Lasers could replace spark plugs in car engines

[super jumbe]

Car engines could soon be fired by lasers instead of spark plugs, researchers say.
A team at the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics will report on 1 May that they have designed lasers that could ignite the fuel/air mixture in combustion engines.
The approach would increase efficiency of engines, and reduce their pollution, by igniting more of the mixture.
The team is in discussions with a spark plug manufacturer.
The idea of replacing spark plugs - a technology that has changed little since their invention 150 years ago - with lasers is not a new one.
Spark plugs only ignite the fuel mixture near the spark gap, reducing the combustion efficiency, and the metal that makes them up is slowly eroded as they age.


My opinion another invention that the auto mechanic will be spending more time on ECU repaires then doing the regular service.

[gopher7]

Most are not mechanic's anymore, the're just fitters. Plug a computer in, tells them what's wrong, change that part then check again.

[super jumbe]

You could ask Mead-Head Motors, I suppose we can not have auto oil change and oil filter, check gear oil oiling door hinges and replace antifreeze, check tyre presser, etc.

[Meat-Head]

.
The idea of replacing spark plugs - a technology that has changed little since their invention 150 years ago - with lasers is not a new one.
Spark plugs only ignite the fuel mixture near the spark gap, reducing the combustion efficiency, and the metal that makes them up is slowly eroded as they age.

You could ask Mead-Head Motors,

Ok, so we bin the sparkplugs and fit lasers (light amplication, by stimulated emitted radioation).

Like anything, nothing lasts forever, car comes in with misfire, now what, you can't look down it to check it's working, would take your head off.

going to need enough power to set fire to a 'lean' mixture of hydrocarbons and oxygen at 120 bar, so that's going to need 'power'.

That's when you get twats like me, who think.

The bitch over the road has parked over the drive again, laser, line, adjust FIRE ONE, bye bye tyre, oh and the paper boy's tyres on way past.

Thanks, but no thanks, think you should spend you time making an engine more than 30% efficent.

HTH

Meat.

[chroma]

Thats pretty much my thoughts MH. Why make something so simple and effective more complex?

Some steel, some copper (if your lucky) and a dolop of moulded ceramic, add some threads and voil? you have a device that costs less than a penny that does the job and is easily replaceable.

Adding lasers? who's that helping?
Energy wise plugs dont use all that much in terms of current, voltage needs to be upped substantially to arc across the point.
The only trade off here is lowering the voltage and upping the current, and as soon as the lens gets dirty your ~~~~ed!

Trust an engineer to create a problem out of thin air to solve, its like trying to invent a better mousetrap :/

[Meat-Head]

The only trade off here is lowering the voltage and upping the current, and as soon as the lens gets dirty your ~~~~ed!

Trust an engineer to create a problem out of thin air to solve, its like trying to invent a better mousetrap :/

Yes, of course, bring back leaded petrol, as this needs lower speeds to burn off fouled pluggs.

So, for example like the other day, bloke brought a running car, downloaded the engine, he then uploaded it to another car.

some INFERIOR website, where 'members' had done that type of engine swap before said to cut a certain wire off - he did - it was the 'only one' it needed So there was no way had it been started, when it came in there was a bit missing, so we downloaded from a popular supplier of Polish car parts a new part, so new cranck sensor, twatted up the body, click, click, INJECT INJECT - that will do, tried starting, but nil poi (was french), opened throttle full, fired up, would have been ~~~~ed with lasers and dirty lens, unless they up the power to clean the lens and blow hole in piston.

OFF TOPIC-

Mouse trap, brought Mummy one of the 'HUMANE' mouse traps, caught a mouse in garage, some how, ended up under the bench, with said mouse, now dead mouse from no fuel or water!

[Canker_Canison]

Guess I'm in a minority here. The thought of lasers firing the chambers could have benefits.
Although I've not looked into this it might be possible to use one laser for all pots. If fibre optics can be used to convey the laser light to a prism in the pot it could run clean. Kind of like the old mechanical injectors used on ford escorts & orions. With switches to allow the right timing sequence & laser duration to each pot.

If this does get the go ahead, how long before M-H-M starts fitting 'cutting lasers' to cars. Either to burn out pursuing vehicles tyres or the film on speed cameras?

[Meat-Head]

Guess I'm in a minority here. The thought of lasers firing the chambers could have benefits.
Although I've not looked into this it might be possible to use one laser for all pots. If fibre optics can be used to convey the laser light to a prism in the pot it could run clean.

HRRRM, nice idea, but one goes down, lost the lot, you can't fire at anytime, got to be at right time.

Just see it, now, all the dibbers, with their 106's and Shiroen Shaxo's, with loud steros, and fat birds, with what wrapped round the lasers, pringles tubes instead of red bull cans?

Walk into German Swedish & Polish, need a 'laser pack, please'

single with dizzy, quad, double or single mate?