Ford wants to Replace Sparkplugs with Lasers

Written by Amiel Blajchman
Published on July 27th, 2009
5 Comments
Posted in Auto industry, Engines

Since its humble beginnings in the 19th century, the sparkplug has been a mainstay of the combustion engine.

Some engineers at Ford, in collaboration with Liverpool University researchers have decided to modernize spark plug technology. Since we’re in the 21st century, that replacement is going to be lasers.

Yes, I said lasers.

Ford is currently testing a new laser ignition system for implementation on their high end cars in a few model years. This system is designed to increase the efficiency of the automotive ignition system. Since laser beams can be split into multiple beams, it would be possible for the laser ignition system to create multiple points of ignition.

Increasing the number of ignition points also enable the engine to start in cold and damp conditions, as well as providing for a more complete combustion of the fuel mixture, increasing fuel efficiencies.

Dr Tom Shenton, a researcher at Liverpool University leading the project, said:

“Lasers can be focused and split into multiple beams to give multiple ignition points, which means it can give a far better chance of ignition. This can really improve the performance of the engine when it is cold, as this is the time when around 80 per cent of the exhaust emissions are produced and the engine is at is least efficient.

“The laser also produces more stable combustion so you need to put less fuel into the cylinder.”

In the new laser ignition system, the car battery powers a laser which is directed into the engine cylinders by optical fibers and special lenses. Liverpool researchers claim that the laser will also require less power than traditional spark plugs, even though the laser system will need to fire more than 50 times per second to produce 3000 RPM.

The promise of significant fuel savings, as well as potentially developing alternative fuel mixes that would be ignitable thanks to this technology have sufficiently piqued the interest of the UK’s Carbon Trust for them to award this project a £200,000 grant.

Image Credit – AndrewEick via flickr.com on a Creative Commons license

You Might Also Like

Add a comment or question
«
»

5 Responses to “Ford wants to Replace Sparkplugs with Lasers”

  1. ChuckL Says:
    July 28th, 2009 at 1:04 am

    Interesting. Aftermarket ignition systems have been using MSD (Multiple Spark Discharge) for years now.

    The benefits have proven to be what is claimed for the laser. If the laser costs are less, then it would be a good deal.

  2. gasburner Says:
    July 28th, 2009 at 2:55 am

    Does anybody here have any idea what “alternative fuel mix” would be ignitable with a laser that a spark plug cannot set off? Is the idea that a laser would allow a normal engine to run off of diesel fuel or propane or something like that? Or are these mixes something really exotic with special chemicals specially put together for the laser?

  3. Ford wants to Replace Sparkplugs with "Lasers" - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com Says:
    July 28th, 2009 at 4:20 pm

    [...] that evil. My question is how will they keep the lenses clean? Lasers. That’s one tall ladder. Ford wants to Replace Sparkplugs with Lasers : Gas 2.0 GA_googleFillSlot(“Forum_Rectangle”); (Support Ecomodder.com & get rid of these annoying [...]

  4. John Embry Says:
    July 28th, 2009 at 7:01 pm

    Wow. This is more impressive than it sounds. The cool factor is huge (and that is important for Ford), but I would think that laser systems would require less maintenance than spark plugs. Realistically, we’re probably talking about “lense cleaning” instead of “plug replacement.”

  5. shree ganesh.n Says:
    January 21st, 2010 at 5:09 am

    basically wat i wanna no is,by using laser ignition how much space it is going to occupy compared 2 spark plugs….i like this whole new concept.i also want 2 no how far hav these developements reached?

Leave a Reply