Method and system for igniting a fuel-air-mixture of a combustion chamber, in particular in a combustion engine by creating a corona discharge

US8800539B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• BORGWARNER BERU SYSTEMS GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Olaf Toedter · Usingen, DE
• Helmut Mueller · Tauberbischofsheim, DE
• Gerd Braeuchle · Gundelsheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 13, 2010
• Grant date: Aug 12, 2014
• Expiry date: May 27, 2031

Classification

• Technology area (CPC F): Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
• CPC primary: F02N19/00
• WIPO field: Engines, pumps, turbines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for igniting a fuel/air mixture in one or more combustion chambers which are delimited by walls that are at ground potential, wherein an electric resonant circuit is excited in which an ignition electrode, which is guided through one of the walls delimiting the combustion chamber in an electrically insulated manner and which extends into the combustion chamber, in cooperation with the walls of the combustion chamber that are at ground potential constitutes a capacitance, and in which the excitation of the resonant circuit is controlled such that a corona discharge igniting the fuel/air mixture is created in the combustion chamber at the ignition electrode. The strength of the AC current flowing in the resonant circuit, the AC voltage exciting the resonant circuit and/or the impedance of the resonant circuit are monitored, and the observations or one or more measurement variables derived therefrom and/or the time curve thereof are used to obtain indicators that characterize the state of the combustion chamber and/or the state of the material mixture present in the combustion chamber and are provided for further processing.