Heat transfer from the flame kernel to the electrodes during the spark ignition process is of interest for predicting the minimum ignition energy at a given engine operating condition. Experiments conducted in a constant volume bomb at near ignition limit conditions with small and large electrode surface areas (comparable to J gap plug), coupled with a phenomenological model, show the lumped heat transfer coefficient to range from 150-200 W/m2 K during the first 3 milliseconds of the ignition period. An additional analytical approach that uses the measured time dependent kernel-electrode contact areas gives reasonable agreement with the experimentally determined heat transfer coefficient and demonstrates that the dominant mechanism is thermal conduction. Heat loss from the flame kernel is comparable to the net ignition energy for the small electrodes after 3 milliseconds while that for the large electrodes is shown to equal the net ignition energy within 800 microseconds. The experiments show that electrode configuration is an important factor affecting kernel development during the ignition period.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Electrode Heat Transfer During Spark Ignition


    Additional title:

    Sae Technical Papers


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    1989 SAE International Fall Fuels and Lubricants Meeting and Exhibition ; 1989



    Publication date :

    1989-09-01




    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English


    Keywords :


    Electrode heat transfer during spark ignition

    Ko,Y. / Anderson,R.W. / Univ.of Michigan,Ann Arbor,US et al. | Automotive engineering | 1989


    Heat transfer characteristics of a spark-ignition engine

    Alkidas,A.C. / General Motors,US | Automotive engineering | 1980


    Super Ignition spark plug with wear resistive electrode

    Nishioka,S. / Hanashi,K. / Okabe,S. et al. | Automotive engineering | 2008


    Super Ignition Spark Plug with Wear Resistive Electrode

    Nakao, H. / Okabe, S. / Society of Automotive Engineers of Japan | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2008


    Super Ignition Spark Plug with Wear Resistive Electrode

    Nishioka, S. / Hanashi, K. / Okabe, S. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2008