Performance Ignition Technology

The dynamics of engine cylinder combustion is not very well understood by many experts in the field yet it is one of the most important components of engine efficiency and developed power. The following are some basic facts on this subject that need to be examined to better understand the importance of cylinder combustion IGNITION. As a point of reference, consider an engine turning at a leisurely 2000 RPM, about the speed for cruising in most cars today. Even at this modest speed, things under the hood are happening quite fast. The crankshaft and each piston makes a complete 360 degree cycle 33.33 times a second. As the crankshaft reaches zero degrees and the piston is at top dead center on the power stroke cycle and then crosses over the zero degree point to deliver mechanical torque to the crank shaft, cylinder combustion pressures should begin to reach high levels. At 2000 RPM, each degree of crankshaft rotation requires just .0000833 seconds, that is 83.3 microseconds. For maximum engine torque and efficiency a very high degree of fuel/air mixture burn should be completed to produce high cylinder combustion pressures at the very beginning of the power stroke cycle, just several degrees after the piston reaches top dead center. It is obvious that good ignition of the fuel/air mixture is an important component in the process of producing good combustion resulting in high cylinder combustion pressures early in the power stroke cycle. In a spark ignition system, heat produced by the ignition spark as it conducts to the spark plug collector electrode starts the fuel/air mixture burn. This fuel/air mixture burn requires time and is often expressed as flame front propagation. It is well understood by most that a high intensity ignition spark with long spark duration produces a much faster fuel/air mixture burn, hence high combustion pressures early in the power stroke cycle. It is less well understood that igniting the fuel/air mixture in more that one place can also accelerate the fuel/air mixture burn time. Dual spark plugs can be used to accomplish this but the cost would be price prohibited in most cases. A much less costly and highly effective Dual Spark Ignitor (DSI) spark plug has been developed. This spark plug produces two separate simultaneous ignition sparks for each single discharge of the ignition coil igniting the fuel/air mixture in two separate places. The DSI spark plug invention has overcome technical challenges associated with this concept producing proven significant engine performance and efficiency gains.