What is an automotive ignition system?

Automotive ignition system are designed to igniting the fuel-air mixture in gasoline engines. In spark ignition versions of internal combustion engines, the ignition system generates a spark to ignite the fuel-air mixture just before each combustion stroke.

Which engine developments require high energy ignition systems?

Other engine developments requiring high energy ignition systems include natural gas engines and cold-starting applications of diesel and methanol fuelled engines. This paper reviews progress on alternative ignition systems that supply higher energy sparks and sparks where the energy is more efficiently transferred to the gas mixture.

What is a high energy ignition system?

The energies delivered to the gases in the spark gap are usually of the Application of high energy ignition systems to engines order of 30 mJ, which is 10-100 times greater than the minimum ignition energy for combustible fuel-air mixtures under ideal conditions.

How does a spark ignition system work?

In spark ignition versions of internal combustion engines, the ignition system generates a spark to ignite the fuel-air mixture just before each combustion stroke. Unlike the Automotive ignition system, the ingition system used in gas turbine engines and rocket engines typically is only used during start-up.

How does electronic ignition work?

As a result, the system uses a series of sensors to determine the engine’s position (relative to top dead center [TDC]), speed (RPM), manifold pressure and engine temperature. It then uses this information to trigger the spark at the right time. Electronic ignition can be part of an integrated system or it can be a stand alone ignition system.

What are enhanced ignition systems?

Many of these systems have features which improve the delivery of ignition energy to the combustible mixture or allow the ignition energy to be dispersed throughout the combustible charge. These will be referred to as enhanced ignition systems.