is delivered by a thin, fibre-optic cable to a focusing lens that would take up much less space than a spark plug, allowing engineers greater flexibility in designing valves and cylinders.

The laser beam can be split to ignite the fuel mixture from multiple points deep in the cylinder--as opposed to a spark plug which is located either at the top or bottom of an engine--making for a more efficient burn than a spark plug can achieve, reducing emissions and getting better fuel economy. Another advantage to the laser system is that part of the beam can be reflected to a receiver and used to gather data on the fuel mixture and the quality of the burn.

And this isn't merely a research project, as there are working prototypes of the system at the University of Liverpool laboratory. Ford, which has eagerly been adopting fuel efficiency technology such as electric-power steering and six-speed transmissions, reportedly will use the laser ignition system in some of its cars over the next couple of years, then spread the technology to the full range.

Currently, internal-combustion engines that don't use diesel fuel require a spark plug to cause the engine's air and fuel mixture to ignite and release its energy. Diesel, or compression ignition, engines don't have a spark plug, but instead compress their air and fuel mixture so tightly that it combusts due to the pressure.

ViaCNET Blogs | via The Telegraph

Filed under: Cars, Future Tech
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