QUARTER WAVE COAXIAL CAVITY IGNITER FOR COMBUSTION ENGINES

摘要

An apparatus and method for igniting combustible materials in a combustion chamber of a combustion engine using corona discharge plasma from a quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator. A tapered quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator is adapted to mate with the combustion chamber. The quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator is coupled with an energy shaping means, or waveform generator, that develops the appropriate waveform for triggering radio frequency oscillations in the quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator. A loop coupling is angularly positioned within the quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator to match impedances between the quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator and the energy shaping means, or waveform generator. Radio frequency oscillations produce a standing wave in the quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator and a corona discharge plasma develops near the center conductor. The corona discharge plasma developed near the center conductor ignites the combustible materials in the combustion chamber of the combustion engine.

主权项

1. A method of igniting a combustible material in a combustion chamber of a combustion engine, comprising:
receiving an electrical stimulus from an ignition control system associated with the combustion engine; generating a waveform in a waveform generator capable of triggering an RF oscillation in a quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator in response to said electrical stimulus; coupling said waveform to said quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator through an angularly positioned loop coupling to trigger said RF oscillation in said quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator, said loop coupling being angularly positioned within said quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator to match an impedance between said waveform generator and quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator; generating a standing wave in said quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator using said RF oscillation, said quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator being operably adapted to produce a corona near a center conductor when said standing wave is present; producing plasma from said corona near said center conductor of said quarter wave coaxial cavity resonator; and, igniting the combustible material in the combustion chamber of the combustion engine using said plasma.