Lasers to replace sparkplugs in the future?
Sparkplug (bottom) versus optical laser plug (top)
A Ford that shoots laser beams? No, we’re not talking about James Bond’s next Ford Fusion. Nor are we talking about Ford bringing back the Laser nameplate. Ford and the University of Liverpool have just received a £200,000 grant from UK government-funded Carbon Trust to develop a car ignition system that uses laser beams instead of spark plugs to ignite combustion.
A laser (that can be fired over 50 times per second) is directed through a lense towards a point in the combustion chamber where the fuel is most concentrated. It could also be split into multiple beams to give multiple ignition points.
Using a laser could result in better use of cylinder head space as the fiber optic cable that can be used to deliver this laser beam is much thinner than a relatively big spark plug. This will allow more space in the head to be used for other things such as larger valves. However, apparently tests showed that fiber optic cables were too affected by vibration in the engine bay, so the best would be via an “optical plug”.
If you want to read more about laser ignition, it’s best to hear it from the horse’s mouth themselves. Read the report by the University of Liverpool. Watch a video after the jump comparing a conventional spark with laser ignition.
July 22, 2009 @ 6:44 am
Genius…How about reliability? I think it will be expensive but if can be use in long term, it will be more cheaper than normal spark plug…supposedly
July 22, 2009 @ 6:54 am
this will be serious blow for spark plug mfr…..especially for those that just venture into iridium tech.
July 22, 2009 @ 6:55 am
good..if my kids wanted to act star wars, this idea is most acceptable..
i wonder when could Malaysian be as hard working and inovative like the whites..shocking idea for this. Hope you could update more on this paul.
July 22, 2009 @ 7:15 am
I also wonder when some malaysian “who wonder about other malaysian to be as hardworking and innovative as the white” will be as hardworking and innovative as the white.
July 22, 2009 @ 8:53 am
haha.. fight2
July 22, 2009 @ 9:08 am
And I also wonder when this LI will available proton’s own production engine…maybe in next 20 years time…just like DOHC or turbo…
July 22, 2009 @ 9:29 am
sweet. other step technology for combustion chamber engine. maybe this will make more efficiance engine operate.
July 22, 2009 @ 9:47 am
Nah, just ditch the whole thing and focus on battery.
July 22, 2009 @ 10:23 am
combustion engine may be wont sell in the future. very interesting research still
July 22, 2009 @ 4:30 am
‘Genius…How about reliability? I think it will be expensive but if can be use in long term, it will be more cheaper than normal spark plug…supposedly’
If the laser is emitted using diode via the fiber optic,yes, we might not need to change the spark plugs,but the diode still have a certain life span…and it is expensive too, depending on the power rating..
Also, the fiber optic cable must be durable enough in order to ensure minimal power loss during laser beam delivery,which may affect the combustion..
July 22, 2009 @ 5:18 am
I think we are missing a HUGH the benefits of this. They’d probably already thought of this but as the technology is still in its infancy, they might not be able to do this yet.
As an optical ignition method, has the benefit of being able to manipulate the beam via micro mirrors, and lenses, leading to a very simple multipoint ignition system and possibly a staged igition sequence from within the combustion chamber itself. No more multiple spark plugs. Mark my words.
You will end up with direct injection systems that runs even leaner and cleaner.
July 22, 2009 @ 5:22 am
this is still in research… so we will see some updates if this research is well done.. research is not jz do and use things.. its a long process.. Malaysia (gov & univ) still lack of grant or money.. they not willing to spend it on R&D… M’sia ppl also jz the same (when G give more money to research, they said wasting “duit rakyat”) so our research still di takuk lama.. unless we can think like 1st mentality guys, maybe those orang putih already got that mantality, i still hope that we Malaysian, can have that mantality.. dont jz blame anybody, blame us!!..hope Proton can be more succesfull over time… happy motoring
July 22, 2009 @ 6:14 am
That’s call R&D!…mmh…what is our R&D fund used for?
July 22, 2009 @ 6:48 am
izzit better than iridium? welcome then
July 22, 2009 @ 7:02 am
The question will come in the end is “How much this technology will cost?!?”
How durable is it compare to nowadays iridium or silver plugs?
July 22, 2009 @ 8:01 am
Ya… we msians shd think sthg better for R&D lolz… like wheels without tyres, road without tarmac, laser guided steering system, brakes without brake pads, or new materials for brake pads/disc, LED streetlamps, etc… haha…
July 22, 2009 @ 8:13 am
I guess we should focus on battery instead of combustion engine, we might run out of petroleum in another 20-30 yrs, by then 1 liter of petrol might cost RM10,000…
other resources like electric dams, wind and solar maybe wont have breakthrough in next 50 yrs… so we will probably rely on nuclear energy for the next few hundred years… just a few kg of nuclear debris will last the whole country’s electric consumption for few yrs i presume… better than we build mega huge dams, destroying river lifeforms, forest and we still cannot generate 20% of the electric for whole country…
with nuclear energy, we can be assured there will be electricity for all and even to support cars in the future…
July 22, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
Good idea. Hopefully lasers last longer than spark plugs which are very very reliable
July 22, 2009 @ 8:50 pm
sounds like nuclear technology-based?
July 23, 2009 @ 2:35 am
The laser replacement will need to endure heat and residue build-up on the laser emitter. The benefit will be endless. What if they use the blue-ray laser? More power..hehehe.
July 23, 2009 @ 2:59 am
Make only diesel engines and say bye bye to your spark plugs.
July 23, 2009 @ 11:30 am
by the time the laser spark plug tech matures, every car changed to electric..
kakakakakakaka…
July 24, 2009 @ 9:31 am
CocoBear,
Blue-ray is still not powerful to burn, just can damage your eyes only.
The true laser burner is still Helium gas laser, used by 1st optical disc, LaserDisc.
July 24, 2009 @ 2:26 pm
Well I have a nice electric bicycle still stuck in a bonded warehouse in Malaysia. MITI and JPJ has yet to support the existance of low budget green vehicles in Malaysia. So what shoud I do?
September 25, 2009 @ 5:49 am
abeng said,
July 22, 2009 @ 7:15 am
I also wonder when some malaysian “who wonder about other malaysian to be as hardworking and innovative as the white” will be as hardworking and innovative as the white.
asran says: malaysian are equally smart & efficient & innovative & hardworking just like the white..we just are not well funded & supported…thts all bro..the only difference between malaysians & white. Who to blame? we all are to be blamed.