Seminar on

LASER Ignition
Presented by
Ritesh Kumar Parida
NIT Surathkal

SCOPE
What is LASER?
Why LASER Ignition?
Laser Ignition System for an Internal Combustion Engine
How does Laser Ignition Work?
Fundamentals of LASER-Induced Ignition
Types of LASER-Induced Ignition - LASER-Induced Spark Ignition, LASER-Induced Cavity Ignition,
LASER-induced multi-point ignition(LIMPI)
Discussion, Conclusion and Reference

What is LASER?
A laser is a device that emits electromagnetic radiation through a process of
optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons.
The term LASER is an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of
Radiation

Why LASER Ignition?

1. To improve performance of future ignition system (laser-induced ignition) for
IC engines,gas turbine and rocket combustor
2.

Better combustion stability.

3. Used in Lean burn systems, improves thermal efficiency while reducing

exhaust gas emissions

Laser Ignition System for an

Internal Combustion Engine

How does Laser

Ignition Work?
1. A process of starting
combustion by the stimulus of
a LASER.
2. Optical breakdown of gas
molecules
3. The beam of a powerful
short pulse laser is focused by
a lens into a combustion
chamber. Near the focal spot
a hot and bright plasma is
generated.

Fundamentals of LASER-Induced Ignition (Four

different mechanisms)
1. Thermal ignition is initiated when low energy long wavelength laser radiation is
incident.
2. Photochemical ignition occurs when a high energy photon dissociates a molecule
allowing the ionized constituents to react with the surrounding gases.
3. Resonant laser ignition is initiated by the dissociation of target molecules or atoms
by the non-resonant multiphoton ionization process.
4. Non-resonant breakdown occurs when a laser pulse of sufficient peak power is
focused to a sufficiently small spot whereby the electrical field component of the
focused light is strong enough to influence the gas molecules and initiate the electrical

LASER-Induced Spark Ignition (A CH 4 /air mixture

of = 0.9
Ref: Review and recent
developments of laser ignition
for internal combustion
engines applications by
Mohamed H. Morsy: Renewable
and Sustainable Energy
Reviews 16 (2012) 48494875

Note - only 3070% of the

incident laser energy can
be utilized

LASER-Induced Cavity
Ignition
Note - The combustion duration
for laser cavity ignition was
decreased relative to the
conventional laser-induced
spark ignition (combustion pressure
increased relatively rapidly)

Ref: Review and recent developments of

laser ignition for internal combustion
engines applications by Mohamed H. Morsy:
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
16 (2012) 48494875

LASER-Induced
Cavity Ignition
Shadowgraphs for early stages of combustion
process using cavity I for CH 4 /air mixtures
with P = 1.5 atm, (a) =1.0, and (b) = 0.7
(numbers indicate time [ms] after laser shot)
Ref: Review and recent developments of laser ignition for
internal combustion engines applications by Mohamed H.
Morsy: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16 (2012)
48494875

LASER-Induced
Multi-Point
Ignition(LIMPI)
1.

Reduces the NO x emissions of a gas engines

2. Accelerated combustion is possible by (LIMPI) even at lower turbulence

thereby reducing 20-30% heat loss to the cylinder wall.
3. Higher combustion temperatures and pressure leading to a better thermal
efficiency and increased power output.
4. It has been reported that multi-point ignition could enable one to avoid
problems such as early flame quenching, partial burn, misfire, pressure pulsation
and cycle-to-cycle variation associated with combustion of lean mixtures

LIMPI
Principles of laser-induced
multi-point ignition showing
multiple reflection
characteristics inside cavities.
(a) two point spark/cavity
ignition (b) two point cavity
ignition and (c) three point
ignition
Ref: Review and recent
developments of laser ignition
for internal combustion engines
applications by Mohamed H.
Morsy: Renewable and
Sustainable Energy Reviews 16
(2012) 48494875

LIMPI
Shadowgraphs for early stages of combustion
processes of CH 4 /air mixtures with two-point ignition;
(a) P i=1.5 atm, = 1.0, E =80 mJ, and (b) P i =1.0 atm,
=0.7, E = 110 mJ (numbers indicate time [ms] after
laser shot)
Ref: Review and recent developments of laser ignition for internal
combustion engines applications by Mohamed H. Morsy:
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 16 (2012) 48494875

NO x Efficiency trade-off for a natural gas fueled engine at 15 bar BMEP, Ref : Review and recent developments of
laser ignition for internal combustion engines applications by Mohamed H. Morsy: Renewable and Sustainable Energy

Advantages of Laser Ignition

System
Absence of quenching effects by the spark plug electrodes
Precise ignition timing
Exact regulation of the ignition energy
Easier possibility of multipoint ignition, and
Lean Fuel/Air mixture, lesser turbulence, Decrease in heat loss at cylinder wall,
lesser NOx at lower mixture temperature, increased in efficiency
Shorter ignition delay and shorter combustion time

Concluding Remarks
1. Significant improvement to the combustion process ( with laser-induced cavity
ignition or laser-induced multipoint ignition)
2. It has been reported that an optimally designed, high-brightness, passively
Q-switched micro-laser has been confirmed to reduce the ignition energy
dramatically compared with other ignition lasers and a spark plug.
3. Development of a suitable combustion chamber window (a component crucial
for the success of laser ignition) is an urgent need.
4.

Non-availability of a commercial LASER system ( a low cost) that can fulfill

Reference
1. Mohamed H. Morsy, Review and recent developments of laser ignition for
internal combustion engines applications, Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Reviews 16 (2012) 48494875