Car Engine Powered by Lasers

[IndianaBoys]

Car Engine Powered by Lasers

Mon May 2, 2011 08:50 AM ET

Car Engine Powered by Lasers : Discovery News

THE GIST

* Japanese researchers have created an automotive laser system to replace spark plugs.
* Tiny ceramic lasers ignite the air and fuel mixture with concentrated optical energy.
* The durable laser system has the potential to improve fuel efficiency and engine performance.

Also found this:

A Survey of Laser Lightning Rod Techniques
http://www.teslaradio.com/pages/AD-A239_988.pdf

The concept of using a laser to create an ionized path in the atmosphere to act as a lightning rod is not new. Over the past four decades since the invention of the laser, there have been many documented investigations into the ionization of atmospheric gasses with an eye towards creating a laser lightning rod. Initial experimental attempts using lasers operating in the IR were not successful. Although some ionization was attained, it was found that the laser beam was selfquenching so that distances of only tens of meters were obtained in the atmosphere near sea level...


Anyone have knowledge in this area?

Looking to use deep UV direct diode lasers to ionize a path that is 12 inches apart between electrodes.

Thanks,

IndianaBoys

[IndianaBoys]

First Lasers, Now Corona Ignition Proposed

First Lasers, Now Corona Ignition Proposed

First Lasers, Now Corona Ignition Proposed | The Truth About Cars


Federal Mogul's new Advanced Corona Ignition System

Last May, at the international Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, a joint Japanese/Bulgarian team of researchers introduced ceramic based lasers that are compact, durable and powerful enough to be used to ignite a fuel/air mixture in a combustion engine. At the time, the researchers announced that they were working with spark plug maker Denso on commercializing the idea. That announcement was followed up by word that Mazda’s next generation “16X” rotary engine will exploit the compact size of those laser igniters. Now Michigan auto supplier Federal Mogul has released news about a US patent on their Advanced Corona Ignition System, or ACIS. Instead of a spark (or laser) the ACIS uses a high-intensity burst of plasma to ignite the fuel.

The corona can be controlled more than an electrical spark, allowing it to spread across the combustion chamber, resulting in a more complete burn. Federal Mogul says that using ACIS will improve fuel mileage by as much as 10% over conventional spark plug ignition, in part due to greater timing precision. That precision is said to be synergistic with direct injection. ACIS will also, F-M claims, allow leaner fuel/air mixtures, and cooler running engines. Because they don’t erode with use as conventional spark plugs do, the corona igniters will supposedly have longer service lives. No time frame for commercialization of the ACIS system was announced.