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Laser beam spark plugs? It looks like it may very well happen

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Old 04-24-2011, 10:09 AM
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Default Laser beam spark plugs? It looks like it may very well happen

Pretty interesting. I would imagine this tech would greatly assist direct injection and make spark timing and flame control considerably more manageable. The complexity of calculating out laser depth vs piston and combustion chamber design hurts my brain just trying to imagine it but perhaps thats just a result of the three or ten scotches I had last night;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13160950
Old 04-24-2011, 10:21 AM
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Originally Posted by cam
Pretty interesting. I would imagine this tech would greatly assist direct injection and make spark timing and flame control considerably more manageable. The complexity of calculating out laser depth vs piston and combustion chamber design hurts my brain just trying to imagine it but perhaps thats just a result of the three or ten scotches I had last night;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13160950
I thought these had already happened like a decade or so ago? However, they were just not practical at the time maybe? Now the engine technology is catching up to these plugs perhaps?

EDIT: Maybe I should read the article before posting...

Said that it is not a new idea, but in the past, lasers that were powerful enough to do the job were not as controllable essentially.
Old 04-26-2011, 05:17 PM
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Thats wild! One day we will have complete atomization of the fuel and perfect placement of combustion points... when these f***ing oil companies stop being manipulative and controlling we will have these things.

However the spot light is not on things like this because "they" don't want it to be. I have never heard of laser spark plugs.
Old 04-27-2011, 05:21 PM
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Interesting idea

Lol, the oil companies can't even drill for oil after spending billions on exploration permits and actual exploration. Every time the price of oil goes up the oil companies are hauled before congress and demanded to give an answer. Every time even the nimrods in congress have to admit it's not the oil companies jacking with the prices. As many people are gunning for the big oil companies it amazes me some still believe they would be able to suppress anything without irrefutable proof of said suppression?
Old 04-28-2011, 10:40 AM
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I think you will deliver a hell of a lot more energy from a coil
to the hole, than with a laser (lasing efficiency is still poor)
and the laser needs to hit an absorbtion target, unless you
have a laser that will ionize air or vapor. Most visible range
ones will not, and UV lasers are not at all compact (yet). A
target means likely spallation of material and if the energy is
dumped in a surface you are no better off than a plug, likely
worse (arc ionization energy is dropped in the gas where it
belongs).
Old 04-28-2011, 01:09 PM
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what happened to the plasma spark technology? every 1 said that was the next best thing
Old 04-28-2011, 08:25 PM
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Maybe Granatelli will sell wires for these and pick up some power.

Sorry I had to.



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