Importance

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Abstract

A capacitive discharge pulsed plasma ignition system which is suitable for retrofitting to standard automobile engines, and easily adaptable to new engines, including diesel engines, which has been substantially improved by using a novel ultra-high efficiency ignition transformer (coil) (3) with an optimized high current and high voltage output. The ignition is preferably used with a high pulse rate, high efficiency, multiple pulse ignition box providing rapid pulsed plasma ignition sites. The coil (3) has a low winding turns ratio of about 40, low primary (1,11) and secondary (2,12) inductances and resistances, low loss in its core (3a), low secondary capacitance (5), and is used in conjunction with a capacitor (4) of capacitance between 1 and about 20 microfarads. The system uses voltage doubling at the spark gap (9) through coil/capacitor design combination to fire a wide spark gap (9) and provide a very high current. The spark current has a high spark energy and long effective duration through rapid pulsing at a high duty cycle of the spark gap (9) with the pulse rate chosen to optimize ignitability for any engine system. When the high efficiency coil (3) and capacitor (4) are thus used, a practical, easily installed, low cost, ultra-high efficiency optimized 'pulsed plasma' ignition system is provided capable of producing ignition of very lean mixtures for substantially reduced exhaust emissions and increased engine efficiency.

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First Claim